mpression that prevailed in Barbados,
probably from a misunderstanding of the Registry Bill, that they were
all to be free at the beginning of the year 1816. When New Year's Day
had passed they became dissatisfied, believing that their masters had
received orders to set them free, but would not execute them. They had
heard of the successful rising in Hayti, and were determined to attempt
a similar revolt in Barbados.

After waiting for the expected freedom until the 14th of April, they
determined on that day to have a general rising, which was signalled by
burning heaps of cane-trash in the parish of St. Philip. Soon the fields
were set on fire, and frenzied mobs, continually increasing in numbers,
went from one plantation to another seeking arms. This went on for two
days, but on the arrival of the militia they dispersed, leaving a waste
behind. As usual a great many of the negroes were executed, although it
does not appear that any whites got killed in the revolt. However, the
Registry Act was delayed for two years, to be ultimately passed in
January, 1817.

Towards the end of the last century a new class of men appeared in the
West Indies--the Protestant missionaries. Catholic missions had been
established in the Spanish possessions since the time of Columbus, but
hitherto, with the exception of a few Moravians, no other Church had
done anything to convert the slaves in the British colonies. Between
1780 and 1790, Methodist societies were established in most of the
islands, notwithstanding the opposition of the planters, who in some
cases appear to have thought that baptized Christians could no longer be
held in slavery. This vulgar error, however, was not the real cause of
the antagonism to these teachers, but rather the feeling natural to a
master which makes him resent any outside interference between himself
and his servants. The best and kindest were the first to feel this. The
slaves were their children, and to them they applied, in all their
troubles and difficulties, as to a great father. It followed, therefore,
that when the missionaries came and proclaimed themselves friends to the
slaves, giving them advice in secular as well as religious matters, the
cordial feeling was broken. "Massa" was much put out, for he liked to
hold the position of a little god to these poor ignorant creatures over
whom he held such power. The slaves were sometimes whipped as bad
children when they did wrong, and as children they