Rigaud lands at Les Cayes to wild acclaim; Pétion receives him at Port-au-Prince and makes him general of division.

One day he obtained leave to go and settle at Poitiers. Soon he asks to betake himself to Perpignan, where he thought, he said, to find almost the air of his own country. It was on the journey to his new destination that he was able to escape and to reach Le Havre, on 2 January 1811 (1), whence he made his way to England and from there to Les Cayes, on 7 April (2).

It would be impossible to depict faithfully the transports of love that greeted the former governor of the department of the South: the memory of his exploits against the colonists and the English intoxicated the men of the city with pride; the struggle he had sustained against Toussaint L’Ouverture recalled what heroism has of the most chivalrous; his misfortunes, what reverses can bring of the most painfully memorable. All, down to the simple cultivator, remembered that he had been one of the first, in the colony, to speak of general liberty.

That evening there was an illumination as spontaneous as it was general. The news caused so much joy in the countryside, among the simple and good men, though easy to lead astray, who inhabit it and make it prosper, that suddenly, from *morne* to *morne*, as far as the horizon could extend, immense bonfires were seen to blaze.

Rigaud, scarcely recovered from the fatigues of his crossing, departs on the 19th (1) for the capital. The ovation he had received in his own city was prolonged all along the road; he had difficulty in tearing himself from the embraces of the different localities. Fresh triumphs awaited him at Port-au-Prince. Pétion had had the whole garrison put under arms; he went himself to the Léogane gate to receive his former general, for whom, at that moment, he felt only the sentiments of the sweetest fraternity.

Could a heart like his remember all the rancors of the past?

When, at the side of the President, Rigaud entered, calm and proud, the main street, an immense vivat drowned the noise of the drums and the cannon, and a rain of flowers and foliage flooded his path. Let anyone speak now of the ingratitude of peoples, in the presence of this manifestation of generous sentiments that came from every heart!

Pétion neglected nothing to make more agreeable to Rigaud the welcome of which he himself set the example. At the parade on the Champ-de-Mars which took place the next day, he proclaimed him general of division, for until then this senior of our veterans was only a general of brigade. He took him in the same day to inspect the fleet of the Republic, then anchored in the roadstead, numerous at that period and brilliantly dressed with flags. A meal was served on board the corvette the *Centaure*. Our sailors mingled with our soldiers their toasts to liberty, to equality, to Independence, to the Republic, and to the peace of which everyone felt the need.