470 • JAMAICA. 



parifliioners defirous of examining ftill further, in order to get addi- 

 tional Tuihts, and guard themfelves againfl: a repetition of thefe horrid 

 attempts, which it appeared they had jiift grounds to apprehend ; but 

 the number of their militia was fo inconfiderable, that, after providing 

 the proper guards for the ditferent eftates moft expofed to danger, 

 thev had fo few left to take charge of theNegroe prifoners, that tlie latter 

 were treble their number ; fo that tlie magiftrates, whilfl they were 

 fitting on the trial of the rebels, were not without fear for their own 

 fafety, as they had no protecftion againft any fudden infurredlion made 

 in favour of the prifoners ; and, from the teflimony already given, it 

 was certain, that a very confiderable body of the Coromantins had en- 

 liCled in the confjiracy, befides thofe who were in cuftody. Remon- 

 ilrances were repeatedly made upon this head, and the expediency 

 dated offending round a fhip of war to Port Maria, as had been done 

 in the former rebellion, to receive the prifoners, there being no gaol 

 in the parifh, and only eighteen foldiers at the fort, who were in too 

 feeble a condition to render them any fervice. At this time, there 

 were no lefs than four companies quartered in Spanifh town, befides 

 what lay in the different forts adjacent, fo that it was thought a detach- 

 ment might very well have been fpared ; but the commander of the 

 fquadron fent no fliip, nor was a iingle man detached to reinforce the 

 parifliioners, who were therefore left to take care of themfelves; and, 

 defifting from further examination, through a regard to their own 

 imminent danger, what remained to be known of this black affair 

 was fmothcred at once, to the no fmall joy of the confpirators [b]. 



A committee of the affembly, appointed to enquire into the rife 

 and progrefs of this rebellion fome time afterwards, reported, That it 

 had originated (like mofi: or all the others that had occurred in the 

 ifland) with the Coromantins ; whofe turbulent, favage, and martial 

 temper was well known : 



That their outrages had tended very much to difcourage the ef- 

 feftual fettlement of the ifland ; and, as a remedy In future, they pro- 

 pofed " that a bill fiiould be brought in for laying an additional higher 

 " duty upon all Fantin, Akim, and Afliantee Negroes, and all others 

 " commonly called Coromantins, that fhould, after a certain time, be 

 *« imported, and fold in the ifland." 



[/>] Thirteen were executed, thirty-three tranfported, and twelve acquitted. 



Such 



