In the end, Brand made a compromise.
After all, the Negroes on the Bahama Islands were just clamoring for independence, which was entirely different from actually establishing a government structure, taking control of the entire island's administration and economy.
By then, as the commander of the expeditionary force, he would inevitably have to take full responsibility.
As for the reinforcements, the news he received last week indicated that they were not yet ready. It would be at least four months before 5,000 soldiers would arrive in the Caribbean Sea.
Before that, he needed someone to help him stabilize the situation in the Bahamas. At the very least, he couldn't allow the rebel government to easily confiscate the plantations on the island and expel the British people.
The "commission" for the French people would naturally be paid by the Governor of the Bahamas — Sir Essex had taken quite a bit of money with him when he fled Nassau.
That same afternoon, Brisso boarded the British transportation ship "Smile," full of supplies, returning to Santo Domingo.
For the next few months, this ship was at his disposal, part of the condition for helping the British suppress the Bahama uprising.
As for the French transportation ships, they had been hijacked by the Santo Domingo rebel army three months earlier.
Brisso first stopped at Saint Lucia Island, which was under French control, changed the crew to Frenchmen, and then continued on his way northwest.
Once the "Smile" left the vicinity of the Little Andros Islands, a crew member brought one of the black "labourers" who had previously boarded from France into the officer's conference room.
Brisso stood up and, with a bow to the ragged but sharp-eyed man, said in English, "I'm pleased to meet you here, Mr. Jones."
Jones was the leader of the Bahama anti-slavery movement. After his rebel army had been defeated, the Special Trade Association's ship took him to Saint Lucia Island.
He touched his chest in reply as a salute, "They say, you are Mr. Oreal's man?"
Jones nodded, "If you could give me a pistol and take me back to Bridgetown, I would be very grateful."
"What do you plan to do?"
"David is dead, Jiris is dead, old Joe also died, they all died." Jones stared intently at Brisso, his voice husky, "I need to avenge them. With a gun, I can still kill quite a few British people, and then go 'there' to see them."
Brisso nodded silently, "Although you have encountered some setbacks, the cause of freedom and liberation has not failed."
Jones exclaimed loudly, "Freedom forever!"
"I will send you back to Bridgetown, but not to assassinate British soldiers."
"What else can I do? Kneel down and beg the white man for forgiveness?"
"No, there are still more than a hundred thousand enslaved people waiting for you to rescue them," said Brisso. "Your fight for freedom must continue."
Jones gave a wry smile, "Those brothers who followed me are all dead; I can save no one now..."
"What if I can provide you with a thousand flintlock guns and 50,000 British Pounds in funds?"
Jones' eyes lit up, "You, you're not joking, are you?"
"Of course not." Brisso patted his shoulder, "We will deliver the weapons in three days by ship, and the money is in the cabin below. The fight for freedom will never end!"
And so, half of the 100,000 British Pounds that Brand had just paid was transferred to the anti-slavery rebel army to support their struggle against the British.
Several days later, Brisso stood at the bow of the ship, gazing into the distance at Jones's retreating figure, feeling a surge of emotion.
There was the flame of freedom, not yet extinguished, and he would follow that man to continue spreading it through Barbados, and one day, those enslaved and tortured people there would achieve liberation!
He turned to look at the boundless sea.
On the other side of the Caribbean Sea, the black people of the Bahamas and Jamaica were also resisting their miserable fate, burying the filthy institution of slavery with their blood and hands.
And then Santo Domingo would lead the entire Caribbean Sea Region in establishing a free nation, without oppression, without the slave trade.
There, black people, white people, and mulattoes alike could live equally, all displaying equally brilliant smiles.
The evil night would end here, and the light of freedom and happiness would forever shine over the vast Caribbean Sea!
Suddenly, Brisso drew a cross over his chest and looked up, exclaiming loudly, "Long live the Crown Prince! It is you who have brought hope to this land! May Jesus bless you."
He was a fervent abolitionist, once having followed a slaver ship to America, where he then witnessed firsthand the extremely wretched lives of the black slaves.
People from West African tribes were attacked and captured by slaver teams and transported to America. Along the way, nearly a quarter of them would die.
And what awaited them were relentless labors under the plantation owners' whips, in the heat of Liege. A slight misstep would lead to torture such as burning, hanging upside down, or even direct execution.
Female black slaves were subjected to the plantation owners' humiliation at any time.
Slave owners would corral them like livestock, choosing strong black men for "breeding," and the children born were the private property of the slave owners, continuing their lives as slaves, as "beasts."
The fate of the black slaves thus continuously recycled, as if plummeting into hell, with no hope.
Until the Crown Prince sent him here.
Innumerable innocent black people were henceforth freed from the plantation owners' whips and became human again, re-immersed in the holy light of Jesus!
Brisso's eyes reddened slightly.
He swore in his heart that he would always follow the Crown Prince, follow the guide of freedom, and give everything of himself for him!
Half a month later, a 4,000-man French force arrived to suppress the rebellion in the Bahamas.
The temporary Congress of the Bahamas immediately became tense and promptly authorized Major Dusang Luvidur and Lidington to call up troops to resist.
Of course, several top-level members in Congress, along with the two Rebel Army commanders, had already met with Oreal's envoy and knew that this French force was not an enemy.
In fact, there was to be some cooperation between the two sides.
Colonel Galisonnière, the commander of the French forces, pointed to Nassau City in the distance and said to Major Gardner, the British military advisor beside him with a smile, "These negroes have no military knowledge at all. Look, in less than two days, I've completed the encirclement of this city."
"I wish you a swift victory," said Gardner.
His role as an advisor was actually to act as a "supervising officer" to ensure the French didn't take the money and slack off.
The next day at noon, the French forces launched a fierce attack on Nassau City.
For a time, the booming of cannons shook the sky as the buildings on the outskirts of Nassau were quickly shredded by the bombardment, followed by the neat advancement of the French infantry line, encouraged by the beating of the military drums.
Just as Gardner marveled at the French Army's impressive combat strength and the black slaves' utter inability to fight back, the sound of horns suddenly erupted from the flanks and rear of the French troops.