General view of the character and condition of christophe's subjects, during his reign.

The inhabitants of Christophe's territories, at this period, may be divided into four classes, viz, the nobility and officers, all of whom were proprietors,—the soldiers, (of whom some account has been given, ¹ )—the tradespeople and mechanics,—and the cultivators. The latter, who formed the great mass of the population, resided on or near the plantations on which they were appointed to labour. They lived, some in huts constructed of bamboo and mortar, such as they had been accustomed to inhabit; and others, in the houses formerly occupied by the planters, parts of which they easily repaired and formed into comfortable dwellings. A great proportion of them were engaged in cultivating the estates of the king, which were sufficiently extensive to furnish them with constant employment. If soldiers, as was sometimes the ease, they were fed and clothed at the king's expence; if regular cultivators, they received such a share of the produce as was fully adequate to yield them a competent maintenance. Others were in the employ of the nobles and officers, who, receiving either stated wages, or such a portion of the articles they cultivated as was deemed a sufficient reward for their industry, were equally supplied with whatever could contribute to their comfort and happiness. And those who, by their exertions and economy, were enabled to procure small spots of land of their own, or to hold the smaller plantations at an annual rent, were diligently engaged in cultivating coffee, sugar, and other articles, which they disposed of, at moderate prices, to the inhabitants of the adjacent towns and villages.