XAYMACA; THE ISLAND OF MANY RIVERS 303 



left for dead, but managed later to crawl away 

 and hide in an outhouse till the rioting was past. 

 But for the prompt intervention of Governor 

 Eyre in proclaiming martial law and punishing the 

 chief offenders, a general insurrection would have 

 followed. The machete, a cutlass of rude design, 

 was the weapon used by the blacks in their attack, 

 for it is always at hand, and is their chief indus- 

 trial implement. 



Feeling ran high both in England and America 

 at the time of the Jamaica outbreak. John Stuart 

 Mill notably led in the protest against the policy 

 of Governor Eyre, and in this country the aboli- 

 tionists were at one in their sympathy for Gordon, 

 whom they deemed a martyr. Ruskin, however, 

 defended Governor Eyre, and it is now conceded 

 by those who have had opportunity to study the 

 question that he only did his duty. 



Mr. W finds life very dreary here because of 



the social privations. Relations with the blacks 

 are trying ; one must not treat them with too great 

 indulgence as they interpret this to mean fear. 

 Some years ago Mr. W was employed as at- 

 torney for a Quaker firm in Portland, and they, 

 wishing to act with great humanity, had toasted 

 bread and coffee served to their employees on a 

 cotton plantation every morning, and in other 

 ways treated them with great consideration. As 

 a result the negroes, thinking their owners were 



