rs came to a crisis. A man went into the yard of
Byde Mill plantation, flourishing a cane-cutter, and bearing a red flag.
He was, he said, a Confederation man, had just come from the Governor,
and wanted some liquor (cane juice). Getting nothing he went out and
brought his brother who bore a sword, and the two quarrelled with the
man in the boiling-house, the one with the sword attempting to stab him.
They defied a constable who came to arrest them, and one blew a shell
which brought a mob of women and children, who went into a field of
sweet-potatoes and began to carry them off. Three mounted police
arrived, but they were pelted with stones, and one who attempted to
arrest the man with the sword got wounded. A magistrate then came and
read the Riot Act, but the mob refused to disperse. As usual there were
grievances, some complained that their pay had been stopped, which the
manager said was because they could not work the mill full time for want
of wind.

Two cane-fields were now set on fire, and the disturbance spread, its
great characteristic being raids upon the potato fields. In several
places live stock were killed, dwellings broken into, and everything
chopped or broken to pieces. A few shots were exchanged, but no one
appears to have been killed, although many got wounds and bruises from
sticks and stones. Everywhere the mob declared they had the authority of
the Governor for what they were doing, and the sufferers from their
depredations charged Mr. Hennessy with delay in putting down the
disturbance. This, however, was probably due to the effect of the
persecution of Governor Eyre, which has made every West Indian Governor
hesitate before going to extremes. However, when the people from the
country districts began to fly to Bridgetown he sent out a few soldiers
who very quickly dispersed the mobs. A sensational telegram to London
stated that five hundred prisoners had been taken, forty people killed
and wounded, rioting was suspended, but their position was threatened,
and that confidence in the Government had entirely gone. This was highly
exaggerated, but a great deal of property was destroyed or injured,
fifty estates pillaged, and probably over fifty persons received more or
less serious blows.

Quite a storm fell upon Hennessy, who on the 26th of April had to issue
a proclamation threatening to direct the law officers to take prompt
measures against those who libelled him, by saying that he had sent
em