Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2). Mrs. Lanaghan
in a voice of terror—“Massa, me must speak with you!”—“What’s the matter?” returned our elder acquaintance, rising up, “what’s the matter, Cuffee? You frightened us by your sudden entrance, and sent my Marien’s roses back to her heart.”—“Beg your pardon, massa, and yours, young missis, but me have something to tell you make your ears ring again: but, massa, where’s Julio?—please let him come in.” And without waiting for an answer, he left the room in search of the boy. “Marien, dearest,” said her father, “take your cousin’s arm, and retire for a little, until I have heard what the mad fellow has to say: his foolish nonsense has frightened you more than I like to see.” And fondly pressing his daughter’s hand, he led her to the door.
In a few minutes Cuffee returned with the boy Julio, who wore the same downcast look as he did on the evening of the storm; and, holding the boy by the hand, gave his master the following narration. Julio, who, from being deaf and dumb, appeared to possess the other senses in a higher degree, had one evening observed a strange negro loitering about his master’s estate, and hiding behind the bushes when any one passed. Thinking this peculiar, the dumb boy determined to watch his proceedings, and if he discovered anything wrong, to endeavour to acquaint his master with it. After spending more than an hour in this employment, the stranger departed, and Julio, unable to comprehend his motives, and fearful of not being understood, kept his discovery to himself. Some weeks had elapsed, and he had almost forgotten the circumstance, when, on the evening before the storm, he saw the same person lurking about the same spot; and, watching him unobserved, perceived he was shortly joined by a slave, of the name of Quelch, who, for repeated bad behaviour, had been punished by his master a few weeks before. After they had consulted for some time together, the stranger pointed in the direction of the ravine; and putting his hand under his cloak, drew forth a long sharp-pointed knife, which he shewed to his companion, giving at the same time a peculiar look. The knife being returned to its owner, the negroes parted, leaving Julio with the determination of watching Quelch more strictly.
On the next evening, leaving his young mistress engaged with a book, the boy left the house with the intention of going to look for his master; and, upon gaining the high road, he saw Quelch entering an opening on the other side. Following his steps, he hid himself among the bushes, and thus became a witness of that lawless meeting, where, although he could not hear the words uttered, he saw enough to inform him some evil was intended. Frightened, and uncertain how to tell his discovery, his first care was to reach home; and, harassed in mind and body, the poor child stood before his mistress in the manner described. The next morning, he sought his uncle Cuffee, and, by significant gestures and passionate mutterings, at length made him understand the above relation. Cuffee’s first care was to inform a friend of his of the name of Robin, and these two negroes watched the ravine every night in hopes of discovering what poor Julio could not inform them—the names of the conspirators. All, however, remained silent: the ravine had no occupants: and Robin and Cuffee were almost inclined to think they had misunderstood the boy, when, one evening, just as they had gained their accustomed post, they thought they heard the sound of voices; and, creeping upon their hands and knees, espied the whole band, with Klaas, or, as they called him, “Count,” at their head, plotting their dreadful schemes. Knowing that this negro king was the father of Julio, Cuffee liked not to inform against him; and the next morning bringing intelligence of the death of the governor’s son, and consequently the prorogation of the ball, he was in hopes the negroes would get disheartened at the failure of their plans, and forego their horrible intentions. Still he determined to keep an eye upon their movements; and a few weeks after, through the medium of another slave, named Manuel, he discovered that the conspirators intended to put their designs into execution on the 15th of December; and that they were to have a final meeting in the ravine, to receive orders from their king.
These were the tidings Cuffee conveyed to his master’s ear—tidings which made his stout heart beat faster, and caused a shade of care, for once, to cross his brow. The time was short: the next night was the one on which the negroes were to meet, and Mr. ———, after leaving a kind message to his daughter, to excuse his absence, started immediately for the capital, accompanied by Robin and Cuffee, to lay the information before the proper authorities.
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The evening was calm. There was no moon, but the stars shone bright, and, by their refulgence, parties of men were seen walking cautiously along in the same direction. Every now and then they stopped as if to listen, and then proceeded again, as no sound met their ear. Leaving the high road, they struck across a wild and sterile plain, until, arriving at the bank of a kind of rocky defile, where the sable conspirators held their nocturnal meetings, they separated; and taking up their position on all sides, and holding their very breath, they presented more the appearance of marble statues than living men. After remaining in this situation for some time, a noise was heard as the tramp of a body of horse passing over a flinty road—no uncommon occurrence at that period. The sound came nearer and nearer, and presently a large band of soldiers appeared in sight, led by a middle-aged officer, and accompanied by several gentlemen. Riding for a short distance past the ravine, the word was given, “Halt!” and in a moment the horses stood motionless. “Dismount!” broke from the lips of the commander, and the men, all heavily armed, sprang to the ground. Walking quickly forward, they joined the watchers around the ravine, while their leader, followed by many others, bounded down the bank, and exclaimed, in a stentorian tone, “Surrender! or you are dead men.” All was confusion among the assembled conspirators. Hemmed in on all sides, and daunted by the gleaming arms and pointed muskets of the soldiers, who came so silently but surely upon them, the negro band were driven to despair. Klaas alone maintained his firmness, and shouted in a voice of thunder, “Fire the gunpowder, lads, fire the gunpowder, and let us die as brave men, and not as cowards. Who will mourn the fate which will be shared by our hated tyrants!” But this was not to be. Overpowered by numbers, their arms tightly pinioned behind them, their mouths gagged, and held between two soldiers, negro after negro was marched off—the ravine was left to its usual silence—and the reign of “Klaas,” the “Slave King,” was over.
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So ends the legend. The conspirators being conveyed to the capital, various were the punishments awarded them. Klaas, or, as he was more generally called, “Count,” Tomboy, and Hercules were broken alive upon the wheel. In their last moments their fortitude did not forsake them; and their last words expressed their hatred to the whites. Some were gibbeted alive in a place called Green’s Bay. Frank, who belonged to E. Chester, Esq., and several more, were burned in Otto’s pasture, at the outskirts of the capital; and the rest, who were looked upon as the dupes of their reputed king, were transported to the Spanish coasts. Quelch was pardoned: he played the traitor’s part, and amused the ear of Klaas and his comrades with some chimerical scheme while the soldiers passed by who accomplished their destruction; and old Morah, the Obeah woman who attended their meetings, escaped punishment by falling a prey to death before her trial. So signal was the victory obtained, and so severe the punishment of the conspirators, that the remaining slaves became intimidated, and quietly bore their yoke without seeking for deliverance. In 1739, the country emancipated Cuffee and Robin for their discovery of this insurrection, paying to their masters their respective value, and presented Manuel with a reward for his services in that affair.49
46 A dealer in necromancy.
47 A small white shell, about the size and shape of an olive, used as the general currency in Guinea.
48 A wild shrub, supposed to be of great use in witchcraft.
49 For some further particulars, see Appendix, No. 14.
CHAPTER X.
Governor William Mathew—Sir George Thomas, Bart.—James Verchild—Honourable William Woodley—Sir Ralph Payne—Hon. Craister Greathead—General Burt—The circumstances of his death—Sir