TRADITIONAL LORE. 21*J 



gathered in, by use of force and by the necessities 

 of their situation, until, of men, women, and children, 

 nearly five thousand were captured. These were re- 

 moved to the small island of Balliceaux, ofF the coast 

 of St. Vincent, deprived of canoes and arms, and kept 

 there for months. Captain George declared that the 

 English government aimed to destroy as many of 

 them as possible, and caused lime to be mixed in their 

 bread ; but of course this was false, and probably arose 

 from the fact that the water, being impregnated with 

 lime, caused much sickness and death. 



In February, 1797, they were all carried to the 

 island of Ruatan, off the Honduras coast. When the 

 vessels arrived there, it was found necessary to dis- 

 lodge a party of Spaniards in possession, who had 

 built a fort. After a hard fight it was taken, and the 

 Caribs left to the mercy of whomsoever should appear 

 against them. The Carib lands were thus left deso- 

 late ; they were declared forfeited, surveyed and sold. 

 In 1805, the few remaining Caribs were pardoned, and 

 a tract of two hundred and fifty acres, near Morne 

 Ronde, was granted them, this territory not being con- 

 sidered fertile nor available for sugar-land. Here the 

 majority of the Indians have lived in peace ever since. 



It appeared strange to me that this settlement at 

 Morne Ronde was composed almost wholly of Black 

 Caribs, the few families of pure Yellow Caribs living 

 on the eastern shore and. paying rent for land once in 

 full possession of their ancestors. It may have been 

 that the innate cowardice of the Black Caribs, born 

 of their negro blood, prevented them from taking an 

 active part in the war, and may have induced them 

 to seek the protection of the English. The " Rangers," 



