*>X^X**£:X^X^^ v. lilfilx^^ N A R 111 A T I V E, Revolts ^)etpro*?* of i&itrinam, /// (rUZANAy// me III LI) COAST SOUTH AMERICA; f/vy// //y year /yy^Jo ////. ''////■/,/,/////y ////> r/f/.j/f-r/y ///,// ^7////////////// describing' its Productions, ]/:. Quad?///;rf-/rsJi//y/sJ'Ys//f\s, ftryy/Z/'s, TrcesShrubs, Fruits,, & Roots; /<'/'/// an account oftike lNDMNSofGuta?ui, & negroes ofGutriea 0t> CAPT? J. G. S T EDM AN. 9* ■M, bonbon. Prints fo 0 quantuht terfWt&uawtufn cogttoseeft rw'/t PcrmM&ufH est/j&clagtis quantos aperimus tn etsus.f Nunc forsan grave reris optts^/etl Icetei recurred Ciifn /ff//.s,c/ curum cunt tarn /////// rvdctet fotcon>; Qucspudor hcu/tiostroit tibi tunc audtre l&b&res. Qti&rn /////■(//// f/.u/s ///// per jusptrta£znfef>* J&lerius Flaccus, J.Johnson,S1 Pauls (lunch Yard ,A1 Kdnaids,Pall Mall. 1796. T O II I S ROYAL HIGHNESS GEORGE PRINCE OF WALES, THIS ARTLESS NARRATIVE IS, WITH ALL H UMILIT Y, INSCRIBED, BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS's MOST DEVOTED, AND MOST OBEDIENT, . HUMBLE SERVANT, J. G. Stedman* Tiverton, Devonshire, January i, iyg6. t h e PREFACE, This Work being perhaps one of the mod fmgular productions ever offered to the Public, I think it right to give the Reader a fliort fketch of what he is going to perufe.—I have endeavoured to arrange matters in fome degree like a large garden, where one meets with the fweet-fmelling flower and the thorn, the gold-befpangled fly and loathfome reptile, the richeft glowing plumage and the darken: ftiades; the whole fo variegated as to afford, I hope, both information and amufement, without racking or depreffmg the fpirits, and damping the mind; not indeed in the modern pomp and brilliancy of flyle, but in a fimplc tale, where truth is the chief ornament, a a Here, P R E F A C E. Here, in the different characters of a Commander —a Rebel Negro—a Planter, and a Slave—not only tyranny are expofed—but benevolence and humanity are unveiled to the naked eye. Here the Warrior— the Hiftorian—the Merchant—and the Lover of Natural Philofophy, will meet with fome gratification ; while, for having introduced my private adventures, I muft make fome apology—but none for thofe of the lovely Slave^ who makes not the leaft intercfling figure in thefe pages—as female virtue in diftrefs, efpecially when accompanied with youth and beauty, muft ever claim protection,. Upon the whole, perhaps, fome allowance may be made, when the Reader confiders he is perufmg no romance compofed of fiction, but a real hiftory, totally unembellifhed with the marvellous 3—the production of an Officer, whole pen and pencil have alone been employed—and on the spot, a circum-ftance but very feldom met with. As to the (hocking cruelties that here are fo frequently expofed, let it fuftice to fay, that to deter others from fimilar inhuman practices, and teach' them them virtue, was my folc and only motive ; while, on the other hand, it muft be obferved that Liberty, nay even too much lenity, when fuddenly granted to illiterate and unprincipled men, muft be to all parties dangerous, if not pernicious. Witnefs the Owca and Sarameca Negroes in Surinam—the Maroons of Jamaica, the Carribs of St. Vincent, 6cc. While the Colony of Surinam however is reeking and dyed with the blood of the African negroes, truth compels me to obferve, that the Dutch there are not the only guilty; but that to mod other nations, and particularly the Jews, is owing this almoft con^-ftant and diabolical barbarity. Reader, perufe the pages annexed witli impartiality and with temper—fort the flowers from the weeds— divide the gold jfkilfully from the drofs—and perhaps you may not regret the hours you have thus dedicated. A few orthographical errors and inaccuracies have been difcovered, particularly in the Firft Volume, from my having unavoidably been prevented from iupcrintending its progrefs while in the prefs : Bur in a fhort Errata, and particularly in the Index^ to vi preface. to which I refer the curious, will be found properly fpelt the names of men and things.—Let it however not be underftood, that I ever laid claim to excellence in writing or drawing ; but if the plain and manly truth, fo oken fpokcn of, and fo feldom found, are of any avail—I prefume to hope, that thcfe Volumes are not entirely unworthy the attention of a British Public. LIST o f SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. A. AUCKLAND (Lord) Britifh Ambaflador at the Hague. Ackland (Sir Tho. Dyke) Bart, Killerton. Anderson (Lady) York. Ashmead (Wm.) Efq. London. B. Bute (Rt. Hon. Earl of). Bristol (Rt. Hon. Earl of). Bamff (Rt. Hon. Lord) 6th Dragoons. Barrington (Rt. Hon. Lord Vifcount). Boydell (Rt. Hon. John) Lord Mayor of London. Baring (Charles) Efq. Exon.—5 Copies. Barwell (-) Efq. London. Broadley (R. Carlifle) Efq. York. Broadley (Ifaac) Efq. Branlingharrij Hull. Barker (Thomas) Efq. Jamaica. Bain (-) Efq. M. D. Bath. Burk (Geo.) Efq. Waddon Court, Devon. Batt (J. F.) Efq. Richmond. Brown (E. H.) Efq. Richmond. Black (John) Efq. of the Hon. Eaft India Company's Service. Vol. I. b Beslv Besly (Wm.) Efq. Tiverton, Devon. Bates (Ralph) Efq. 6th Dragoons. Bastard (John p.) Efq. Kitley, m. p. Brown (Wm.) Efq. Wivelifcombe. Bush (Baron de) Commandant at Curacao. Bolls (And.) Efq. Capt. in the Dutch Navy. Bloys de Treslon (Cor.) Efq. Capt. in the Dutch Navy. Brown (-) Efq. Briftol. Bulguin (Mr.-) Briftol. Blake (Mr. Wm.) London. Boudler (Mrs.) Bath. C. Canterbury (His Grace the Archbifhop of) Chichester (Sir John) Bart. Youlfton. Chichester (Mrs.) Arlington. Chichester (Mifs) Chichester (Mifs Mary Macdonald). Cholwich (John B.) Efq. Farringdon Houfe. Cambridge (R. O.) Efq. Twickenham. Cholmley (Nath.) Efq. Howfham. Cowley (John) Efq. London. Campbell (Rt. Hon. Hay) Edinburgh. Cholmondeley (G.) Efq. London, Croft (John) Efq. York. Cookslly (J. Sparkes) Efq. Afhburton. D. Dover (Rt. Hon. Lord). Douglas (Gen. Robert) Holland. Duntz (Sir John) Bart. Rockbere Houfe. Drew (Richard) Efq. Exeter. Dennys (Nicholas) Efq. Tiverton. Dowce (Francis) Efq. Richmond. Danby (Wm.) Efq. Swinton. DkuKMOND (J.) Efq. M. D. Jamaica. Ducarrell (-) Efq. Exmourh. ~f Del aval Delaval (E. Hufifey) Efq. London. Dickenson (Benj.) Efq. Tiverton. Dunsford (Mr. Martin) Author of the Memoirs of Tiverton. De G raav (Gid. And. D.) Efq. Surinam. Des Borgnes (Col. Brifeval) Fourgeoud's Marines. E. Erving (George) Efq. London. Euler (-) Efq. for the Library of his Serene Highnefs the Prince of Orange. F. Fitzwilliam (Right Hon. Earl) Ferrier (Col. Hay) of His Majefty's Scots Brigade. Fredericy (—) Efq. Governor of Surinam. Freeman (--) Efq. Chute Lodge. Freeman (Mrs. Elizabeth). Fitzgerald (Mifs) Grange, Ireland. Follet (Rev. Mr. John) Tiverton. Fattet (Mr. Earth. Francois). Flower (Mr.) London. Flower (Mr. Benj.) Cambridge. G. Guildford (Right Hon. Earl of). Gordon (Col. Robert) Deputy Governor at the Cape of Good Hope. Graham (John) Efq. M. D. Jamaica. Grinstone (Henry) Efq. Wefton. Grinstone (Thomas) Efq. Kilnwick. Goodwin (G. R.) Efq. Bath. Godefrooy (Mrs. Eliz.) Surinam. Gray (Mifs Jane) Edinburgh. ♦ ■ ■ H. Heathfield (Rt. Hon. Lord). Harrowby (Rt. Hon. Lord) Sandon, Staffordlhire. Hamilton (Sir Alexander) Bart. Retreat. Hildyard (Sir Robert D'Arcy) Bart. Wineftead, York. b 2 Hastings Hastings (Warren) Efq. late Governor General of Bengal. Hamell (Colonel) Cape of Good Hope. Home (Colonel Alexander) His Majefty's Scotch Brigade. Hamilton (Robert) Efq, of the Hon. Eaft India Company's Service. HUNTER (-) Efq. M. £>. York. Hamilton (Major) Exon. Hilton (William) Efq. Jamaica.