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The position of the white hostage, at least, was not the most agreeable; he complained that he was beset by the women and children with indignant cries of "Buckra, Buckra," while the little boys pointed their fingers at him as if stabbing him, and that with evident relish. However, Capt. Quao, like Capt. Cudjoe, made a treaty at last; and hats were interchanged, instead of hostages.
"No," answered Mr Ferris. "Den I tell you I Cudjoe. Some inside de house know me, and know dat I no fool. Listen den. We go away and leave Massa Twigg he good man and all de people alone on one 'dition, dat you gib up the oberseer and let us hab him to do wid him as we like. Dat is our 'dition; 'cept it and you safe.
"How did you learn that?" asked the captain quickly. "Oh, there are very few things which happen in these parts the which I don't know," answered the stranger quietly. "However, captain, even if all your cabins are full, that excuse will not serve you. I can stow myself away anywhere. I've been accustomed to rough it, and Cudjoe here won't object to prick for a soft plank!"
For nine full years this particular war continued unchecked, Gen. Williamson ruling Jamaica by day and Cudjoe by night. The rebels had every topographical advantage, for they held possession of the "Cockpits."
After various ineffectual pullings and twitchings, just as the senator is losing all patience, the carriage suddenly rights itself with a bounce, two front wheels go down into another abyss, and senator, woman, and child, all tumble promiscuously on to the front seat, senator's hat is jammed over his eyes and nose quite unceremoniously, and he considers himself fairly extinguished; child cries, and Cudjoe on the outside delivers animated addresses to the horses, who are kicking, and floundering, and straining under repeated cracks of the whip.
At last, with a square plunge, which puts all on to their feet and then down into their seats with incredible quickness, the carriage stops, and, after much outside commotion, Cudjoe appears at the door. "Please, sir, it's powerful bad spot, this' yer. I don't know how we's to get clar out. I'm a thinkin' we'll have to be a gettin' rails."
As he pulled the trigger Mr Ferris struck up the weapon, and the bullet whistled over the black's head. "Respect a flag of truce, even in the hands of a savage," he exclaimed indignantly. "If we set such an example, what can we expect in return?" Cudjoe had observed the act. "I tank you, massa," he shouted, "but dat man die before de sun go down;" and, rapidly turning, he bounded down the hill.
In the seventeenth century, when Jamaica was still under the dominion of the Spaniards, a party of slaves under the command of John de Bolas, regained their independence. They increased in numbers, elected the famous Cudjoe as their chief, and became very formidable.
The special affair in progress, at the time of these statements, was called Cudjoe's War. Cudjoe was a gentleman of extreme brevity and blackness, whose full-length portrait can hardly be said to adorn Dallas's History of the Maroons; but he was as formidable a guerrilla as Marion. Under his leadership, the various bodies of fugitives were consolidated into one force, and thoroughly organized.
As for old Cudjoe himself, the English declared that he must be in league with the devil, whom he resembled closely enough to be his brother.
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