pire an almost superstitious fear in the Spaniards, so
unexpected and mysterious had been the defeats inflicted upon them
there. The governor's son accompanied the troops back to the city,
and was the bearer of a missive from Ned to the officer commanding
the troops, and to the inhabitants. Ned offered, upon the part of
the forest men, that if the Spaniards would consent to leave them
unmolested in their forest; they upon their part would, in the
first place, release the governor, and in the second, promise that
no acts of violence, or raids of any kind, should be made beyond
its boundaries. The question of fugitive slaves, who might seek
refuge among them, was to be discussed at a meeting between the
heads of each party, should the proposal be accepted. The governor
sent a line, on his part, to say that he was well treated, that he
authorized them to enter into any negotiations which they might
think fit; adding that, in case they should decide to refuse the
offer made them, no thought of his safety should be allowed, for an
instant, to sway their notions.

It was two days before the messenger returned. Several stormy
meetings had taken place in the town. The officers were, for the
most part, anxious to renew the fighting. They were intensely
mortified at the idea of the forces of Spain being compelled to
treat, upon something like even terms, with a handful of escaped
slaves; and would have again marched the troops into the forest,
and renewed the war. The townspeople, however, were strongly
opposed to this. They had suffered immensely, already, by the
destruction of the outlying plantations and haciendas; and the
events of the attack upon the town showed that there was no little
danger of the whole place being burnt to the ground. They were,
therefore, eager in the extreme to make terms with this active and
ubiquitous enemy. The troops, too, were by no means eager to
attempt another entry into the forest. They had fared so ill,
heretofore, that they shrank from another encounter. There was
neither glory nor booty to be obtained, and warfare such as this
was altogether unsuited to their habits. Their discipline was
useless, and they were so bewildered, by the tactics of their
active foes, that there was a very strong feeling among them in
favor of making terms. The council sat the whole day, and finally
the pacific party prevailed.

The deputation, consisting of the officer commanding the troops, of
the ecclesiast