—i Copies. Hecke (C. A.) Efq. Demerary. Harding (Rev. Mr.) liarnftaple. Heatiifield (Thomas) Efq. Nutwell. •Heneman (Gyfbert) Efq. Hague. Haringman (John) Efq. Admiral in the Dutch Navy. Hogg (Jof.) Efq. Tiverton. How (J. M.) Efq. Wifcome Park. Hartford (Jof.) Efq. Briftol. Hobroid (Mrs.) Richmond. I. Incledon (Robert) Efq. Pilton Houfe. Incledon (Capt, T.) 3d Regiment of Foot. Jermain (Thomas) Efq. Briftol. Johnson (J. R.) Efq. Jamaica. K. Keates (Rev. Richard) Tiverton. KfNCAiD (Patrick) Efq. Exon. Knight (Mr. Charles) Knightibridge. Kennedy (H. J.) Efq. Cleves. Knollaerdt (-) Efq. Fourgeoud's Marines. L. Lardner (John) Efq. London. Lardner (Richard) Efq. Tiverton. Lardner (James) Efq. Axminfter. Louis (Mr. Jean) Exon, M. Macpherson SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. M. Macwierson (Sir John) Bart, late Governor of Calcutta. McQuei;n (Dundas) Efq. Edinburgh. Macallester Loup (Duncan) Efq. Hague. Macaulev (Alex.) Efq. London, Macauley (Angus) Efq. Bath. Macleod (Colonel) of His Majefty's Scots Brigade. Mack ay (John) Efq. London. Mackay (Hector) Efq. War Office. Maddison (Thomas) Efq. M. P. Mowbray (Robert) Efq. M-D. Cockayrny. Moore (John Hartnoll) Efq. Cadeleigh Court. Marshall (Mr. Robert) Tiverton. Moens (Mr. Adrian) Rotterdam. Medlaer (George Crawford) Efq. Fourgeoud's Marines. N. Northcote (Sir Stafford) Bart. Pine's Houfe. Nagle (Jofeph) Efq. Calverlcigh. Nagle (David) Efq. Bath. Nibbs (J. Langford) Efq. Beauchamp.—i Copies. Needham (John) Efq. Gray's Inn. Noot (Captain) Fourgeoud's Marines. Nichols (Rev. Mr.) Richmond. Newte (Rev. Mr.) Titcombe, Devon. Newte (Thomas) Efq. late Captain in the Hon. Faft India Company's Service. Newbiggen (Mifs Jane) Edinburgh. O. Owens (George) Efq. Tiverton. P. Pepperel (Sir William) Bart. London. Palmer (Thomas) Efq. Berkley Square.. Palmer|(William) Efq. London. Plidell Plidell (J. M.) Efq. 6th Dragoons. Peachey (John) Efq. M. P. Prince (J. D.) Efq. Holland. Perret Gentilly (Major) Fourgeoud's Marines. Polson (Hugh) Efq. Exmouth. Popple (Rev. Mr.) York. R. Ryder (Right Hon. Dudley) M. P. Rockby (Right Hon. Lord) Horton, Kent. Ricketts (Hon. W. H.) Jamaica. Ricketts (E. Jarvis) Efq. Jamaica. Rosen daal (Countefs de) Holland. Rolle (John) Efq. M. P. Tidwell. Ridsdale (G. W.) Efq. 6th Dragoons. Roll and (Adam) Efq. Advocate, Edinburgh. Robinson (William) Efq. Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh. Robinson (Capt. Thomas) of the Hon. Eaft India Company's Service. Rigaud (P.) Efq. R. A. Reynsdorph (Andrew) Efq. Surinam. Reay (Henry N.) Efq. Blenkwell, Durham. S. Spencer (Rt. Hon. Lord Henry). Strickland (Sir George) Bart. Bointon Houfe, York.—2 Copies. Strickland (Lady Eliza Letitia). Strickland (Mifs Charlotte). Strickland (William) Efq. York. Strickland (Capt. Geo.) 8th Regiment. Sykes (Sir Chriftopher) Bart. York. Small (Major Charles) Ifle of Man. Small (Peter) Efq. Montreal, Canada. Stuart (Hon. General John). Sampson (James) Efq. late His Majefty's Conful General at Morocco. Suttell Suttell (G.) Efq. York. Sturgeon (T. W.) Efq. Trowbridge. Swale (-) Efq. London. Sheriff (Mr. Robert) Leith. Stedman (John) Efq. M. D. Edinburgh. Stedman (Capt. Wm. George). Stedman (Mifs Catherine Edinburgh. Sharrat (Mr. John) Walfall. Sheldon (Mifs Ann) Exon. Somerville (Mifs Elizabeth) Edinburgh. T. Todd (Mr. John) York.—i Copies. Tozer (Aaron) Efq. of the Hon. Eaft India Company's Service. V. Vance Acnew (Robert) Efq. Edinburgh. Van Coeverde (Colonel) Fourgeoud's Marines. W. Willoughby de Broke (Rt. Hon. Lord). Westerloo (General) Holland. Wemyss (Major) i ith Regiment of Foot. Wierts (Francis) Efq. Captain in the Dutch Navy. Winsloe (Thomas) Efq. Colliprieft. Woolery (R. P.) Efq. Jamaica. Williams (Jof.) Efq. Jamaica. Wyville (Rev. Chriftopher) York. White (James) Efq. Counfellor, Exeter. Wray (G. Lewis) Efq. Spence Farm. Wood (Bevis) Efq. Tiverton. Worth (John) Efq. Worth Houfe, Devon. Worth (Mrs. Mary) Tiverton. Wray (Mrs.) Richmond. Watt Watt (Mr.) London. Wardlaw (Mrs. Sufan) Edinburgh. Y. York (His Grace the Archbifhop of). Yorke (Hon, John). CONTENTS. CONTENT'S of the FIRST VOLUME. Chapter i. Page i. Introduction.—Revolt among the Negroes in Dutch Guiana—An Expedition Jets out from the Texel—Short Account of the Voyage—The Fleet arrives in the River Surinam — Reception of the Troops in that Colony — Sketch of the Inhabitants, &c. Chapter ii. Page 30 *. General Defcription of Guiana—of the Colony of Surinam hi particular — Accounts of its earliefl Difcovery — is P0JTeJTed by the Engli/h — by the Dutch—Murder of the Governor, Lord Somelfdyk—The Settlement taken by the French^ and ranfomed. Chapter iii. Page 53. Firjl Revolt of the Negroes; Caufes thereof—DiflraBed State of the Colony — Forced Peace concluded with the Rebels—Mutiny of Sailors, Soldiers, &c. v°l.I. c Chapter Xvi CONTENTS OF Chapter IV, Page 74. Short Interval of Peace and Plenty—The Colony plunged in new Di/lrefs by a frejlo Infurrettion, and nearly ruined— Review of the Troops for its Defence—An Aclion with the Rebels—Gallant Behaviour of a Black Corps—The Arrival of Colonel Fourgeoud's Marines* Chapter V. Page 86, The Scene changes—Some Account of a beautiful Female Slave—The Manner of travelling in Surinam—The Colonel explores the Situation of the Rivers—Barbarity of a Planter—Wretched Treatment of fome Sailors. Chapter VI. Page 107. Account of a dreadful Execution — Flucluating State of political Affairs—Short Glimpfe of Peace—An Officer JJjot dead; his 'whole Party cut to Pieces, and the general Alarm revived throughout the Colony. Chapter VII. Page 132. Armed Barges are fen t up to defend the Rivers—Defeription of the Fortrefs New Amflerdam—A Cruife in the upper Parts of Rio Cottica and Patamaca—Great Mortality among the Troops—View of the Military Poji at DeviPs Harwar. THE FIRST VOLUME. Chapter VIII. Page 178. Three EJiates burnt, and the Inhabitants 7nurdered by the Rebels—Real Pitlure of Mifery and D/frefs—Specimen of a March through the Woods of Surinam — Colonel Fourgeoud and the remaining Troops leave Paramaribo. Chapter IX. Page 194. Some DiJcafes peculiar to the Climate—Groupe of Negroes newly imported going to be fold—Refteclions on the Slave Trade—The Voyage from Africa—Manner of felling them in the Colony—Defcription of a Cotton Plantation. Chapter X. Page 216. Colonel Fourgeoud marches to the Wana Creek—Harafes the Enemy—sic count of the Manicole Tree, with its various Ufes—March to the Mouth of Cormoetibo River— Some Rebels taken—Shocking Treatment of a wounded captive Negro. Chapter XL Page 258. The Troops march back to the Wana Creek—The Rebels pafs near the Camp—Purfued without Succefs—Great Di/lrefs for Want of Water—Mineral Mountains—The Troops arrive at La Rochelle, in Patamaca. CO NTENTS.—-Vol. I. Chapter XII. Page 285. Defeription of the Tozvn of Paramaribo and Fort Zelandia —Colonel Fourgeoud's March to the River Marawina—A Captain wounded—Some Privates Jhot—Strange Execution in the Capital—Account of Fort Somelfdyk—Of the Hope in Rio Comewina. Chapter XIII. Page 311. A Sugar Plantation defer ibed—Domejiic Happinefs in a Cottage—Further Account of Fourgeoud's Operations— Dreadful Cruelties inflicled by fome Overfeers—Inflance of Refentment in a Rebel Negro Captain. Chapter XIV. Page 338. Colonel Fourgeoud at Paramaribo—Example of Ignorance in a Surgeon — of Virtue in a Slave—of Ferocity in a Commander—The Troops re-enter the Woods—Account of Loango Dancing— Uncommon Proof of Fidelity in a Negro. Chapter XV. Page 378. Defer iption of the Indians, Aborigines of Guiana—Their Food—Arms—Ornaments—Employments—Diverfions— Pafjioris—Religion—Marriages—Funerals, &c.—Of the Caribbee Indians in particular—Their Trade with the Europeans. /<)!, In J,.tf/m.i'i'n,S!/'a///..