346 HISTORY OF [BOOK. n. 



to observe the most profound silence in marching to 

 the enemy's quarters; and when they had once hit 

 upon a track, they were sure to discover the haunt to 

 which it led. They effected considerable service, 

 and were, indeed, the most proper troops to be em- 

 ployed in that species of action, which is known in 

 America by the name of bush- fighting. They were 

 well rewarded for their good conduct, and afterwards 

 dismissed to their own country, when the pacification 

 took place with the Maroons. 



For in 1738, governor Trelawney, by the advice of 

 the principal gentlemen of the island, proposed over- 

 tures of peace with the Maroon chiefs. Both par- 

 ties were now grown heartily wearied out with this 

 tedious conflict. The w T hite inhabitants wished relief 

 from the horrors of continual alarms, the hardship of 

 military duty, and the intolerable burthen of main- 

 taining the army. The Maroons were not less anxi- 

 ous for an accommodation; they were hemmed in, 

 and closely beset on all sides; their provisions destroy- 

 ed, and themselves reduced to so miserable a con- 

 dition, by famine and incessant attacks, that Cudjoe 

 afterwards declared, that if peace had not been offer- 

 ed to them, they had no choice left but either to be 

 starved, lay violent hands on themselves, or surrender 

 to the English at discretion. The extremity of their 

 case, however, was not at that time known to the 

 white inhabitants, and their number was supposed to 

 be twice as great as it was afterwards found to be. 

 The articles of pacification (which I have subjoined) 

 were therefore ratified with the Maroon chiefs, and 

 fifteen hundred acres of land assigned to one body of 



