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taken arms, and made an attack on the estates in the vicinity, Captain Seton, with a detachment of militia and volunteers, and Major H. Sharp, with a party of armed negroes, proceeded to attack them; they made but little resistance, and escaped with the loss of eighteen prisoners and a few fire arms, that were found in their dwelling houses.

The majority of the Charaibs professed to lament this occurrence, and continued to maintain the peace and friendliness of their designs: nevertheless, the next day the inhabitants of Kingstown received information that the whole body intended to unite to make an attack on the windward side of the colony. In consequence of this, Lieutenant Macdowall, with about thirty-four militia and volunteers, proceeded on horseback to the assistance of Captain J. Morgan, who had the charge of that district, whence they started in a body, to demand the motives of the Charaibs before they should commence their assault. The Charaibs, however, had already began their ravages; and the troop did not advance far before they observed the residence and estate of Mr. Gilchrist in flames: and their further approach was rendered not a little unpleasant by the irregular firing of the Charaibs from the cane fields, where they had assembled in considerable numbers.

It is always bad policy to attack a superior force, unless the said force is in a very disadvantageous position. Now this was not the case with the Charaibs. They were posted on an eminence. The little troop were advancing in a valley, and were

entirely exposed to their shot; therefore the little troop thought it better to advance no longer, and accordingly they retreated. On joining the detachment under Captain Morgan, they discovered that his position would be untenable, if attacked, from the want of water and provisions; and, as they had no idea of fasting, and fighting to boot, they preferred decamping; and, accompanied by the Captain and his force, they returned to Kingstown; knowing that, if they remained, they would have no chance against the whole collected force of the rebels which was fast approaching.

A party of Charaibs, stationed on the roof of a house, commenced waving their hats to the detachment when it had advanced towards the town as far as Massarica river; on its nearer approach, however, the Charaibs fired; so they gave it the salute courteous and the salute direct. The troops looked around them, and were immediately fired at by some rebels on the opposite side. They were next assailed by a volley from behind; so it was considerably worse than being between Scylla and Charybdis.

The Charaibs, the moment they had fired, always concealed themselves among the canes, so that the troops had no chance of hitting again; they therefore determined to "shoot and run;" and, accordingly, they discharged their weapons; and, putting their steeds into a brisk gallop, were not long ere they arrived in Kingstown. Their original number of sixty was, however, reduced to forty-four, the remaining sixteen having been either killed or wounded

by the Charaibs. These savage barbarians showed no quarter to the wounded who fell into their hands : they usually severed their heads from their bodies, which they mangled in a most cruel and atrocious

manner.

On that day the rebels did not advance beyond Jambour river, where they halted until Wednesday; then, however, they proceeded on their march to Kingstown; ravaging, plundering, and burning the cane fields and houses of all the estates on their way, and murdering the cattle and negroes.

These transactions were the commencement of the insurrection in the windward part of the colony. But, reader, before I continue my narrative, I have many other things to think of, many other duties to perform the first and most important of these is to repair to my dinner, which hath been already five minutes on the table; the next is to tell thee something of the aforementioned ball, given at Government House; and the third is, at present, enveloped in an uncertainty, which the future alone can clear. Suffice it to know, that my history of the Charaib war shall certainly be resumed as soon as I have the opportunity and the inclination to resume it.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE BALL AND SUPPER.

"Merrily, merrily they did dance,
"And after the dance they supped."

Old Ballad.

READER, the turtle was exquisite, the punch delicious, the champagne divine, and the madeira at the

summum bonum" of cool and pleasant excellence; so that my dinner hath revived my poor body, and enlivened my drooping spirits; and now I will sit down with all the good nature imaginable, to give thee my long promised description of the ball at Government House.

Perhaps, because I have delayed the said tale, you may think it was an occurrence of no immediate importance; but if so, you are mistaken.

The entertainment was given in celebration of an eventful period in the colony; and was, at the same time, a token of welcome and farewell. Transports had arrived with a fresh regiment of troops from Demerara and Berbice; and the same vessels were destined to bear away with them the old corps, just as the officers were entering into society, and had made acquaintance with the town's-people.

Perhaps it is one reason why the inhabitants of St. Vincent do not pay more attention to the military, that they are generally sent home, or to another station, as soon as their acquaintance is well formed, and any degree of intimacy and good fellowship commences between them. Be this as it may, it is at least a well known fact, that, on the arrival of a new corps, they always allow the officers and their ladies two good months to get settled in their quarters, before they trouble them with a visit, and sometimes they forget them altogether.

But I am now digressing from my tale of the ball, which was given to celebrate the arrival of the new regiment, and, also, as a farewell entertainment to the officers of the old.

There were more ladies at that assembly than I had ever seen before, or have ever seen since at any party in St. Vincent. The red coats were also pretty numerous, and the gentlemen of the colony were not backward in their attendance.

Of all things in the world, I so love to see a group of Creole ladies mingling in the sprightly dance; then it is that their spirits appear light and joyous, their hearts merry and glad, their conversation lively and interesting. From the ball room lassitude is expelled, and "ennui" dares not intrude itself into the fairy circle of so many charms and graces. If you pay a morning visit to a fair West Indian, you may find her reclining upon a sofa, indulging in that luxury of ease which the intolerable heat of a tropic climate appears to encourage and require. She may

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