TRADITIONAL LORE. 215 
massa.’ Well, soldier go dah; bam! bam! de ball 
fall all bout; hit um leg, hit um heel, but drop right 
off, and no hurt Carib ’tall, ’tall, fo’ dey hab obeah 
charm to keep um from make to dead.” 
This allusion to the strife once carried on between 
Carib and English drew out the entire story of the 
war in which the Carib power was forever destroyed. 
In 1772, the best part of the Carib lands having been 
seized, the Indians commenced hostilities, but soon 
came to terms. By treaty, they were then secured in 
the best portion of their lands, and kept the peace until, 
six years later, instigated and aided by the French 
from Martinique, they revolted. Soon the entire island 
was in French possession, without much, if any, blood- 
shed. In 1784, the island was restored to Great Brit- 
ain by the treaty of Versailles. Incited by the French 
‘republicans, in 1795, the Caribs again revolted, de- 
feated the troops sent against them, and swarmed 
upon the heights above the town. By the opportune 
arrival of soldiers and marines from Barbados, they 
were driven back, but again assembled, and a great 
fight ensued, in which the English were at first beaten ; 
but finally, by aid of large reinforcements, the Caribs 
were defeated. 
Thus the war went on with varying fortune for a 
year and a half. The negroes were assembled, ap- 
' praised at their full value, their owners to be reim- 
bursed for any killed, and sent against the Caribs; 
but these “forest rangers,” as they were called, though 
they proved very active and useful in destroying the 
canoes of the enemy, and in bringing in women and 
children from the mountains after the warriors had 
surrendered, did little good service. Doubtless they 
