the eminences between the Vigie and the sea. were killed, 109 wounded, and 200 missing. was unusually great in proportion.

Fifty-four English

The loss in officers

General Hunter arrived from Martinico; he immediately drew the whole of the force, except from the Vigie, to the heights surrounding the town, and the passes to Berkshire Hill were carefully strengthened. On the 14th, the enemy in great force in Mariaqua Valley seemed determined to attack the Vigie. At this time its possession was not of sufficient importance to induce General Hunter to risk an action, he therefore ordered it to be evacuated, which was done at ten o'clock, and the enemy immediately marched in. The next day they advanced to Baker's Ridge, and opened a smart cannonade upon Dorsetshire Hill: their shells were injudiciously thrown, and did no damage. A party of Caribs at the same time encamped about Bowe Wood, at the head of Kingstown Valley.

On the morning of the 20th, Lieutenant-Colonel Prevost was ordered to attack the redoubt on Baker's Ridge. He surprised and cut their piquet guard to pieces; but after receiving two wounds from the fire from the redoubt, he retreated to Millar's Ridge, pursued by the exulting enemy. More than twenty times they attempted to gain the summit of the ridge, darkness then obliged them to desist. The same morning the Caribs pursued some straggling soldiers to the camp at Green Hill. Major Jackson went out to attack them, and Major Fraser endeavoured to flank them; but after several hours bush fighting, they set fire to Bow Wood House and retreated. During the action, Lieutenant-Colonel Gower, with 330 of the 63d, anchored in the roads.

On the 24th, a long six-pounder field-piece was mounted on Millar's Ridge; it soon occasioned evident confusion in the enemy's camp, who in the dark retired to the Vigie with their artillery. No further operations were carried on until the arrival of Sin Ralph Abercrombie from St. Lucia on the 8th of June. The troops were immediately landed; and in the afternoon of the following day the whole army, 3960 strong, marched in six divisions from Sion Hill to attack the Vigie; Brigadier-General Knox, with 936 men, to Mariaqua Valley; Major-General Hunter to Calder Ridge. with 1045; Major-General Morshead to Carapan Ridge, with 857 Lieutenant-Colonel Fuller to Ross Ridge, with 573; Lieutenant Colonel Dickens to Warawaroa Valley, with 317; and Lieutenant Colonel Spencer, with 232, as a corps de reserve, followed the lin of march.

A little before daylight, Lieutenant-Colonel Dickens commenced the attack by carrying a redoubt, which the Caribs abandoned with a slight resistance. After attempting the next post in that direc

tion, he was obliged to retreat, with the loss of fifty-one killed and Founded. The Generals Hunter and Morshead by this time opened a cannonade upon the Old Vigie, from their respective stations, the former distant about 500 yards, the latter 300; while a constant fire of musketry was kept up by the men from the adjoining canes. About two o'clock it was deemed practicable to carry the place by storm, and orders to that effect were given. Colonel Blair of the Buffs, and Major Stewart of the 42d regiment, headed the troops; the post was instantly carried, the enemy retreating with great precipitation to their other works, followed as expeditiously by the troops, who carried the two succeeding works in the same gallant manner.

The New Vigie was now the only object to be gained. About five o'clock the artillery was brought forward, and when just about to be opened, and the troops selected for storming, the enemy sent a flag of truce to General Abercrombie, with an offer of surrender, which was accepted, on their delivering up the other posts of Ouia, and Rabacaw and Mount Young, with their garrisons. About noon the next day they marched out with the honours of war, and laid down their arms, 460 men; and the same evening they were embarked on board the transports in the harbour. The English loss was 100 killed and wounded.

The Caribs, reduced to their own resources, sent, on the 15th, overtures of accommodation, on condition of retaining their lands and prerogatives as formerly. "They had burnt our houses and cane fields," they said, "and the English had burned their canoes, and destroyed their provisions; therefore, on the principle of retaliation, we had no just cause of complaint, or any plausible pretext for prolonging an unnecessary war." They were given to understand that nothing short of their unconditional surrender would be attended to, in which case their lives would be spared, and they would be treated with humanity. They requested until the 18th to consult about it, and promised to return an answer

then.

