CHRONICLE. 



56 



provincial papers, are on the rise. 

 At Wakefield market, on Friday, 

 wheat sold briskly at an advance 

 of 6s. per quarter. Oats, beans, 

 and malt, went off at higher 

 prices. One purchase of 200 

 quarters of wheat was made on 

 Tuesday, and sold again on Fri- 

 day at a profit of 60l. At Leeds 

 there was also a rise. Nearer tke 

 capital, at Canterbury, tlie high- 

 est price of wheat on Saturday 

 last was 80s. a quarter, and the 

 lowest 64s. 



The rapid rise in grain has al- 

 ready occasioned many applica- 

 tions in home counties to take 

 farms which had been abandoned 

 by the occupiers. 



30. Negro Insurrection ; from 

 the Barbadoes Mercury, Bridge- 

 Town. — It is unnecessary to state 

 to our readers in this community 

 the occasion of that suspension 

 of our labours which has taken 

 place since the IStliof this month : 

 it will be long and painfully im- 

 pressed on their minds ; but those 

 of our subscribers who reside in 

 the neighbouring settlements, will 

 no doubt be desirous of knowing 

 the cause of it. We shall there- 

 fore endeavour to perform tliis 

 unpleasant duty, altliough we feel 

 considerable difficulty in the at- 

 tempt. 



At so early an hour as two in 

 the morning of Easter Monday, 

 this island was placed under mar- 

 tial law, in order to quell a per- 

 fiflious league of slaves in the 

 parishes of St. Philip, Christ- 

 church, St. John, and St. George; 

 who, in their mad career, were 

 setting fire to fields of cane, as 

 well as ])illaging and destroying 

 the buildings on many estates, 

 and otherwise pursuing a system 



of devastation which has seldom 

 been equalled. 



The inhalntants of this town 

 were apprized of these nefarious 

 proceedings through the personal 

 exertions of Colonel J. P. Mayers, 

 of the royal regiment of militia, 

 who, upon receiving the intelli- 

 gence, instantly proceeded from 

 his plantation ; and having on his 

 way acquainted Colonel Codd, in 

 command of the garrison of St. 

 Ann, the troops were immediately 

 called to arms, and put in readi- 

 ness to march in the route of these 

 incendiaiies. 



This promptitude on the part 

 of the commandant was followed 

 by his kindness in supplying the 

 St. Michael's militia with some 

 arms that were required, and like- 

 wise with ammunition, so that by 

 day-break they were ready for 

 service ; upon which the Hank 

 and some other companies , headed 

 by Colonel Mayers, were soon 

 afterwards dispatched, and on 

 tlieir march tliey joined a large 

 body of regulars, commanded by 

 Col. Codd, with which they pro- 

 ceeded to the scene of desolation. 



The life-guards, too, were sent 

 in that direction, and, being di- 

 vided into squadrons, they fre- . 

 quently fell in with parties of the 

 insurgents, some of whom they 

 killed, and dispersed the rest; 

 and, from the facility with which 

 this body conveyed intelligence to 

 the troops, it was found to be a 

 most essential corps on this cala- 

 mitous occasion. 



The enterprising spirit of Co- 

 lor;el Best \^as conspicuous in this 

 affair; for, with the Christ-church 

 battalion, he was on duty in the 

 very midst of the rebellious, and 

 contributed in a great degree to 



their 