- Ouirth TanL NARRATIVE J v "ii'i'c '*ta 1 f!" / Jflvi .fi'33U r->'^'»{'* c'",i) « j "(O ^ 1 * ^ / i of an EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. CHAP. I. Introduction. — Revolt among the Negroes in Butch Guiana—An Expedition Jets out from the Texel—Short Account of the Voyage—The Fleet arrives in the River Surinam — Reception of the Troops in that Colony—* Sketch of the Inhabitants* &c, THE exploring of foreign countries having of late CHAP, years, and particularly iince the recent difcoveries v *_ » of the immortal Captain Cook, fo generally been the bhject. of perfons both in private and public fituations; and the hiftories of their labours and purfuits being fo interefting to the curiofity of the public, 1 have ventured to offer fuch obfervations as I have had an opportunity °f making in a very lingular part of the globe, on which few Englishmen have been thrown, either by accident Vol. i. b or chap, or cnriofity. The colony of Surinam, in Dutch Guiana-, *• fo far as it is inhabited and cultivated by Europeans near the fea-coaft, has indeed been known for many years pail. But the deep inundations, with the impenetrable thicknefs of the woods, have been fuch conltarit difcou-ragements and obftrudlions to difecvery, that but very little true information concerning that country has as yet been obtained, except what relates to fuch objects of commerce as are common to mod of the tropical fettle-ments.. This publication, therefore, is chiefly intended to particularize fuch circumftances and events as the ne-cemty of penetrating into the interior parts of the country have enabled mc to make, and forced on my obfer-vation. The feeling part of my readers, I muft hope, will receive with fome indulgence a work proceeding from an officer, who, from his early youth, was debarred in acquiring perfection, either as a writer or a painter, by his military and maritime profeflio"- I nevertheless humbly flatter myfelf that whatever may be found wanting in flyle and elegance, is in fome degree compenfated by that fidelity and correctnefs, which can alone be the work of a pen and pencil employed on the fpot. With refpeft to a few quaint exprefiions, and even oaths, as fnoken by common Joldiers, Jailors, &.c. that fometimes unavoidably occur in the narrative of this wonderful expedition, I muft humbly requeue the world not to be ftart'ed at them, not only becaufe the ihades of black and white 7 enliven enliven the picture, but becaufe I am determined to c ll A P. write truth only, and expofe vice and jolly in their native ^ 1 _ j colours.—Come then, my friends — " Together let us beat this ample field, " Try what the open, what the covert yield ; f« The latent traces, the giddy heights, explore " Of all who blindly creep, or fightlefs foar : " Eye Nature's -walks, fhoot Folly as it flies, " And catch the manners living as they rife; " Laugh where we mult, be candid where we can* " But vindicate the ways of God to man." Pope* I will now boldly launch out on the difficult talk.— As the nature, however, of thefe tranfactions can only be underftood by a reference to the occafion which called me thither, I feel myfelf under the neceffity of hull premifmg a few worils upon that fubject:. Every part of the world, where do?neflic Jlavery is eftabliihed, may be occafionally liable to infurrection and difquiet, more efpecially where the ilaves conftitute the majority of the inhabitants; but the colony of Surinam* in Dutch Guiana, has been peculiarly unfortunate in this £efpec~t. Whether from the flicker which is afforded to the fugitives by the immenfe forefts which overfpread the moft conliderable part of this country, or whether the government of this fettlement be radically defective, it is a certain fact, that its European fettlers B % arc chap. are conrtantly expofed to the moft violent ravages, and the moil defperate outrage. Of thefe cireumftances this is not however the place for a minute detail. Let it fuflice therefore for the prelent, only to obferve, that, thefe repeated revolts and infui'reel ions den i an-led at length the moll: vigorous mcafures for the retioration of a general peace; and that the accounts tranfmittecl to Holland, in the year 1772, that a considerable body of armed people of this defcriptibn had aillnibled in the forelts, and became extremely formidably to the colony, determined their High Mightinejjcs the States of the United Provinces to fend out a fufficient maritime force to oppofe the infurgents, and, if poffible, to quell the in-furre&ion. d .r;/;.f ^fblod wo •; The Britijb navy had evar been my choice and ambition, in which I was well recommended; but the fmall hopes of preferment I had naturally to expect in time of peace, and my paternal eftate being loft juft after my birth by accidental misfortunes, induced me to relhi-quilli the hopes of advancement in the fea fervice, and to accept an cniign's commilTion, prcfented. me without purchalc, in one of the Scots brigade regiments in the pay of Holland, where Sir Jofepb York (late Lord Dover) at that period was amballlidor from the Britilh. court; before which nobleman I had the honour to take the ufual oaths of abjuration and allegiance to my KiNi3-and Country, as regiftered at the Britifh war-office.— This point I have alfo thought it right to premife, as a duty a duty owing to my fell, to mew the world in general that chap, it was neceflity rial choice that compelled me to enter , , 1- % into a foreign fervker; though perhaps a more ancient and diilinguilh-d corps docs not exift than the above brigade X as proved to be, both, in this iiland and on the continent,, for above two hundred years. At the time of the above infurreclion I was Lieutenant in the Honourable General John S/uart's regiment; when, imprefted by the hopes of traveiiing the fea, mv favourite element, and in iome meafure gratifying my curio-fity, in exploring a part of the world not generally known; ftill more by the profpect of that preferment which might he conf ■quent on fo dangerous an expedition ; I initantly folieired admiflion into a corps of volunteers which, was preparing to fail for Guiana, and had. the honour, by his Serene Highnefs William V, Prince, of Orange, to be advanced to the rank of Captain by brevet'-, under Colonel Louis Henry Fourgeoud, a Swifs gentleman, from the Aljine Mountains>v who.was appointed our commander in chief. Having taken the oaths of fidelity on the 12th of November to the new corps, and prepared what was necef-fary for the voyage, I hade farewell to my old regiment,, and immediately failed to the iiland of Texel, Where feveral.of our gentlemen were already affemblcd ; a vacancy being there prcferved for him . during his abience, and Each officer was permitted to reenter his former regiment, if he furvived the expedition, and returned to Europe, . chap, and where, on going afhorc, I had nearly pcrifhed by the _ , boat's {hipping a fea, and finking in the furf. The iiland of Wieringen was however the fpot of general rendezvous : here Colonel Fourgeoud arriving on the 7th of December, the volunteers were all afTem-bled, to the number of five hundred fine young men; and on the morning of the 8th we were formed into feven companies, and embodied as a regiment of marines. Befides the Boreas and JVeJlellingwerf men-of-war, commanded by Captains Van de Velde and Crafs, three new frigate-built tranfports were put in commiflion, carrying enfign, jack, and pennant, and armed with from ten to fixteen guns, as Hoops of war; on board thefe vefTels we embarked the fame afternoon under a general falute, then took the command, and did the duty as in the navy. Our departure -was not however immediately confe-quent on our embarkation. We lay wind-bound in the Tcxel roads for many days, during which time one of our young officers, a Mr. HeJJeling, was unfortunately feized with the fmall-pox: this gentleman, in order to prevent his infecting the fhip's company, was ordered on fhore to a town on the land's end, called the Helder, where I conducted him in a pinnace, and where we left him behind us; but on my return, the furgeon declaring he faw the fymptoms of the fame diforder on myfelf, I was alfo immediately ordered to the iiland of Texel. Having pafled amoft anxious quarantine in this place, I had the. the good fortune however to efcape the loathfomc ma- CHAP, lady, and to the Doctor's furprize appeared once more on ^^^^ board perfectly well, juft before the fignal gun was fired for the fleet to weigh anchor. This circumftance cannot but induce me to wilh that, thofc in particular who arc delVmed for a military or a naval life would avail themfelvcs of the art of inoculation, in order to avoid a painful anxiety to themfelvcs, and a molt dangerous infection to their fellow-creatures. On Ghriftmas-day our fmall fleet put to fea, at eight