On the 15th of July, General Abercrombie sent orders from Martinico to General Hunter to remove the Caribs to the island of Baliseau (one of the Grenadines), and to supply them with necessaries, until orders came from England concerning their finture destination. General Hunter communicated his orders to the Carib chiefs on Friday, and if by the following Tuesday they were not complied with, hostilities were to recommence gainst them.

On Saturday and Sunday numbers came from the mountains, and took their position between the camp and the sea. On Monday morning, one of the chiefs requested an audience of Lieutenant

Coke's West Indies, vol ii. pp. 242, 243.

answers the same day, "When I enforce the measure of sending these Maroons to Montego Bay, I surely take off from you all responsibility respecting the bad effects of our taking such a step, for which I am alone answerable. I therefore most earnestly and pointedly request, that all the Maroons may be sent to Montego Bay." General Walpole answers, the same date, "Another batch of Maroons have just set off for Montego Bay, making from 90 to 100 men capable of bearing arms." On the 24th, sixty-seven were sent off. On the 26th, General Walpole requests permission to send Smith, the Maroon, with eight others, to persuade the rest to come in. On the 27th, Lord Balcarres replies, "that to allow him to do so would be in contradiction to the spirit of his orders. The opinions of his Majesty's confidential servants are fixed and determined on the principles of carrying on this war: nothing can be left, under these circumstances, to your discretion. My orders therefore are, that the Maroons be sent down immediately to Montego Bay, when the dogs are out, not when the dogs are in. They ought to march by moonlight." On the 26th, General Walpole reports, from Old Maroon Town, that "Colonel Skinner speaks highly of the activity and utility of the Spaniards and their dogs;" and next day states, "that about twenty of the Maroons are now here, chiefly Smith's and Johnstone's families, and I did suppose that it had been left to my discretion to have retained that number; but they can be sent down on Friday, if your lordship should not alter your opinion. I thank your lordship for leaving nothing to my discretion; discretionary orders are too apt to be civil, and consequently not very precise. Your lordship will have the goodness to say, whether any and how many Maroons may be left here." On the 28th he states, "Johnstone and Smith have again assured me, that if I will go with them, or Skinner, they think that every man now out may be brought in. They will go with soldiers, but not dogs." Lord Balcarres replies, "that Smith's application to go out without dogs convinces him that they had not a moment to lose. The best and most agreeable news that could possibly reach me to-morrow forenoon would be, to hear that all the Maroons are secured and marched off to Montego Bay. I am on thorns until that moment arrives."

On the 29th, General Walpole reports his having sent the Maroons to Montego Bay, and regrets that the opportunity of bringing in the others should be lost. On the 31st, he states that he had been to Montego Bay, and from the crowded state of the barracks he apprehended some disorders would break out among the Maroons, and suggests planking the stables for them, and he asks for 1000 or 1200 Negroes as pioneers, " to get with all possible dispatch through the remainder of the work."

Lord Balcarres says, "his requisition will startle the country,

and that roads and communications should not be made without an act of the legislature ;" and adds, "I think you give much more consideration to the present state of the war than either I or the country do. Your request to have nothing left to your discretion is totally incompatible with the very high situation in which you are placed; and the great opinion I have had of the proper exercise of that discretion assuredly will justify the favorable report I have made to his Majesty of your services." His lordship then asks for a return of the arms brought in. The reply is ninety-fiveand the general adds, "I must repeat, that if your lordship had had the different communications and conferences on the spot, that you would then have been more of my opinion."

