EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...

company. 235 Colonel De Puydt, however, was able, despite significant hurdles, to secure
a new, if somewhat less advantageous, grant for the Compagnie. 236
The answer to the second question depended on which report was accepted. The
report by the Captain Petit was overwhelmingly negative 237 and in many regards would
reflect the later general consensus as to the reasons why the colony failed. One of the
enticements to both Guatemala and Belgium had been the possibility of turning the bay
of Santo Tomas into a deep water port. This would allow cargo leaving Guatemala for
the Atlantic to avoid the detour through the harbor in Belize, which was subject to
British control. In this regard Petit wrote “To the southeast, the coast is low, muddy,
covered with palm trees containing a myriad of bugs. This part of the bay, until
one reaches the Cape of Trois-Points is unapproachable; it leaves an unbelievable
odor. All this area must be very unhealthy...” 238 In other words, to Petit, building
a harbor there seemed incapable of being accomplished. Still later he wrote, " For
the present time, I only see certain ruin for the colonist; for the European who is not
accustomed and cannot get used to living as natives, the wild life has major costs.” 239
235
“Because of the general fear that foreign colonists would ultimately wish to establish their
independence on the pattern of Texas, the government insisted that all immigrant settlers in the future
abjure the protection of their home governments and become Guatemalan citizens”. Griffith, 241.
236
De Puydt seems to have made ample use of bribes in order to achieve the desired outcome.
Maselis, 98.
237
It has been alleged that Petit had been ordered by members of the government to turn in a
strongly negative report so as to prevent Belgium involvement in any colonial schemes. I was unable to
verify either the truth or origin, of this claim. Maselis, 100.
238
“Au sud-est, la cote est basse, vaseuse, couverte de palétuviers d'ou il sort une
myriade d'insectes. Cette partie de la baie, jusqu'au cap des Trois-Pointes est inabordable; il en
sort une odeur insupportable. Toute cette partie doit être très malsaine...” Fabri, 48.
239
“Comme des journaux opposés à la colonisation avaient dénaturé les événements auxquels
T'Kint, Petit et Dechange avaient fait allusion dans -des rapports rédigés en même temps que celui de De
Puydt, ce dernier publia une notice explicative dans le ‘Moniteur Belge ‘ du 16 octobre 1842. En effet le
lieutenant de vaisseau Petit avait fait éditer le 23 mai 1842, un mémoire sur son voyage où il disait
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