o'clock, A. M. with a frefh breeze from E. N. E. in company with above one hundred veffels bound for different parts of the globe, and the moll beautiful clear weather. Having fafely got without the foundings, and faluted each other with nine guns, we kept our courfe down channel, and foon paffed the North Foreland, the Jfle of Wight, and Portland Point; but here the Weft-ellingwerf, having fprung a leak, was obliged to part company, and run into Plymouth for repair. The wind now frefhened as we approached the Bay of Bifcay, where the mate of the veffel directed my particular attention to a kind of fea-fwallow, commonly diftinguiflicd by the name of the Storm-bird % from its fuppofed property of foretelling an impending temper!. The colour of this bird is a very deep blue approaching to black, and enlivened by fome variegated tints; its fize is about * The Stormy Ptircl of Pennant, that that of a large martin or fwallow ; it is web-footed ; the bill is very long and iharp, and the wings of ah extraordinary length, which enable it to fly very fa ft, and for a confiderable time, fkimming with incredible velocity around the horizon : it fubfilrs entirely upon fifh, which is probably the caufe of its being fcnfible of the fir ft indications of whatever may prevent its ufual fupply of food : it then Hies along with extreme fwiftnefs, in order to avoid the ftorm ; but if overtaken by it, drops its wings, and floats upon the furface of the waves. On the following day, January 2d, 1773? the predictions of the ftorm-bird were verified: a heavy gale fprung up from N. N. E. by which, off Cape Finijlerre, the Boreas and Vigilance were feparated from us. We kept our courfc during the night with double reefed top-fails, and all the hatches laid, which made our men in general very fick. Here I ought not to forget that by way of experiment we had flung the hammo ks athwart ihips, and not as ufual fore and aft; whit h method we found however to be both fo roomy and convenient, that it has been fince adopted by feveral other veilt Is. On the morning of the 4th we fpied a itout fliip to windward in the offing, bearing ftreight down upon us. Conjecturing flic might be an Algerine pirate from the African coaft, and now but two Ihips out of five, we prepared to engage her; fhe however loon proved to be the Boreas man-of-war, which had parted company on the 2d. From this date the men were daily exercifed at 1 the the great guns, and by firing at a target fufpended from c H A P. the vard-arm. , v , On the 14th, in the morning-watch, we paired the Tropic, when the ufual ceremony of ducking the frefh-water failors was ranfomed by tipping the foremaft men with fome fdver. About this time the Boreas moll: unluckily loft one of her beft feamen, the boatfwain's mate, whofe hand Hipping by the wet, he pitched from the fore-yard-arm into the fea. His prefence of mind in calling to the captain, as he floated alongfide, " Be not alarmed for " me, fir," in the confidence of meeting with relief, attracted peculiar companion, and even caufed fome murmuring, as no alliftance was offered him ; in confequencc of which, after fwimming a conlidcrable time within view, the unfortunate young man went to the bottom. We now were got in the tract of the trade winds, which blowing continually eaft, and the weather becoming from day to day more temperate, made the voyage exceedingly pleafant; more fo by the many dolphins or dorados, which beautiful filli feem to take peculiar delight in fporting around the vefTels. The real dolphin, which is of the cetaceous kind, was anciently celebrated in poetic ftory on account of its philanthropy and other fuppofed virtues: but to the dorado or dolphin of the moderns, this character is far from being applicable, this fifTi being extremely voracious and deftructive, and is known to follow the ihips, and exhibit his fports and gambols, not from attachment to mankind, but from the more felfifh Vol. I. C motive CHAP, motive of procuring food, particularly on the eve of an -J-^j approaching florm, of which he appears perfectly £en-fible. The circumftancc which chiefly entitles the dorado to our attention is, the unrivalled and dazzling bril-liancy of its colours in the water, the whole of its back being enamelled with fpots between azure blue and a reflecting light fca-green, on a very dark ground, which appears as befpangled all over with jewels, and forms a mo ft beautiful contraft to the belly, which is of a whitifheaft; the fins and tail are of a golden dye: the length of this animal is from five to fix feet, and its form tapers from the head towards the tail, which is divided, and terminates not unlike the fhape of a crefcent. The head is round, and preceded by a kind of fnout; the jaws are armed with feveral fharp teeth, and the eyes are remarkably large. The fcales of the dorado are uncommonly (mall, and it is furniihed with a fin, which runs along its back from the one extremity to the other. Our progrefs was now daily marked by increafing warm weather, which releafed me from the confinement of a difagreeable cabin crowded with officers, moft of whom had never been to fea, and enabled me to purfue my favourite amufements, whether of reading above deck, or cxercife in the rigging. Thus circumftanced I, on the 17th, had the happinefs of rendering a moft important fervice to one of our young officers, a xVlr. du Moulin* who by a fuddefl roll of the veffel was actually thrown over the gunwale ; at that moment happening to Hand a without- f.im,l,m./'(,My/u.l I>,.:,'',■;,,i l>s ./../,'/„,.,;•„..OI'.u.lj t'Juuf/, Yard. without-board in the main-chains, I fortunately grafped chap. hold of him in his fall, which faved him, as he could not ^ l' f fwim, from inevitable death. The entrance into warmer regions gave occafion to an obfervation perhaps not generally known, which (though uncouth) muft be of great importance to fai-lors; namely, that between the Tropics, while vermin may remain in the head, none can poflibly continue to exift in the bedding, cloaths, linen, &x. Having humbly apologized for the above remark to my delicate readers, 1 will endeavour to defcribe a curious animal with which thefe feas abound, and which appears to fail on the furface of the waves with a fide-wind, while by the failors it is vulgarly called a Portuguefe man-of-war, and is probably either the Nautilus or the Argonauta of Linnaeus. This wonderful creature, when above water, afTumes the fliape of an expanded fan, decorated with a beautiful red border, while the lower extremity is fixed to a fhell as thin as paper, or rather a kind of boat, which is funk below or railed above the furface of the fea, and guided in any direction, at the pleafure of the animal, by means of fix tentacula or limbs, which it ufes as oars. When thefe creatures are touched by the hand, they occafion, like the fea blubber or jelly fiih, a painful tinkling fenfation, which continues for feveral minutes. The two following days it blew very frefh, and heavy feas wafhed over the veffel; during which, while helping to put a reef in the main-top-fail for a little exercife, I loft C 2 every every one of my keys, which dropped from the yard-arm into the fea. This trifling accident I hould never have related, had it not proved a very great i avenience, by debarring me from coming at my private property, particularly fmce the whole (hip's coir, a y, officers included, lived on fait provifion alone, a pig and a couple of lean iheep excepte ;, whofe legs had been broken by the rolling and pitching of the vefTel. This manner of living on falt-heef, pork, and peas, like common failors, was introduced by our commander in chief, in order to enure us (he fai I) to fuch food as wre were likely to be alone fupplied with in the woods of Surinam ; and from the generous motive of regaling his American friends with European refrefhments—fuch as live fheep, hogs, fowls, ducks, bacon bans, bullocks tongues, pre-ferved vegetables, pickles, fpices, Stc. all of which were provided by the town of Amfterdam in profufion. But