Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-02-16

prepared by the National Geographic so-
ciety, Washington, d. C
Twenty miles to the southwest OF
the town of Cape Haitien, in the north
of the island of Haiti, there stands, on
the top of a precipitous mountain
Bonnet a rEvegue--one of the won
ders of the western hemisphere, yet
one whose existence is as present
scarcely known and one whose full
history will never be written. A per-
sonal visit to Christophe's citadel is
necessary in order fully to appreciate
it's massiveness, it's intricate and elab-
crate construction, and it's remote sit
uation. Few are so fortunate as to
be able to visit this spot, or, even
when given the opportunity, possess
the physique necessary to make the
arduous trip.
Prior to the first general uprising of
the slaves against their French mas
ters, Christophe worked as a waiter
in Cap Franchise (now Cape Haitien) +,
and it was in this humble capacity
that he is supposed to have picked up
his smattering of English and formed
the acquaintance of English naval Of
ficers.
Tall and of a splendid physique,
with exceptionally bright and pierre
ing eyes, and with a reckless bravery
and a terrible ferocity, combined with
no little duplicity and cunning, he
speedily achieved a conspicuous place
as one of the trusted lieutenants of
Toussaint L'Ouverture, that remark
able negro strategist who rose from
slavery to a position of commanding
importance in Haiti and who success
fully led the slaves in their revolt
against the French prior to the in
dependence Of the island republic.
Through treachery LOuverture was
captured and carried away to Fort de
Joux, in France. where he died in
prison in 1903. His immediate sue
cessor was the both famous and no.
torious Dessalines who created him.
self emperor. When Dessalines was
assassinated, in 1905, Christophe was
elected president and soon proclaimed
himself king,
When he was only general under
Dessalines, Christophe had begun work
on his marvellous mountain-top citadel
1t is not known just what length of
time was required to build the citadel,
| but it is evident it was finished some
little time prior to ChristOphe's death
in 1920. Its construction is variously
estimated to have taken a toll rang
! ing from ten to twenty thousand hui
man lives.
Murdered Its French Designers.
1t is believed that the plan for the
structure were drawn and the work
of construction supervised by two cap.
tive French officers, who possessed
the highest order of technical train
| ing. When their work was completed
Christophe, in company with these of
ficers, is said to have made a thor.
ough inspection of all parts Of the
structure, and then, upon arriving al
one of the highest points of the edifice
ordered both men seized and hurled tC
their death on tae rocks below, thus
forever safeguarding the secrets OF
the place. There is a legend that the
tyrant once had an entire company OF
mutinous soldiers driven off this same
spot; 1t was his favorite method OF
dispatching those who incurred the
royal Ill will.
The mere location of this citadel is
such that one wonders how nature
provided such site, and a thorough
inspection cahses unbOunded admira
ton for the master mind that recog
nized the possibilities aside from con
ceivlng and constructing the edifice
now standing there; for Bonnet q
L'Eveque could not have been more
ideally located for its purpose if il
had been made to order. Occupying
the entire top of the mountain, the
citadel commands every neighboring
peak and approach, while a spring be-
meath and inside of the building fur
nishes an abundant supply of water
that prime necessity in withstandine
long siege.
The building has the PROV forma'
tion pointing toward the magnetic
north, the entire eastern face being
In this line. On the eastward side
which is the longest, is located the
main battery Of heavy guns; and
strategically this should be so, for this
gives absolute command of the most
dangerous approach, that from the di