en, before daybreak, I was
roused up by a chorus of loud cries and shouts, which was soon answered
by every man, woman, and child in the village, who came rushing out of
their huts. It was to welcome, I found, a party of their comrades from
an attack on one of the neighbouring estates, in which they had come off
the victors, with numerous prisoners and much spoil. There began, as
before, a horrible din of tom-toms and other musical instruments, mixed
with the very far from musical voices of the old women who had been
tormenting us. This continued till the sun rose, and then there was a
comparative silence for an hour or so. I suppose the savages were
breakfasting. An this time we were left in suspense as to what was to
be our fate. We did not talk much, and, of course, did not allude to
any plan for escaping, lest we should be overheard.

At last several stout negroes entered the hut, and while some of them
lifted up the captain and carried him out, two seized me by the collar,
and dragged me after him. I thought that they were about to throw us
over the cliffs, or to hang us or shoot us forthwith. I could only
think of one way by which we had the slightest prospect of escaping. It
was that the government authorities might have heard of the outbreak,
and sent troops to attack the rebels. I did not know in those days that
those sort of gentlemen considered the art of tying up packages neatly
with red tape to be the most important of their official duties, and
that they were not apt to do anything in a hurry of so trifling
importance as attempting to save the lives of a few people!

We very soon reached a large concourse of people in an open space. On
one side of the ground there was a steep bank, on the top of which a
chair or throne was placed, whereon sat a tall fine-looking negro,
dressed somewhat in military style, while a number of other men sat
round him. On the level ground, on one side, was a group of some twenty
white men, among whom I recognised our companions in the defence of the
house. They had their hands bound, and were strongly guarded by armed
negroes. We were carried up and placed among them. Two or three other
prisoners arrived after us, and served to increase our unhappy group.

A sort of trial was then commenced, and several Maroons stepped forward,
accusing the whites of unheard-of cruelties, and especially of being
taken with arms in our hands against the authority of the true and