j 7 o HISTORY OF [BOOK u. 



munition; that they had been tampering \vith the 

 slaves, and the uncertainty of the success and extent 

 of their machinations, had cast a gloom on the face of 

 every man; and while rumours of plots and conspira- 

 cies distracted the minds of the ignorant, many among 

 the most thoughtful and considerate, anticipated all 

 the horrors of St. Domingo, and in imagination al- 

 ready beheld their houses and plantations in flames, 

 and their wives and children bleeding under the 



swords of the most merciless of assassins, 







The sudden and unexpected arrival of so powerful 

 a reinforcement, in the most critical moment, imme- 

 diately changed the scene. But further measures 

 were adopted. By the advice of a council of war, 

 composed chiefly of members of the assembly, the 

 governor put the whole island under martial law. A 

 further reinforcement of 130 well mounted dragoons 

 under the command of colonel Sandford, and a de- 

 tachment of 100 men of the 62d regiment, were sent 

 down on the 3d: colonel Walpole, with 150 dis- 

 mounted dragoons, embarked at the same time for 

 Black river, to command the forces of St. Elizabeth 

 and Westmoreland, and on the morning of the 4th r 

 the governor himself left Spanish town for Montego 

 bay; determined to command on the scene of action 

 in person. 



The reader will easily conceive, that measures of 

 such extent and magnitude were not adopted sole- 

 ly in the belief that the Maroons alone were con- 

 cerned. It must be repeated, that the most certain 

 and abundant proofs had been transmitted to the com- 



