led path which led to the
little sand reef. In walking along he stepped upon a bush-rope, and
immediately after heard a bell ring above his head. Before he could get
away a ferocious bush negro stood before him and demanded his business,
but the poor slave was so frightened that he ran home and reported the
occurrence to his master. Some of the slaves went so far as to enjoy
hunting runaways--in fact, there was little love lost between the two
parties. One of these was offered his freedom as a reward for the
assistance he had given in an expedition, the Government engaging to
purchase him of his owner provided they both consented. Tony, however,
did not wish to leave a good master, and refused, stipulating, however,
that he should retain the right to accept the kind offer at some future
period. When his master ultimately left Demerara, some years afterwards,
Tony claimed his promised freedom and got it.

While the bush negroes in other parts of Guiana were kept within
reasonable bounds, those of Surinam, like the maroons of Jamaica, had
never been conquered. Treaties were agreed to by them in 1749 and 1761,
but disputes continually occurred, with the result that the colonists
were always more or less in fear of their raids. Then they carried off
most of the slaves whenever they attacked a plantation, until their
number became so great as to be a real danger. In 1773 the authorities
in the Netherlands resolved to make a special effort to conquer them,
and for this purpose raised a corps of all nationalities which was put
under the command of Colonel Fourgeaud.

That soldiers should be brought from Europe for such a service shows the
utter ignorance of the Dutch authorities. If the colonists themselves
could not put down the bush negroes, how could it be expected that this
would be effected by fresh troops from a cold climate, who had no
knowledge of the country, the mode of fighting, or the difficulties of
travelling through the bush and swamp?

Commissioners had visited them at different times to arrange the
treaties, but there was generally something wrong with the presents
(virtually blackmail), or else they were given to the wrong parties. In
1761 the chief Araby had insisted on the commissioners binding
themselves by his form of oath. This was done by each party tasting the
blood of the other. With a sharp knife a few drops were drawn from the
arm of each person into a calabash of water with a few particles of dry