14 TiMEHRI. 



submitted that, although no sum had been put on the 

 estimate for the soldiers and officers who had so gallantly 

 repulsed the enemy from Morocco, he was of opinion 

 that a surplus would arise from the proposed tax, and 

 the inhabitants would approve that something be given 

 to Captain ROCHELLE and his gallant soldiers. His 

 proposition was accepted and carried out at a later 

 meeting. 



The colony was at this time a field for party 

 strife. There had always been two great divisions, the 

 English and Dutch, but now the latter had become 

 divided into those favourable to the Prince of Orange 

 and the republicans. As may be supposed, the English 

 and the Orange party were agreed, and being in the 

 majority, managed to keep Liberty, Equality, and 

 Fraternity in the background. CHRISTOPHER Water- 

 TON in his position as estate proprietor and slave-owner 

 was naturally against unbridled license. In 1795, he 

 with the other planters on the West Coast had suffered 

 severely from a slave insurre6lion, and at one time it 

 appeared as if the colony was to be another St. Domingo. 

 However, the revolt was put down with a strong hand, 

 and things in general became more settled under the 

 English rule. 



Charles Waterton on his arrival necessarily joined 

 the Militia and was soon made Lieutenant ; he appears 

 to have led a very quiet life altogether, performing the 

 duties of an estate's attorney and ^pending his leisure 

 time in studying the habits of the birds vv^hich frequent 

 the mud flats in front, or the swampy savannahs behind 

 the estates. Being in the position of a slave-owner, he 

 naturally had his opinions on the vexed questions of the 



