particular happened until, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, a
cry went up that one of their number had been beaten by a policeman, on
which they attacked the peace officers, and drove them into the fort,
which was police-station and barracks. Some of the principal whites came
out and remonstrated with them, and at first they seemed as if they
would disperse, but just then the police-master, his assistant, and two
soldiers rode into their midst, brandishing swords and ordering them to
move off at once. Infuriated by this, the mob attacked the horsemen with
stones, and drove them back into the fort, which they now stormed. The
British Vice-Consul then went among them, and, after a little parleying,
induced them to go with him to the outskirts of the town. Here he got a
statement of their grievances, which were--first, that their wages were
too low (only ten cents a day); second, that the annual contract was
slavery; third, that the manager of the estate could fine them at will;
and fourth, that if they wanted to leave the island they were
obstructed. Having promised to do all he could for them, the Vice-Consul
begged them to disperse.

[Illustration: BARBADOS.

(_From Andrews' "West Indies."_)]

[Illustration: ST. LUCIA.

(_From Andrews' "West Indies."_)]

They were apparently leaving the town, when a woman came running up with
the report that the man who had been beaten by the police had just died
in the hospital. This made them furious, and all further hopes of their
pacification had to be given up. They invaded the hospital, knocked down
the sick-nurse and a patient who inquired their business, and demanded
to see the murdered man. They were informed that he was not dead but
only dead drunk, and would soon recover if left alone. On being
convinced of this, they again went off and attacked the fort. The
defenders, when assailed with stones, fired over their heads, but this
only made them all the more violent. The outer gate was broken down and
some of the negroes were shot. Just at that moment a planter came up,
intending to enter the fort, and at once they beat him with sticks until
he was nearly killed.

However, the bullets checked them, but only to throw the attack on other
parts of the town. Stores were pillaged and set fire to, until a great
portion of the town was in flames. From some of the stores they took
weapons in the shape of cane-bills, and in one were alarmed for a few
moments by an explos