HISTORY OF EUROPE.

they found thedetachment fafe, it
was not thought confifient with
prudence, nor authorized by in-
flruélions from home, to proceed
to violence againll the Caribbs. It
was agreed that nothing further
fhould be done, until the prefent
tranfaélions were laid before the
King and council, and their final
refolutions known. The Caribbs
immediately agreed to thefe propo-
fitions, and a {top was for that time
put t0 the furvey.

Though the planters had not a
force in any degree equal to the
reduélion ofthe Caribbs, the num-
ber of the rivers in the country,
and the richnefs of the foil through
which they had now marched, ope-
rated fo powerfully upon their paf-
lions, that they could not avoid ex-
prelfing the regret which they felt,
at being prevented from bringing
matters to an immediate extremity,
in terms which gave no favourable
idea of their equity or humanity.

Falfe reports were induflrioufly
railed and circulated, which kept
the ifland in a continual alarm:
the moi’: paflionate complaints were
fent home: the Caribbs reprefent-
ed as moll daring and incorrigible
rebels : and their own danger ex-
aggerated in_the higheil degree.
Nothing lefs than their total exter-
mination could now aPEord fafety;
and it was propofed to tranfport
them to the coall of Africa, or to
fome defart iiland in that quarter.
In the mean time, the lieutenant-
governdr of the new illands arrived
at St. Vincent’s, and ifihed a pro-
clamation to quiet the minds of
the Caribbs, and to remove their
fears and fufpicions; nor do we
hear of any further violence they
committed than the dellruftion of
the new roads, and the burning of

[*87
ahoufe belonging to a perfon who
was particularly obnoxious to them ;
and they quietly fubmitted to the
imprifonment ofone of their chiefs,
who was fufpeéted of the latter
fact ; nor does it appear that there
was a fingle iltot fired, nor a drop
of blood fpilt, in all this commo-
tion.

Notwithllanding the warm and
continual remonllrances that were
made at home, government feemed
flill very unwilling to proceed to
violence with thefe people. Ac-
cordingly the commifiioners, in the
beginning of the year 1771, held
another meeting with feveral of
their chiefs, and propofed a new
partition, and exchange of lands,
upon a narrower fcale, and terms
more favourable to them than the
arrangement which had been al-
ready agitated; but every propofal
for parting with their lands we-s
rejected by the Caribbs with the
greatefi firmnefs; and on the quef-
tion being demanded, whether they
acknowledged themtelves fubjefls
to the King of Great-Britain, and
would take the oath of allegiance,
they boldly repliedin the negative;
faid they were independent, and
were not {abject either to the King
of Great-Britain or of France. As
the continuance oi‘ our tranquillity
with the courts ofFrance and Spain,
feemed at that time very precarious,
there is little room to doubt but
that the Caribbs were fpirited to
this conduct by the governors otthe
neighbouring French illrtnds.

In confequence of this Contuma-

 
regiments fhould be 1”"
fent from North America to join
about an equal number that were
either already at St. Vincent’s, or

[*F] 4 that