The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-08-23
4 5eleftra Tale.
From the Southern Literary Gazette.
THE MAROON.
A LEGEND OF THE CARRIBEES.
BY w. GILMORE sIMMs, ESQ,
Author Of" The Yemassee," etc.

er only ana as they saw no olhcr iOrns, SD
they forgot for time, that they were TO. be dis.
turbed by other beings of a nature like their
own. Lopez had no hopes-shall we call them
fears ?-tlat the Dian de Burgos would ever
again appear to seek min out in&ispiace Of eS:
lie. He knew how serious and how terrible
always were the jokes of his late tyrant, and
never looked for his repentance. Nor did the
poor Amaya-such was the name Of the dam.
sel-drcam tha, her Caribbean kindred would
ever sunder unison Iparveliousi y wrought
by heaven. Her barharous rites were neg lcct.
ed in the prompt realization Of her drcams.-
This was duo in great measure to the teach.
inss Of tie Maroon. Already had he begun to
bes,ow upon her some of his Iheolngv-crude
and selfish as it was. The Agaus Del which
lie put into her hands, was quite as frequently
an ohjec, other en,reaty as it was ofhis. Their
suppIcatons, at morning and at evening to III"
Virgin, were twincd together; and i, must be
confessed, that, Of the two. the poor pagan dam
sci was much more earnest in her prayers than
the hahiIuaI Christian.
He taught her other lessons. Already had
he began to conduct her fingers ampns the
strings OF his guitar, and she, rejoicing at the
merry ,ink!e which she produced, soon pronis-
ed to acquire its langiage. The instrument
was constantly in her keeping, except when she
summoned him TO perform upon ii. Then she
hat beside him, on the edge cf the great ocean,
and while the waters rolled and tumbled towaoi
their feet, she listened to his chaunt, his fierce
ballads of Spanish chivalry, conprchendng bn,
little oi the story, but feeling AL The sweetness
"t The miisIc, The more perhaps that the words
were mysterious and vague.
But their sports were not always of this sub
d'ird order, though they we're scarc'iy less 70.
na"'ic-s'ica, al least, as she now taught ana
encouraged him TO practice. ihe sea WAS
scarcely an olj"r; OF terror 10 the practlsrd
swimmers, "sihr Caribbean Isles. Ariara. like
a! the da'n>e> "' her people, had hetn ac"iis
'on"a t" embrace its biliows iron, her infancy.
She soon taught The mdre aPpr"hrnsivc Lopez
10 pursue f'r III The waves. ~ The tall 'o' the
tlde She led him OFT among the rocks, whose
heads at such periods we're distinctly visible.
;"'e' resting on their dark gray S'ImmI'>. he
h"he!d her, with terror IN which she did not
share. rap down int" the boilin. black al,y>srs,
and disappear wholly from his s;.ht. Before
he bad get recovered from his alarm. She reap.
peared, bringing up with her the peculiar ors.
Ter, WHOSE i'lai"d:''ahIe wounds give birth {" the
beautiful pearl which is $" much valued. though
not in tn" snne degree, hy Indian and Europe.
AN. Alter this discovery. our Maroon pnronr
aged the >pnr! which had FIRST alarmed his fears.
lie too acquired courage fiom cupili,y, and.
being no bad swimmer, he learned to follow
her into he grim receSses Of The rocks. when
the seas wer. at rcposc. Ue reserved 70 him
s-Ih. opening Of he valves, SO ,ha, he exlri.
Gated the tiu, from their embrace, wi,hou, sub
jrcling ii to injury. Grea, was the wealth
which he thus acquired, TO say nothing of tho
ancient treasures cl The cavern
But these treasures, which he had not sought,
were vaueiess where he was. His posses.
stems. 50 unsled to his nrescn, condition, frs,
taught him 10 rrpIne. When he looked upon
his unprotiIah'e stores, his thous hts immediate.
IL vcarned for the native land. in wbirb ,bcv
b,J mazda hin, c,u,us wi iii. ,u,.,:.
''' "'I'' -, '''''."'" "''"'" "'''': he '""he"
"a, "'""S '"e e't"h vase i"r some sign
OF MS i,i'ryHrh. lie looked win momen-
,ary !h'iiH'rrhce upon the sweet, wild and art.
cronclled in confidence beside, him. Her keen
nlauce bchrIJ these chonocs M cb,,,. i,
his ,Sn.ct .v.r .vc,,,d L, ,;,,;,, &,
.,.,h ,,,,,,,,,,s d., ,,.',',l ;',;- "".' ~
toward num- ""''n ofaw MS attention by lit.
lie ariillGcS, would upDPul To him i'm :wk ra ri