advantage, it was agreed that British and Maroons alike should post two sentries over it. At length, however, the Maroons, unable longer to endure the agony of thirst, begged that the British sentries might be withdrawn while they drank, and engaged to withdraw their own in turn that the British too might drink. So both sides came down to the well and drank; and then the guard was posted again, and the rest returned to their arms. It must have been a strange scene, this of the rival sentries over the spring in that savage rocky glen--on the one side the wild negro of the mountain, his splendid athletic form barely concealed by a few foul rags, on the other the trooper of the Seventeenth, [Sidenote: 1795.] bronzed, and lean, and haggard after months of harassing work, with his blue jacket faded, his white facings weeks soiled, his white breeches and Hessian boots sadly the worse for wear; but always erect and alert, and proud in the consciousness that he had beaten the dreaded Maroons on their own ground. There must have been good discipline in these sixty-four men of the Seventeenth and the fifty of the 62nd, seeing that with all the burden of a tropical climate on their backs they had outstayed the native mountaineers in the deliberate endurance of thirst within sight of water. This action ended the war. The Maroons surrendered to Walpole, and submitted to beg His Majesty’s pardon on their knees, while Walpole on his side promised that they should not be sent out of the island. This promise was violated by the Jamaica Government, whereat Walpole was so disgusted that he not only refused a sword of honour from the Jamaica Parliament, but resigned his commission. Thus the Seventeenth never had a chance of fighting under this gallant officer again. When he took charge of the operations the Jamaica Government was in such despair of quelling the Maroons that it actually imported a hundred bloodhounds from Cuba to hunt them down. When the hounds arrived the war was virtually over; and Walpole, in a letter to Lord Balcarres, has recorded to whom the credit was due:-- I must not omit to mention to your Lordship that it is to the impression made by the undaunted bravery of the 17th Light Dragoons, who were more particularly engaged on the 15th December, that we owe the submission of the rebels. The Maroons speak of them with astonishment. Mr. Werge was particularly signalised with the advanced guard, and the sergeant-major of that regiment is strongly recommended for his spirit and activity by the Commanding Officer, Mr. Edwards, who is in every way deserving of your Lordship’s opinion. [Illustration: _G. Salisbury._ OFFICER. Review Order. PRIVATE. Field-day Order. OFFICER. Stable Dress. 1817–1823.] CHAPTER VIII GRENADA AND ST. DOMINGO, 1796 [Sidenote: 1795.]