On February the 2d, Lord Balcarres states to General Walpole, "My object has been to keep myself free and uncommitted; by no means to cramp you in any point that I am not forced to. I do not know your opinion respecting the treaty, nor do I desire to know it; I have formed my own, and must declare it when I am called upon. You will of course take every means in your power to get in or destroy the rebels who are still out. But what I have

anxiously wished for, namely, the securing the persons of these Maroons, has been executed, and I can now report with correctness and security: while these people remained in the Old Town, I could advance nothing but with incorrectness and insecurity. You may always keep any three Maroon men with you that you fix upon (Montague, James, and old Jarrett excepted), but no terms can be held to the rebels now out." His lordship then states his intention of sending 160 Maroons from Montego Bay to St. Ann's. On February the 12th, the general reports, that Johnson had brought in six Maroons, with a number of women and children— that the remainder, seeing their countrymen sent off to Montego Bay, have construed it into treachery on our part. "I am told, he says, "that some came to surrender, and upon this went back to the woods. Their want of water is, I understand, extreme; they cannot get any but what they draw from the wild pines. I have offered no terms but lives." The general adds, that the want of water prevented his attending the Maroon party with a detachment of troops; but he was satisfied of their fidelity, and recommends seven of them by name. On the 18th, he mentions his intention of cutting a road to Pond River, the place where the Maroons made their last stand, in order to avail himself of the water, in case any expedition should be sent into the woods; he also complains of the commissioners not furnishing provisions. On the 20th Lord Balcarres says, "I am convinced the country will be of opinion, that martial law ought not to be continued. If, however, the banditti of runaway slaves have gone down to Old Womans Savanna, the 14th light dragoons must occupy posts in that neighbourhood; the country

Proceedings against the Maroons, p. 65.

that lies behind it, I believe, never was explored." On the 29th, his lordship complains, "that some Maroons have been permitted to go from Montego Bay to Falmouth unguarded, and orders them all to be strictly guarded." The Maroons residing in Westmorland were ordered to be liberated, as they had no connection with the rebel town. On March the 4th Lord Balcarres says, "The country is extremely alarmed at the circumstance of several of the Maroon prisoners having been seen at St. Ann's, going at large without guards; I beg that no relaxation may take place respecting guarding against all possible escape of any of these Maroons."

General Walpole, on the 5th, congratulates his lordship upon "having again the opportunity of finally and effectually terminating the rebellion." He says, "I shall grant lives only. I have been too scandalously traduced already, to exert my judgment for the public good. Notwithstanding your lordship's ratification of the terms heretofore granted, I shall endeavour to keep the matter afloat till I may be honoured with your lordship's commands, for I cannot but apprehend that they may make some effort to get to windward, desperate as it may appear, should they be dealt with too rigidly in their conceptions. On the 9th Lord Balcarres replies, "In your letter of the 5th instant, you write me that you have been too scandalously traduced already to exert your judgment for the public good, notwithstanding my ratification of the terms heretofore granted. This I do know, that all public men every where will be traduced by restless and violent characters; but my ratifying the treaty which you signed sufficiently marks the support which I gave to that measure, and the respectable council that advised me to ratify it bears you out as well as myself. It stands on the minutes taken at that council, that provided the Maroons performed the first and third articles of the treaty, that the secret articles should be complied with.' Every man, however, will form his own opinion as to those two points; first, whether or not the treaty is a wise one; secondly, if it has been performed. As to the first and second articles, my mind is made up upon the subject, and my opinion is, that if force had not been sent out against them, in conformity to my orders of the 14th of January, issued in consequence of my receiving your letter of that date, they would not have come in at all. I am perfectly aware of the favourable opinion you have of the Smiths and Johnstone, and I shall represent it to the assembly at a proper time. I wish to make a remark upon the first part of your letter of the 5th, which runs in these words, I give you joy of having again the opportunity of finally and effectually terminating the rebellion.' This, I presume, alludes to the circumstance of your wishing to keep the Maroon prisoners at the Maroon town, instead of sending them to the coast; I really cannot state this to have been a difference of opinion between yourself and me, and I am free to