792 
of families eollected together under 
a chief; and among them, resided a 
superintendant and four other white 
men, as appointed by the colo- 
nial legislature. Subject to the 
laws made for them in their relative 
situation, as dependent on the go- 
vernment of the island, they were, 
in other respects, at liberty to pur- 
sue the diétates of their own minds, 
and they consequently followed the 
customs of their fathers, All their 
disputes were subject to the deter- 
mination of their chiefs, to whom 
they looked up with implicit confi- 
dence, and whom they usually obey- 
ed without argument. ‘The super- 
intendant, likewise, took an active 
part in adjusting their altercations, 
which chiefly arose from their pro- 
pensity to gaming, as they would 
play for considerable sums of mo- 
ney: and from drunkenness, of 
which they were frequently guilty. 
We have seen, in the treaty with 
Cudjoe, the succession of chiets that 
were then named, after whom, the 
power of appointment returned to 
the governor. The commission, ac- 
cordingly, continued to be filled up 
as vacancies occurred, and the suc- 
cessors of Cudjoe maintained a de- 
gree of influence and authority equal 
to his own. ‘Till the death of Fur- 
ry, who built the new town, and 
went to reside in it with a certain 
number of the Maroons, they were 
governed in a very despotic manner 
by their chiefs and some of their 
older captains. The Jast of these 
chief Maroons, was named Monta- 
gue, whom I shall have occasion to 
mention again, in treating of the 
causes of the rebellion of 1795. 
The duties of the superintendant 
consisted in maintaining a friendly 
correspondence between the Ma- 
reous aud the inhabitants ef the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 11809. 
island, preserving peace in their set- 
tlements, preventing the concourse 
_of slaves in the towns, and sending 
parties out on duty. By his office, 
he was empowered to hold a court 
with four Maroons, to try those 
who disobeyed orders, excited or 
joined in tumults, departed from the 
towns without leave, or staid out 
longer than permitted; and to 
award punishments, not extending 
to life, limb, or transportation. He 
was bound to reside in his town, 
from which he was never to be ab- 
sent longer than a fortnight, with- 
out the governor’s leave ; and, every 
three months, he was to make a 
return, on oath, to the governor, of 
the number residing in his town, 
how many were able to bear arms, 
how many unfit for duty, the num- 
ber of women and children, their 
increase or decrease, the condition 
of the superintendant’s house, and 
the state of the roads. On failure 
of his duty, the superintendant was 
subjett to a court martial, and lia- 
ble to be broke. There was a su-. 
perintendant in each town, having a 
salary of 2001. and he had under 
him four white men, at GOl. a year 
each. 
After the treaty with Cudjoe, the 
Maroons became the subject of 
successive laws, consisting of regu- 
lations respecting runaways, trials, 
punishments, making roads, and a 
variety of minute affairs. Being 
careless whether they brought in a 
runaway alive, or only his head, a 
law was passed, with great policy, 
allowing, besides the usual reward, 
mile money, for every runaway pro- 
duced alive. Inveigling slaves and 
harbouring runaways, were punish- 
able by transportation: that is, the 
offender was sold to foreigners on 
ether islands, or on the continent 
ef 
