The roaring of the cannon certainly caused them at first more alarm than the effect, but they subsequently became accustomed to the noise, and totally disregarded it. Every access to the hill is barricaded with stones and other impediments, and the village supplied with water for two days, for few hills can boast of springs, the water, therefore, must be fetched from the foot of the hill. All the cattle and other property is carried up into the fortified height, in short, every arrangement is made for an obstinate defence. The men, armed with spears, occupy every point of importance, while the women even do not remain idle spectators, but either participate in the fight, or encourage their husbands by their lamentations and war-cry, and hand them their arms; in fact, every one is in activity except the aged and infirm. The points of their wooden arrows are dipped into poison which stands in an earthen vessel beside them. It is the juice of a plant, and appears white like curdled milk, but of what plant it may be the juice I could never learn, for this is a secret imparted only to a few persons in the village. I am told that there are many hills where this secret is totally unknown. As soon as the officer gives the word of command to attack, the infantry beat to arms and storm the hill. Thousands of spears, large stones, and immense beams of wood are instantly hurled at the storming party, every stone is an ambush to a wary negro, who either throws his poisoned dart at the enemy, or, waiting his opportunity, thrusts his spear into the body of his unsuspecting foe on his approach. The soldiers, who experience the greatest difficulty in scaling the steep acclivities, are obliged to sling their muskets to their backs to facilitate their ascent with their hands, and frequently fall victims before they have even seen the enemy. But nothing deters these marauders when bent on prey, goaded on by cupidity and the desire of revenge they heed no impediment, not even death itself; over the dead body of his fallen comrade the successor marches with impetuosity, his mind totally engrossed by ideas of plunder and murder; and thus the village is at last captured in spite of the most resolute defence. But now, indeed, is vengeance terrific: neither aged men nor the infirm, neither helpless women and children, nor, indeed, the babe unborn are spared; every hut is plundered, the property of the unfortunate besieged either pillaged or destroyed, and whosoever falls into the hands of the destroyer with his life is carried down into the camp as captive. When the negroes see that resistance is no longer of avail, they frequently prefer suicide, unless prevented, to slavery; and thus it often occurs that a father rips up the abdomen of his wife, then of his children, and lastly murders himself, to avoid falling alive into the hands of the enemy. Others endeavour to escape captivity by secreting themselves in caverns, where they