before an
all-righteous and pure and just God, to receive the reward of the things
you have done in this life? Did it occur to you that, had you made
those people true Christians; that, had you taught them the holy
religion you profess--a religion of love and forgiveness--that they
would not now be taking pleasure in tormenting you, in exhibiting the
bitter vengeance which rankled in their souls!

I could not help thinking that some such accusing thoughts as these rose
to the consciences of the planter and his companions. I know that I
would not for worlds have changed places with him, though he was the
owner of rich fields and wealth long hoarded up, which he was on the
point of returning to England to enjoy.

Either on account of my youth, or because, as they saw, I was a sailor,
the rebels must have known that I could not have treated them cruelly,
and I was allowed to remain quiet. After the whole population had given
vent to their feelings by abusing the prisoners in every possible way,
they were thrust into a hut together, and a guard placed over them. The
captain and I were then put into another hut, and ordered not to stir on
pain of being shot.

"Not bery good chance of dat!" observed one of our captors, a
grey-headed old negro with a facetious countenance, looking at the
numerous lashings which confined our limbs.

"Better chance than you suppose, old fellow!" thought I to myself; but I
kept as melancholy and unconcerned a look as I could assume.

I concluded, that as the other prisoners were guarded so were we, and
that we should have very little chance of effecting our escape, unless
our guards fell asleep. The difficulties were, at all events, very
great. We should, in the first place, have either to scramble down the
sides of the rock, or to cross the narrow causeway, where one man as a
guard could instantly stop us. There was every probability that the
Maroons would place one there.

For some hours there was a great deal of noise in the village. The
blacks were rejoicing over their victory, and there was no chance of our
guards outside the hut being asleep. I waited, therefore, without
moving, till the sounds of revelry subsided, the tom-toms were no longer
beaten, the trumpets ceased braying, and the cymbals clashing. Then I
could hear the guards talking to each other outside. The few words I
could comprehend out of this jargon were not very consolatory. I made
out clearly that they p