good intentions do not always meet with their rewards ; iince the worms, without any one's permiilion, laid hold of the greateft part of the dead ftock for themfelves; virhp were, for a punilhment, together with their plunder, thrown overboard into the ocean. Let me add, that tri-ftcad of plate, our meals were frequently ferved up in fmall wooden tubs of not the molt cleanly appearance, and only once a day; which negligence, however, I am willing to impute to Munfieur Laurant, the colonel's French valet-de - chambrc. In fhort, the fcurvy and other loathfome disorders began to make their appearance ; dejection and low-fpirits took place throughout the j fliipi fliip, while I complained aloudy and from that moment date the good-will which Colonel Fourgeoud manifcfted towards me in particular, as will be feen throughout the expedition. It is with pain that I relate this paffage— ♦but no coniideration ihall prevent me from bringing to light particular foibles, as it will ever give me the greateft plcafure to render virtue confpicuous. About the 20th of January, we obferved great numbers of .flying fifh, the exocoetus volitans of Linnaeus, which is about the fize of a herring. The back of this animal is flat, and of an olive-brown colour; the fides and belly of a refplendent filvery white; the mouth fmall; the eyes large ; the tail bifurcated ; and the fcales hard, fmooth, and filvery. Upon occafion the pectoral fins are ufed as wings by this fifli, yet no longer than while they continue wet, for as foon as the moifture 13 dried, the animal drops back into the fea. The furface of thefe fins is of a golden hue, beautifully variegated near the edges with fpots of azure blue : their length is equal to that of the body of the fifli; and its flight, which is undertaken in order to avoid the purfuit of the dorado, and other large fifli, is always Araight forward, and of Ihort duration, on account of the neceffity of repeatedly wetting its wings*. Thefe animals are fre- * i have never fcen this neceffity pro- the fill) itfelf cannot endure to be long out perly accounted for : probably the mucus of its proper element: either of theft- fup- vvhich covers the fins or wings may be- pofitions will account for its dropping fo come fo confolidatcd by the heat of the often as it were involuntarily on board fun, and the adlion of the air, that it may fliips, and into the mouth of its enemies, impede their motion; or it may be that the dolphin, dorado, &c. v°l. I c 3 quentty qneiifly found on board veffels, and flicking in the (hrouds, which is probably to be afcribed, not, according to the opinion of fome, to their feeking a refuge there from the attacks of fifli or fea-birds, but fimply to their flight being obftructed by an object, which, as they always fly in a direct line, they have not the power to avoid. The fate of this animal feems peculiarly fevere, at it is the prey both of the fcaiy and feathered creation, and frequently meets its doom in that element to which but a moment before it had committed itfelf for protection. Becoming extremely low-fpirited towards the clofe of our voyage, I now had recourfe to daily fea-bathing, and to a chearing glafs of claret, two ankers of which had been provided for each officer, independantly of his own flock. Thefe means proved efficacious, and I found my-felf in a few days perfectly recovered from my complaint. On the 30th the weather became hazy, when the fhips bronght-to and hove the lead in thirteen fathom foul water. The following day we palled feveral large black rocks to windward, called the Conftables, and can: anchor near the Euripice, or Devil's I/lands, off the coaff, of South America. The Euripice Iflands are fituated about twenty-four miles from the French fettlement of Cayenne, bearing N. N. W. in north latitude, five degrees twenty minutes, and confifl of a ridge of fmall uninhabited and very dangerous rocks for fhipping. Mere the current runs conflantly from the S. E. to the N. W. at the rate of fixty Englifll miles in twenty-four hours: 4 confequently confequently every veffel which happens to pais the chap, mouth of the river Surinam muft make a confiderable \--Y--1 circuit in order to regain the pofTibility of entering that river. "While we remained in this fituation, we obferved the narwhal, or fea-unicorn, and one or two large turtles, floating pail the fhip's fide. The former of thefe is a large fifli, and very diitinguilhable by a long fpiral ex-crefcence on its nofe, like a tapering twifted rope. The one we law at this time (though fome are faid to be forty or fifty) appeared but fix or eight feet, in length, and its horn about four, which weapon is dreadfully ofFenfive to many fifties, efpecially to the whale ; and when poliflied (either in hardnefs or whitenefs) is confidered not to be inferior to ivory. The narwhal, which is of the cetaceous kind, and confequently viviparous, is more frequently found in cold than warm climates. The female is faid to be unprovided with that protuberance fo remarkable in the male. It appears that fome authors have confounded this animal with the fword-fijlj, to which however it does not prove to have the very fmalleft re-femblance. Another aniirfal, which is called the faw-jijlj, carries alfb an ofFenfive weapon. The projecting bone of this is three or four feet long, fiat, and both fides armed with flrong fharp-pointed fpikes, which give it fome what the form of a faw; this faw, which is covered over with the fame rough, ilimy, darkifii-coloured fkin that covers G 4 the chap, the whole animal, begins to fprcad itfelf near the eyes, t^^^j and thus continues fpreading till it forms the head of a flattilh triangular appearance, dole to which are the two pectoral fins. Above the eyes are two large holes, which I apprehend to be the organs of hearing, and not, as fome fuppofe, intended by nature for the purpofe of fpouting water. Almofl directly under them is the mouth, which is fomething in the form of an half-moon, apparently without teeth, and between that and the under part of the fpiked faw are the noMrils. The body of-the faw-fifh is not much larger than the head, with two ftrong dorfal fins, the one near the middle, the other near the tail, which is partly bifurcated, and raifed perpendicular, the largefl part upwards, without rays. The back is covered over with a dark ilimy fkin ; the whole forming a very hideous appearance. This fifli fights with the largefl whales, till the fea all around is died with blood, feldom quitting its adverfary till it has vanquifhed and killed it. 1 have feen this monfter out of the water, and its whole length mcafured about fourteen feet. The turtles arc divided into two fpecies, and are generally diftinguifhed in Surinam by the names of calapee or green turtle, and carett. The former of thefe fometimes weighs four hundred pounds, and has a flattifli fliell; but the carett is inferior both in fize and quality, except with refpect to its fliell, which is more valuable, and of a more convex form. Both the calapee and carett depofit their eggs, which are very excellent food, in the fand, where EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 13* where they are hatched by the heat of the fun. The chap. manner of taking thefe animals is by turning them on (__ their backs with a hand-fpike when they are difcovercd on fhore, and leaving them in this fituation till a convenient opportunity occurs for carrying them away ; for fuch is the heavinefs of their ftructure, or fo languid are their powers, that they are utterly unable to turn them-felves, and effect their efcape. They are publickly expofed to fale by the butchers in Surinam, like the fhambles meat in the European markets, and are efteemed the moft delicate food between the months of February and May. On the morning of the ift of February we now once more went under way, and kept courfe in fhore till the evening, when we came to an anchor off the mouth of the river Marawina; this river has occafioned the lofs of many mips, by feamcn fatally miftaking it