using it in this way, he joined his accomplices, and with them fell
, upon Williams and shot him. Martin, who was at no great distance,
heard the report of the musket, and exclaimed, “ Y"ell done! we will
have a glorious feast to-day!” supposing that a hog had been shot.
The party proceeded from Y"illiams’ toward Christian’s plantation,
where Menalee, the other black, was at work with Mills and M‘Coy;
and, in order that the suspicions of the whites might not be excited by
the report they had heard, requested Mills to allow him (Menalee) to
assist them in bringing home the hog they pretended to have killed.
Mills agreed; and the four, being united, proceeded to Christian, who
was working at his yam-plot, and shot him. Thus fell a man, who, from
being the reputed ringleader of the mutiny, has obtained an unenviable
celebrity, and whose crime may perhaps be considered as in some
degree palliated, by the tyranny which led to its commission. M‘Coy,
hearing his groans, observed to Mills, “ there was surely some person
d y i n g b u t Mills repUed, “ it is only Mainmast (Christian’s wife)
calling her children to dinner.” The white men being yet too strong
for the blacks to risk a conflict with them, it was necessary to concert
a plan, in order to separate Mills and M‘Coy. Two of them accordingly
secreted themselves in M'Coy’s house, and Tetaheite ran and told him
that the two blacks who had deserted were steahng things out of his
house. M‘Coy instantly ran to detect them, and on entering was fired
a t ; but the ball passed him. YlCoy immediately communicated the
alarm to Mills, and advised him to seek shelter in the woods; but Mills,
being quite satisfied that one of the blacks whom he had made his
friend would not suffer him to be killed, determined to remain. M‘Coy,
less confident, ran in search of Christian, but finding him dead, joined
Quintal (who was already apprised of the work of destruction, and
had sent his wife to give the alarm to the others), and fled with him
to the woods.
Mills had scarcely been left alone, when the two blacks fell upon
him, and he became a victim to his misplaced confidence in the fidelity
of his friend. Martin and Brown were next separately murdered by
Menalee and Tenina; Menalee effecting with a maul what the musket
had left unfinished. Tenina, it is said, wished to save the life of Brown,
and fired at him with powder only, desiring him, at the same time, CHAP.
to fall as if killed ; but, unfortunately rising too soon, the other black,
Menalee, shot him.
Dec.
1825.
Adams was first apprised of his danger by Quintal’s wife, who,
in hurrying through his plantation, asked why he was working at
that time ? N o t understanding the question, but seeing her alarmed,
he followed her, and was almost immediately met by the blacks,
whose appearance exciting suspicion, he made his escape into the
woods. After remaining there three or four hours, Adams, thinking
all was quiet, stole to his yam-plot for a supply of provisions ; his
movements however did not escape the vigilance of the blacks, who
attacked and shot him through the body, the ball entering at his
right shoulder, and passing out through his throat. He fell upon
his side, and was instantly assailed by one of them with the butt end
of the gun ; but he parried the blows at the expense of a broken
finger. Tetaheite then placed his gun to his side, but it fortunately
missed fire twice. Adams, recovering a little from the shock of the
wound, sprang on his legs, and ran off 5vith as much speed as he was
able, and fortunately outstripped his pursuers, who seeing him likely
to escape, offered him protection if he would stop. Adams, much
exhausted by his wound, readily accepted their terms, and was conducted
to Christian’s house, where he was kindly treated. Here this
day of bloodshed ended, leaving only four Englishmen alive out of nine.
It was a day of emancipation to the blacks, who were now masters of
the island, and of humiliation and retribution to the whites.
Young, who was a great favourite with the women, and had, during
this attack, been secreted by them, was now also taken to Christian’s
house. The other two, M'Coy and Quintal, who had always been the
great oppressors of the blacks, escaped to the mountains, where they
supported tliemselves upon the produce of the ground about them.
The party in the village hved in tolerable tranquillity for about a
week ; at the expiration of which, the men of colour began to quarrel
about the right of choosing the women whose husbands had been killed ;
which ended in Menalee’s shooting Timoa as he sat by the side of
Young’s wife, accompanying her song with his flute. Timoa not