and while the crater continued to emit smoke and flame, and lava and burning ashes from its bowels, the mighty elements afforded their assistance to render the scene more awfully and majestically grand.

The deep thunder rolled in loud and threatening peals, and the brilliant lightning as it passed in momentary, yet repeated flashes, threw a horrid wildness over the scene! meanwhile the earth groaned, and the people were on the brink of despair. So awful and tremendous was the roaring of the giant mountain, that it was heard in several of the neighbouring islands, like distant cannon; and in Barbados, Grenada, and Tobago, it was mistaken for the guns of an invading enemy, and the militia were, in consequence, put under arms.

The showers of sand, pebbles, and ashes also were not confined to the island of St. Vincent alone, they even fell in some of the other colonies, and darkened the atmosphere to such a degree, that many thought it was the approach of the day of judgment.

At three o'clock, A. M. on the morning of the first of May, a tremendous shower of large stones came rattling down upon the streets and housetops; there was then a general confusion, and every one sought a place of refuge from the huge fragments that continued falling.

Had the weight of the stones been in proportion to their size, there is no doubt but they would have crushed the roofs of the houses, and have killed every individual on whom they chanced to fall. As it was they did much mischief, although only seven deaths occurred; the fact is, they were rendered light, and

deprived of their gravity from the excessive heat they had passed through.

A few houses were consumed by flames, and the whole island was covered with the lava, cinders, and other volcanic substances which the Souffrière had emitted from its crater.

The terrific earthquakes, with the tremendous and deafening sounds that issued from the bowels of the mountain, subsided towards the afternoon, but the Souffrière did not cease to be disturbed for a week afterwards; and it was not until the 7th of May that its agitation passed off, and gave place to that calmness and tranquillity which it has ever since preserved.

It is somewhat extraordinary that a volcanic hill in the French colony of Martinique, called the Diamond Rock, emitted a considerable quantity of ashes and calcined earth during the eruption of the Souffrière.

The period in which this memorable event took place will never be forgotten by the West Indians. St. Vincent still bears the marks of it; and, by the layers of petrified lava and hard black volcanic matter that still remain in many parts of the soil, it is easy to distinguish that some occurrence of this kind has formerly taken place in the colony.

Little real damage, however, was caused by the eruption, and many have given it as their opinion, that the island was rather improved than otherwise by its scattering of ashes. The estates in the neighbourhood of the mountain were the chief sufferers.

CHAPTER XXX.

THE CHARAIB WAR.

"The island was internally troubled, during a long period, with all the horrors of a civil war."

I RETURNED in safety from the mountain. A week hath passed away since I went thither; the regiment hath embarked. The transports have sailed, and I am already acquainted with nearly all the officers of the new corps.

But thou shalt hear more of this hereafter; now I am about to fly from fire to sword; from the roaring of mountains to the roaring of cannon; from the eruption of the Souffrière, to my narrative of the Charaib war.

I commenced my tale with an account of the first proceedings of the rebels in the windward part of the island; let us now turn to the leeward quarter, where they were not less active.

Their first march was to Chatteaubelair, where their force was greatly increased by the numbers of French inhabitants who joined them in that quarter.

The French, nationally and individually, have generally shown themselves the enemies of the English; and it was hardly reasonable to expect from them a

very faithful allegiance; yet they declared, that they were obliged rather than inclined to join the Charaibs in their insurrection. Their assertion, however, met with little credit, for it was shrewdly, and I believe justly, suspected, that they not only manifested their readiness to join the Charaibs, but that they were the principal instigators of their revolt.

The army of rebels having left Chatteaubelair, proceeded towards Kingstown, either setting fire to the estates on the road or seizing them in the name of Chatouay, their chief and commander, or some other person of consequence in their tribe.

It appears that they fell in with their companions in the windward part of the island on the following Friday, when Chatouay took the command of the whole body, consisting of about four hundred and sixty persons, including the French and colored people, and marched it to Dorsetshire Hill, in the fortifying of which, they displayed much activity.

With the assistance of the negroes, whom they had taken, and whom they compelled to work, and the oxen, of which they had pillaged the estates, they contrived to get two pieces of cannon up the hill, which they mounted in a very advantageous position, and gave the inhabitants of Kingstown and Fort Charlotte no little alarm for their capital.— These, in their turn, made every exertion for a brave defence, and being joined by a detachment from Martinique, consisting of one company of the 46th regiment, under the command of Captain Campbell, commenced operations.

Major Whytell with this detachment, aided by a considerable number of militia troops, and a few men of the 60th regiment, marched with two fieldpieces to Sion Hill; where, finding that the rebels were burning and plundering Greathead Estate, they directed a steady fire against them, and soon drove them to a more respectful distance.

Straggling parties of the Charaibs were now daily advancing near the town, and a few were observed on the estates in its immediate vicinity. As they concealed themselves in the plantations, it was found advisable to burn down all the canes on the properties near town, that they might not be able to advance

unseen.

A party of sailors and marines were dispatched to join the English force on Sion Hill: they were taken from the Zebra, a sloop of war, which arrived in the harbour at a very seasonable period. The Roebuck coming in about the same time, and her commander tendering an offer of his assistance to dislodge the rebel force in possession of Dorsetshire Hill, his Excellency, the Governor, deemed it expedient to make an immediate attack on that post; for it could be no longer doubted that the Charaibs were in possession of cannon; and as their post commanded Sion Hill, it was by no means expedient that they should be allowed to retain it.

Accordingly the party destined to make the assault were ordered to assemble before Hartley's house, at the hour of midnight. It consisted of a