To Jamaica and Back. By Sir Sibbald D. Scott, Bart.
(Chapman and Hall.)—Rather more than a third of this volume is occupied with a review of the history of Jamaica, from its discovery by Columbus in May, 1494, down to the suppression of the rebellion of 1865, and the con- sequent change in the Government of the island. It is curious to con- trast the conduct of the authorities in 1865 with that of those who had the charge of the Maroon war in 1795-6. The contrast is not to the credit of this century. In 1796 there were no executions. The prisoners were transported, contrary, it was said, to agreement, to Nova Scotia, and kept there for three years, at a vast expense, then transferred to Sierra Leone, where they have continued to thrive. One thing must be noted, however, in favour of the authorities in 1865. They were terribly frightened, and not without cause, as less than 500 men and about 300 Maroons were available. In the rebellion of 1831, there bad been five white regiments, nearly 10,000 trained Militia, and 14,000 Maroons. There is much of interest in this part of Sir Sibbald Scott's book, though the history is scarcely relevant to the subject of Jamaica and Back. The descriptions of travel, scenery, and social life are not very striking. They will not stand comparison with the brilliant sketches of "Tom Cringle's Log," but they are doubtless truthful and valuable. The first thirty and the last fifteen pages might well have been economised. Let it be taken for granted that an author who describes some foreign country has got there and has got back,—he ought not to describe his journey except he has been shipwrecked.
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