for the river Surinam, to which its entry bears indeed a very great re-femblance. What renders the firjl fo dangerous, are the, numerous rocks, fmall iflands, and quick-fands with which it is crouded; beiides its being fo mallow at high-water mark (and even with fpring-tides) that all (hips of any confiderable burthen immediately run a-ground, and go to pieces. On the 2d, having got our anchor a-peak by daybreak, we again fet fail, keeping courfe along the coaft; when having doubled Braam's Point with a light breeze, under top and top-gallant fails, we finally entered the beautiful river Surinam; and at three o\lo;.k, P.M. dropped anchor before the new fortrefs called Amjler- Vol. I. C 5 dam; chap, dam ; and here we were extremely happy to meet with ^ _*___, our friends in the Vigilance, which vefTel (as I have mentioned) had parted company'with us in a gale of wind on the 2d of January, off Cape Finifterre, and arrived two days before us in this river. Our fhips crews now were in the higheft flow of fpi-rits, feeing themfelves furrounded by the moft delightful verdure, while the river feemed alive by the many boats and barges pafling and re-pafling to fee us, while groups of naked boys and girls were promifcuoufly playing and flouncing, like fo many Tritons and Mermaids, in the water. The fcene was new to all, and nothing was heard but mufic, ringing, and cheering on deck, as well as in the rigging, from the ideas of happinefs which each individual now promifed himfelf in this luxuriant flourifhing fpot, while between decks the heat was become infupportable : but how miferably thefe poor fellows were miftaken in their reckoning lhall foon be feen. I muft indeed acknowledge that nothing could equal the delicious fenfations with whicb we feemed intoxicated by the fragrance of the lemons, limes, oranges, and flowers, wafted over from the adjoining plantations that line the banks of all the rivers in this ever-blooming fettlement, and of which charming fruit, &c. large clufters were fent on board our fhips by Colonel de Ponchera of the colonial troops; this gentleman, being the commandant of Fort Amftcrdam, alfo falured the vcfTels with nine guns from the batteries, while with an equal number we returned him the compliment merit from the fhips. A long-boat, with one of our captains, was afterwards difpatched to Paramaribo, to announce to the governor the arrival of the troops in the colony. During our flay in this place the companies frequently walked on fhore, and I accompanied them in their ex-curfions; but the pleafure I had flattered myfdf with, from exchanging the confinement of a fhip for the liberty of ranging over a delicious country, was damped by the frrfl object which prefented itfelf after my landing. This was a young female Have, whofe only co-vering was a rag tied round her loins, which, like her ikin, was lacerated in feveral places by the flroke of the whip. The crime which had been committed by this miferable victim of tyranny, was the non-performance of a talk to which fhe was apparently unequal, for which file was fentenced to receive two hundred lafhes, and to drag, during fome months, a chain feveral yards in length, one end of which was locked round her ancle, and to the other was affixed a weight of at lead a hundred pounds. Strongly affected with this mocking cir-cumftance, I took a draft of the unhappy fufferer, and retained a dreadful idea of the inhumanity of the planters towards thefe miferable fubjects to their power. The grafs in this part of the country was very long and coarfe, and afforded a harbour to two fpecies of very difagreeable infects, termed Pattat and Sorapat lice by the colonifts, which fettled on every part of our perfons. G 6 The chap. The former of thefe is fo fmall as to be fcarcely vifible; the latter is fomething larger, and formed like a crab, and both agree in adhering clofely to the fkin, and oc-cafioning an intolerable itching. Thefe infects abound moft during the rainy feafon, when the beft means of avoiding their attacks is fuppofed to be by walking barefoot, as they are believed to faften more eafily, and confequently in greater numbers, upon the cloaths, whence however they very fpeedily find their way to the fkin. We did not get rid of our difagreeable companions till our return to the fhip, when we warned the affected parts with the juice of limes or lemons, which confiderably alleviated our troublefome fenfations. On the 3d of March we received a vifit from feveral officers of the Society, or Weft India Company's troops, accompanied by a number of other gentlemen, to welcome our arrival in the colony. Nor were they fatisfied with paying us merely a compliment in words, but regaled us with a large quantity of excellent fruits and other refrefhments. They came in vevy eteg*nt barges or tent-boats, adorned with flags, and attended by fmall bands of mufic. The veffels were rowed by fix or eight negroes, who were entirely without cloaths, except a fmall ftripe of check or other linen cloth, which was paffed between their thighs, and faftened before and behind to a thin cotton firing tied round their loins. As the colonifts generally make choice of their handfomeft Haves for this office, and to attend them at table, &c. 1 the the rowers, who were healthy, young, and vigorous, look- CHAP, ed extremely well, and their being naked <^ave us a full *' opportunity of obferving their fkin, which was mining, and nearly as black as ebony. This fcene was however contrafted by the arrival of two canoes filled with emaciated ftarving wretches, who clamoroufly folicited relief from the foldiers, and were ready to fight for the poiTef-lion of a bone. The day following our Commander in Chief was vi-fited by a Mr. Rynfdorp, who introduced to him two black foldiers, manumized flaves, who compofed part of a corps of three hundred which had been lately formed. Thefe men were exhibited by Mr. Rynfdorp as fpecimens of that valiant body, which but a fhort time before had moft gallantly diftinguifhed itfelf by the protection it had afforded to the colony. Whilft we ftill remained at anchor before the fortrefs Amfterdam, I received a polite invitation from one Mr, Lolkens, a planter, to whom I had been recommended, to accept the ufc of his houfe and table on our arrival at Paramaribo, the capital of the colony. On the 8th we once more went under way, and after the ufual ceremonies on both fides on leaving the fortrefs, fail'd up the river Surinam with drums beating, colours flying, and a guard of marines drawn up on the quarterdeck of each vefTel. Having at length reached Paramaribo, we finally came to an anchor within piftol-fhot oil the more, receiving a falute of eleven guns from the citadel Zealandia, which was returned by all the fhips of our fmall fleet. Vol. I. D After After being confined nearly the whole of (ixty-three days within the limits of a fmall veffel, and upon an element to which few of the troops had been accuftomed, it would not be eafy to defcribe the pleafure we experienced on finding ourfelves once more on land, and furrounded by a thoufand agreeable circumftances. The town appeared uncommonly neat and pleafing, the fhipping extremely beautiful, the adjacent woods adorned with the moft luxuriant verdure, the air perfumed with the utmoft fragrance, and the whole fcene gilded by the rays of an unclouded fun. We did not however take leave of our wooden habitation at this time, but the next day were formally difembarked with a general appearance of rejoicing; all the fhips in the roads being in full drefs, and the guns keeping up an mediant fire till the whole of the troops were landed. All the inhabitants of Paramaribo were collected to behold this fplendid fcene, nor were the expectations they had formed difappointed. The corps confifted of nearly five hundred young men ; (for we had been lo fortunate as only to lofe one during the voyage) the oldeft of whom was fcarcely more than thirty, and the whole party neatly cloathed in their new uniforms, and in caps ornamented with twigs