38 HISTORY OF [BOOK n. 



It was easily foreseen that a perseverance in the 

 same line of conduct, must ultimately prove success- 

 ful; and intimations were at length received, by 

 means of enslaved negroes whom the Maroons had 

 forced into their service, and purposely dismissed, 

 that they were extremely desirous of an accommoda- 

 tion, on any terms short of capital punishment, or 

 transportation from the country. They expressed a 

 willingness, it was said, to deliver up their arms, and 

 all the fugitive slaves that had joined them, to sur- 

 render their lands, and intermix with the general bo- 

 dy of free blacks, in such parts of the country as the 

 colonial government should approve. Although these 

 overtures were evidently dictated by deprecation and 

 despair, it was the opinion of many tvise and worthy 

 men among the inhabitants,, that they ought to be ac- 

 cepted; and it was said that general Walpole himself 

 concurred in the same sentiment. It was urged that 

 the war, if continued on the only principle by which 

 it could be maintained, must be a war of extermina- 

 tion. Some few r of the Maroons, however, would 

 probably, elude the last pursuit of vengeance; and 

 these would form a central point to which the runaway 

 negroes would resort. Thus hostilities would be per- 

 petuated for ever; and it was observed that a single 

 Maroon, in the season of crop, with no other wea- 

 pon than a firebrand, might destroy the cane-fields 

 of many opulent parishes, and consume in a few 

 hours, property of immense value. To these consi- 

 derations was to be added the vast expense of conti- 

 nuing the war. The country had already expended 

 . 500,000, exclusive of the loss which was sustain- 

 ed by individual proprietors, consequent on the remo- 



