Night Of The Silent Drums

Plot

The gripping story of slave rebellion in 1733 on the small island of St. John, Virgin Islands. An historical recounting; all persons are to be found in the archives & the story is an accurate forensic reconstruction. This is the story of daily life in 1733 on an island, only 24 square miles in area. The astonishing story of an isolated slave-sugar colony erupting in bloody rebellion & the inexorable destruction of the rebels is told by the author as he paints powerful portraits of the European & African actors. The slaves were the masters of communications within the islands. Their talking drums could even reach across the waters to the near island of St. Thomas. The slaves evaluated that the total Danish force against them was insufficient to hold them down. They did not know about the organized maritime power that could be transported from elsewhere to restore slavery. Newly transported from Africa, they did not understand the system that had caught them up. When the rebellion failed most of the rebels killed themselves. The book is the timeless story of humanity in microcosm: a compelling picture of the evil & the good that men do. American Distributor: Academy Chicago Pubs., Ltd. 213 W. Institute Pl. Chicago, IL 60610. Tel. (312) 751-7302.