of orange-bloffom. We paraded on a large green plain between the town and the citadel, oppo-fite to the Governor's palace ; during the courfe of which ceremonies feveral foldiers fainted from the exceffive heat. The troops then marched into quarters prepared for their reception, whilit the officers were regaled with a dinner by the Governor, which would have derived a considerable confiderable relifh from its fucceeding the fait provifions, CHAP, to which we had fo long been confined, had any contrail *' been necefTary to heighten our opinion of its elegance. But the choicefl delicacies of America and Europe were united in this repair, and ferved up in filver. A great variety of the richer! wines were poured out with pro-fufion; the defert was compofed of the moll delicious fruits, and the company were attended by a confiderable number of extremely handfome negro and mulatto maids, all naked from the waifl upwards, according to the cuftom of the country; but the other parts of their per-fons arrayed in the fineft India chintzes, and the whole adorned with golden chains, medals,, beads, bracelets, and fweet-fmelling flowers. After partaking of this fuperb entertainment till about feven o'clock, I fet out in fearch of the houfe of Mr. Lol-kens, the hofpi table gentleman who had fo obligingly invited me to make it my own. I foon difcovered the place, but my reception was fo ludicrous that I cannot forbear relating the particulars. On knocking at the door,it was opened by a young female negro, of a mafculine appearance, whofe whole drefs confifled of a fingle petticoat, and who held a lighted tobacco-pipe in one hand, and a burning candle in the other, which fhe brought clofe to my face, in order to reconnoitre me. I enquired if her matter was at home, to which me replied, but in a language totally unintelligible to me. I then mentioned his name, on which fhe burfl into an immoderate fit of laughter, D 2 difplaying chap, clifpkvying two rows of very beautiful teeth ; and at the l- fame time, laying hold of the bread-buttons of my coat, — ■ k — ii f J lhe made me a fignal to follow her. I was much at a lofs how to act, but went in, and was ufhered by the girl into a very neat apartment, whither fhe brought fome excellent fruit, and a bottle of Madeira wine, which fhe placed upon the table. She then, in the beft manner flie was able, informed me that her maferay with the reft of his family, was gone to fpend a few days at hit plantation, and that fhe was left behind to receive an Englifh Captain, whom fhe fuppofed to be me. I figni-fiecl that I was, and filled her out a tumbler of wine, which I had the utmoft difficulty to perfuade her to accept ; for fuch is the degrading light in which thefe unhappy beings are confidered, that it is accounted a high degree of prefumption in them to eat or drink in the prefence of an European. I contrived for fome time to carry on fomething like a converfation with this woman,, but was foon glad to put an end to it by recurring to my bottle. Tired with the employments of the day, I longed for fome reft, and made a fignal to my attendant that I wanted to fl^eep : but my motion was ftrangely mifeon-ftrued; for fhe immediately feized me by the neck, and imprinted on my lips a moft ardent kifs. Heartily provoked al( this unexpected, and (from one of her colour) unwelcome falutation, I difentangled myfelf from her embraces, and angrily flung into the apartment allotted for for my place of reft. But here I was again purfued by GHAP. my black tormentor, who, in oppofition to all I could fay, L infilled upon pulling off my fhoes and {lockings, and in a moment difencumbered me of that part of my apparel. I was extremely chagrined at her conduct, though this is an office commonly performed by the flaves in Surinam to all ranks and fexes without exception. Nor ought any one to conceive that this apparently extraordinary conduct refulted from any peculiarity of difpofition in the girl; her behaviour was only fuch as would have been practifed by the generality of female negro Haves, and what will be found, by all who vifit the Weft India fettlements,. to be characteriftic of the whole dark lifter^ hood.. Finding in the morning that my friend the planter was not returned, I took leave of his man (ion, and very hofpitable fervant; and after vifiting the foldiers in their , new abodes, was conducted by the qvrarter-mafter to a neat habitation appropriated to my ufe. I found the houfe entirely imfurniflied, though not deftitute of inhabitants ; for, leaving my Captain's commimon, which was of parchment, in the window, the firft night, I had the mortification to find in the morning that it was devoured by the rats. Having taken pcfTcftion of my habitation, my next wifli was to furnifh it properly; but all cares of this nature were rendered unneceiTary by the generous hofpitality of the inhabitants; the ladies fupplied me with tables, chairs, glafTes, CHAP. glafTes, and even plate and china, in great abundance; i r L *_ , and the gentlemen loaded me with prefents of Madeira wine, porter, cyder, rum and fugar, belidcs a quantity of the moft exquifite fruits. Amongft the latter I was particularly ftruck with the fhaddock and awara; the former of thefe, which is of a very agreeable flavour, between a fweet and an acid, is produced from a tree fuppofed to be tranfplanted from the coaft of Guinea *, by a Captain Shaddock, whofe name it ftill retains throughout the Engliih Weft India iflands, but is called pompelmoofe in Surinam. This fruit appears to be of the orange fpecies, but is as large as the head of a child of eight or ten years old; the fkin is extremely thick, of a bitterifh tafte, and a pale yellow or citron colour. There are two fpecies of the fhaddock, of which the pulp of the one is white, and that of the other a beautiful pale red, which may be fafely eaten in confiderable quantities : indeed it is efteemed by the natives, who are in general remarkably fond of it, as very falubrious. The awara, or avoira, which is lefs remarkable for the excellence of its flavour than its beautiful appearance, grows upon a fpecies of palm-tree, and is of an oval form, about the fize of an Orlean plumb, and of a rich deep orange colour, nearly approaching to red. It is much efteemed by the negroes, who exercife their in- * ■ . .-. Exotic of Cerean dye, Sweet acid offspring of an injur M iky j O Shaddock 1 like th^ country, captive led, And doom'd to grace the board her children fpread. genu it y J SPTcadi (l,t,ni< genuity in forming rings out of the ftones, which they decorate with cyphers, initial letters, and other devices, then difpofe of them to the Europeans, who mount them in gold. Thefe ftoncs are large, extremely hard, and as black as jet or ebony, but the pulp which furrounds them is very thin. This day, on examining into the flate of our remaining live flock, fuch as hogs, fheep, ducks, gcefe, fowls, and turkies, we found them nearly as many in number as when we firft failed from Holland : thefe were all fent to the colonel's poultry-yard at the head-quarters, while we had the additional mortification of feeing above fixty large kegs with preferved vegetables, &x. and juft as many fine Wcftphalia hams (being perfectly rotten) thrown into the river Surinam to feed the marks. I now obferved, on the fecond morning after our landing, that my face, my bread, and hands were entirely fpotted over like the fkin of a leopard, occafioncd by myriads of gnats or mufquitoes, which flying in clouds, had kept me company during the night, though the fatigue from my voyage, and the oppreflive heat of the climate, had funk me into fo profound a fleep, that I was infenfible of their flings, till I perceived the effects. Thefe infects are inconceivably numerous here during the rainy feafon, and particularly on the banks of creeks or rivers. None are fecured from their attacks, but they peculiarly infeft flrangers in preference to the natives ; and wherever they infert their probofcis, and re- Vol, I. D 4 main main unmolefled, they