340 HISTORY OF [BOOK n. 



took effectual care, indeed, that no settlement should 

 be established near them; for they butchered every 

 white family that ventured to seat itself any conside- 

 rable distance inland. When the governor perceived 

 that the proclamation wrought no effect, Juan de Bo- 

 Jas who was now made colonel of the black regiment, 

 was sent to endeavour their reduction; but in the 

 prosecution of this service he fell into an ambuscade, 

 and was cut to pieces. In March, 1664, captain 

 Colbeck, of the white militia, was employed for the 

 same purpose. He went by sea to the north side; 

 and, having gained some advantages over the Ma- 

 roons, he returned with one who pretended to treat 

 for the rest. This embassy, however, was only cal- 

 culated to amuse the whites, and gain some respite; 

 for the Maroons no sooner found themselves in a con- 

 dition to act, and the white inhabitants lulled into se- 

 curity, than they began to renew hostilities, murder- 

 ing, as before, every white person, without distinction 

 of sex or age, who came within their reach. 



In this way, they continued to distress the island 

 for upwards of forty years, during which time forty- 

 four acts of assembly were passed, and at least 

 ^.240,000 expended for their suppression. In 1730, 

 they wsre grown so formidable, under a very able ge- 

 neral, named Cudjoe, that it was found expedient to 

 strengthen the colony against them by two regiments 

 of regular troops, w T hich were afterwards formed in- 

 to independent companies, and employed, with other 

 hired parties, and the \vhole body of militia, in their 

 reduction. In the year 1734, captain Stoddart, who 

 commanded one of these parties, projected, and ex- 



