The record-union., 1898-11-30

the Government appreciate the nRceS-
| sity of entirely different tactics in dali
ling with the Maroon rebels Blood
hounds were imported from Cuba to
hunt the wild men to their slairs. and
these, once tracked, were either killed
or deported to Noval Scotia, where their
descendants seem to have lost their
race identity.
| From 1875 until this year-over a
century, the remaining Mareons In
Jamaica have faithfully kept their pact
and the representatives in Jamaica of
George lis heirs have observed their
side of the contract. In the negro ris-
| ing during the last decade Of slavery
| in Jamaica, the Maroons did valuable
service in killing, suppressing and de-
stroying." Thirty years later, in 1855,
there was a less really formidable ris-
| ing of negroes in one locality. but
| which, somehow, seems to have occa-
| stoned more commotion among the rep
resentatives of British power in ia
maica.
On this occasion-the present writer
| speaks from personal recollection-the
| mere name of Maroon seemed TO send
a thrill OF terror through all those ne
groes, who, If only by the circumstance
| of inhabitating the disturbed district,
were liable to suspicion Of completely
in the Morant Bay riots None of the
rioters nor any of their sympathizers
ever made any pretense of armed re-
sistance when the military forces came
on the scene. While from the soldiers
they could at least run to the bush and
be hidden, from the Maroons they had
good reason to believe they could no
| more escape than from '.de Lard Gar
ramighty."
THEIR MANNER OF FIGHTING.
Led by Colonel Alexander Gordon
Fyfe, a retired officer of the Ninety
second (Gordon) Highlanders. to whom
| they We're devotedly attached. the Ma
rooms swarmed into the Parish of ST.
Thomas in the east and all over it.
Their weapons We're not of the most
modern pattern, but their knack of
Wreathing themselves from head to foot
in club moss and broad leaved boughs,
and their uncanny power of lying mo-
| tionless for hours on the watch to kill.
suppress or Destroy skulking sus-
pect, very soon made the scattered ne
grees feel that the Provost Marshaps
own compound would be just as safe
as the bush and much less trying to
the nerves. So 1t was that a detach-
ment Of Maroons had the honor of cap
turing and bringing to the halter Paul
Boyle himself, the actual ringleader OF
the Morant Bay massacre.
When quiet was fully restored the
Maroons. with Colonel F'yfe at their
head, entered Kingston in triumph.
ThQv marched in 0r,1
erected by a loyal and grateful COM
mun1ty. They carried their deadly
stalking guns, and were wreathed in
their strange panoply of foliage Then
they sat down to banquet, and, fin-
ally, a specially honored few of them
were grouped and photographed with
Colonel Fyfe.
Living apart from the other inhabi-
tants OF the island, next to nothing was
known in those days of the Maroons.
their language, their religion or their
customs. In appearance, speaking from
childish impressions of that day when
they entered Kingston in triumph, most
or them We're disappointingly like other
negroes, except as to their remarkably
free and independent carriage and gem
eral air. Here and there one found in
the crowd of conscious heroes about the
steps and corridors of the courthouse a
Maroon face with the black skin of the
negro, but high bridged nose and
clean cut mouth; STILL these evidences
or non negro blood We're rare enough
10 be commented upon by the writer's
elders and so impressed upon his MEM
ory. IT their language was notably
different from the "Bungo talk" of the
bush negroes he never knew it. Ger
tainly, Colonel F'yfe could make himself
very we'll understood by them. and he
never boasted of the power as implying
any rare linguistic requirement. AS to
their religion, 1t was, so far as COM
mon report could be trusted, some
vague form of "obeah" or ''yoodoo"
which. however, never seemed to make
itself Objectionable to outsiders.
In the earlier part Of the present CEN
tury, when the anti-slavery agitation
attracted attention to Jamaica. several
writers found 1t worth their while to
do some little exploring beyond the
peaten paths of the island. and one or
TWO visited Accompong Town and other
maroon settlements. These inyestiea-
tors reported condition OF almost
complete but contented savagery The
Maroons, they said, held their women
In low estimation and practiced polvg.
amy. This much is more than the
average inhabitant OF jamaica at the
present day can say Of his own personal
knowledge. Anything you please NAV
be reported Of the Maroons-under the
breath, Ii the speaker is a common Ia
maica negro.-New York Tribune