SECTION IT., 1895. [81] Trans. R. S"C, 
IV.—The Jamaica Maroons—How they came to Nova Scotia— 
How they left it. 
By D. Brymyer, LL.D., Dominion Archivist. 
(Read May, 23, 1894.) 
The echoes of the terror caused by the Maroons in Jamaica still 
lingered when I was a boy, but they must long since have died away, as 
it is nearly a century since these negroes were removed to Nova Scotia 
and thence transferred to Sierra Leone, 
For the early history of the Maroons I have relied chiefly on the 
account by Bryan Edwards and on that by Dallas. The one was published 
in 1796, in one volume, and is, in reality, an official answer by the legis- 
lature of Jamaica to charges made against the authorities in the island ; 
the other, largely, if not wholly, a compilation from statements made to 
Dallas by Mr. Quarrell, the commissioner sent, during the final outbreak, 
to Cuba for dogs and slave-hunters, and subsequently in charge of the 
Maroons on their removal to Nova Scotia. It was published in 1803, in 
two volumes, much of it consisting of an eulogium of Mr. Quarrell, to 
whom is ascribed the chief honour of restoring peace to the island, but 
his statements on that and other subjects are not to be relied on entirely. 
For the history from 1796, I have consulted the original correspondence 
contained in the Public Record Office, London. 
The origin of the name “ Maroon” has been the subject of much 
controversy. Long, in 1774, calls them “hog hunters,” from Marano, a 
young pig. The Æncyclopedie, quoted by Edwards, derives it from 
simaran, an ape, from their hiding in the woods. Lucas, in his recent 
work, “A Historical Geography of the British Colonies,’ says it is an 
abbreviation of cimaron, derived from the Spanish or Portuguese cima, 
“a mountain top,’ and refers to the ‘ Encyclopedia Britannica” for 
further information, but that work throws little light on the subject. 
These various derivations depend almost entirely on the statements of 
early adventurers, who are not greatly to be trusted in matters of phil- 
ology. Iam inclined to think, but I give the suggestion with reserve, 
that the name isa direct application of the word marron, ‘a wild or stray 
dog.” Littré, in his great French dictionary, gives the name as nègre 
marron, ‘a fugitive slave who betakes himself to the woods,” an explana- 
tion which might suit any of the derivations. The question is one of no 
great importance, but it may be noticed that the Malagasie slaves in 
Mauritius, imported by the Dutch, were known, when they fled to the 
woods, by the same name as those in Jamaica. 
Sec. II., 1895. 6. 
