Page:The American Slave Trade (Spears).djvu/160

 "During the existence of the impolitic intercourse act . . . so great was the trade [of all kinds] that three hundred sail of square-rigged vessels were seen at one time in the Spanish waters waiting for cargoes." Amelia Island was then probably the most populous slave-station in the world.

Another notable slave-station on the borders of the United States previous to the war of 1812 was that established at Barataria, southwest of New Orleans, where Jean Lafitte ruled. Lafitte's piratical cruisers captured many slavers and brought their cargoes to Barataria. The bayous between that and the Mississippi were admirably suited for smugglers. They smuggled all kinds of goods, but negroes paid best of all. The operations became so bold that the national Government sent Commodore D. T. Patterson, of the navy, and Colonel George T. Ross, of the army, with forces that destroyed the settlement. The vessels and other property captured sold for $50,000, and this sam was distributed among our men who had part in the expedition. That so great a sum was realized at forced sale for the property shows how extensive the Barataria smuggling business was.

After the war of 1812 the people chiefly concerned in the Barataria colony went to Galveston Island and there established what they called the Government of the new State of Texas. This was done in 1817 but the exact date is not recorded. The ruling spirit was "Commodore Louis Aury," who had held a commission in the New Grenada navy, but was in 1817 acting under a commission issued by Herrero, an agent of the Mexican republic. Aury called himself the Commodore of the allied fleet in the war with Spain.