Chapter 20
The Beat of the Drum
HOUNGANS ALANSO, BATURU, and Suma convened at the top of the highest hilltop in the nearby forest. The three men stood on a wide tree trunk, which provided an exceptional view of the outskirts of the town of Jacmel. Their authority did not flow from elections or any other formal process, but the power to act or not clearly rested with them. Suma never questioned Alanso’s judgment and experience, and both Alanso and Suma had great respect for Baturu’s ability to stir the masses. Once Baturu came around to Alanso’s way of thinking, the leadership became both strong and unified.
In order to finalize their plans, the size of the enemy force had to be estimated. The maroons numbered approximately fifteen hundred. Many had machetes, but only twenty had muskets—