fuck the blood till they are fcarcely able to fly. Every puncture they make is fuc-cecded by a large blotch, or rather tumour, accompanted with an itching, which is almoft intolerable. The pre-fence of the mufquitoes is indicated by their buzzing noife, which alone is fufficient to make one fweat, and which is fo very difagreeable to thofe who have fullered from their flings, as to have obtained for them the name of the Devil's Trumpeters. They are indeed in conceivably troublefome in every refpect. The candles arc no fooner lighted in an evening, than they are ftuck full of them ; all kinds of food and drink are expofed to their difagreeable vilits, from which even the mouth and eyes are not exempted. The bed cure for their flings is an application of the juice of lemons or limes, mixed with water, which is alfo a tolerable prefervative againfl their attacks. Immediately before fhutting the windows, the inhabitants commonly burn tobacco in their apartments, the fmoke of which occafions the irife&s to fly about the room, when the negro girls unrefervedly throw off their petticoats, which is the whole of their covering, and running naked about the chamber, chafe the gnats therewith out at the windows, or deftroy them. The more delicate or luxurious amongft the natives ftill employ their Haves in fanning them during the whole night, excepting fuch as have green gauze doors to their beds or pavilions; but the generality of the people in Surinam flccp in roomy cotton cotton hammocks, which are covered with a very large thin ihect, fufpended from a tight line immediately over them, fomething like the awning of a fhip, which ferves in fome meafure to keep off thefe troublefome infects, and the want of which had expofed me to be thus flung all over. There are alfo in Surinam a ftill larger fpecies of gnats or mufquitoes, called mawkers, the flings of which are extremely painful indeed ; but as they are much lefs numerous than the former, they are not nearly fo troublefome to the inhabitants, and are confequently lefs remarked.--But to proceed : On the morning of the 22d, an elderly negro-worn an, with a black girl about fourteen, entering my apartment, it would be difficult to exprefs my aflonifhment when fhe gravely prefented me her daughter, to become what fhe was pleafed to term my wife. I had fo little gallantry, however, as to reject the offer with a loud laugh ; but at the fame time accompanied the refufal with a fmall but welcome prefent, with which they appeared perfectly fatisficd, and departed with every poflible de-monflration of gratitude and refpect. The girls here, who voluntarily enter into thefe connections, are fome-timcs mulattoes, fometimes Indians, and often negroes. They all exult in the circumflance of living with an European, whom in general they ferve with the utmoll tendernefs and fidelity, and tacitly reprove thofe numerous fair-ones who break through ties more facred Vol. I. E and chap, and folemn. Young women of this defcription cannot ~. j indeed be married, or connected in any other way, as moft of them are born or trained up in a ftate of flavery; and fo little is the practice condemned, that while they continue faithful and conftant to the partner by whom they are chofen, they are countenanced and encouraged by their neareft relations and friends, who call this a lawful marriage, nay* even the clergy avail thcmfelves of this cuftom without reftraint mT witnefs the Rev. Mr. S—dh—s, Mr. T—11—t, &c. Many of the fable - coloured beauties will however follow their own penchant without any reitraint whatever, refuting with contempt the golden bribes of fome, while on others they beftow their favours for a dram or a broken tobacco-pipe, if not for nothing* The hofpitality I had experienced on our fir ft arrival in the colony was not confined to that time only: I had a general invitation to vifit, befides his excellency the go-vernor, and Colonel Texier, the commandant, in more than twenty refpectable families, whenever it fuited my convenience; fo that, though the officers of our corps had formed a regimental mefs, I had feldom the honour of their company. One gentleman, a Mr. Kennedy, in particular, carried his politenefs fo far, as not only to offer me the ufe of his carriage, faddle-horfes, and table, but even to prefent me with a fine negro boy, named Huaco, to carry my umbrella as long as I remained in Surinam. The other gentlemen of the regiment alfo met met with great civilities, and the whole colony feemed C H A p. anxious to teflify their refpect, by vying with each ^\f—lf otlier in a con flan t round of feftivity. Balls, concerts, card-affemblies, and every fpecies of amufement in their power, were conftantly contrived for our entertainment. The fpirit of conviviality next reached on board the men-of-war, where we entertained the ladies with cold fuppers and dancing upon the quarter-deck, under an awning, till fix in the morning, generally concluding the frolic by a cavalcade, or an airing in their carriages. This conftant routine of diflipation, which was rendered Rill more pernicious by the enervating effects of an in-tenfely hot climate, where one is in a perpetual Rate of perfpiration, already threatened to become fatal to two or three of our officers. Warned by their example, I retired from all public companies, fenfible that by fuch means I could alone preferve my health, in a country which has fuch a tendency to debilitate the human frame, that an European, however cautious to avoid excefies, has always reafon to apprehend its dreadful effects. Diflipation and luxury appear to be congenial to the inhabitants of this climate, and great numbers muft annually fall victims to their very deftructive influence. Their fatal confequences are indeed too vifible in the men, who have indulged themfelves in intemperance and other fenfual gratifications, and who appear withered and enervated in the extreme; nor do the generality of E 2 the chap, the Creole females exhibit a more alluring appearance; , they are languid, their complexions are fallow, and the fkin even of the young ladies is frequently fhriveiled. This is however not the cafe with all; and I have been acquainted with fome who, preferving a glow of health and frefhnefs in their lovely countenance, were entitled u> contend for the prize of beauty with the faireft European. But, alas ! the numbers of this laft defcription are fo fmall, that the colonifts in their amours moft ufually prefer the Indian negro and mulatto girls, particularly on account of their remarkable cleanlinefs, health, and vivacity. For the exceffes of the hufbands in this refpecl> and the marked neglect which they meet from them* the Creole ladies moft commonly, at a very early period,, appear in mourning weeds, with the agreeable privilege however of making another choice, in the hopes of a better partner; nor are they long without another mate* Such indeed is the fuperior longevity of the fair females of Surinam, compared to that of the male3 (owing . chiefly, as I faid, to their exceffes of all forts) that I have frequently known wives who have buried four hufbands* but never met a man in this country who had furvived two wives. The ladies do not, however, always bear with the moft becoming patience the flights and infults they thus meet with, in the expectation of a fudden releafe, but moftly perfecufe their fuccefsful fable rivals (even on fufpicion) with implacable hatred and the moft unrelenting ing barbarity; while they chaftife their partners not C h^a p. only with a fliew of ineffable contempt, but with giving i_.,-w- j in public the moft unequivocal marks of preference towards thofe gentlemen who newly arrive from Europe ; which occafioned the trite proverb and obferva-tion in the colony, that the Tropical ladies and the muf-quitoes have an inftinctive preference for a newly-landed European : this partiality is indeed fb very extreme, and the proofs of it fo very apparent and naufeous, that fome command of temper is neceffary to prevent the difguft which fuch behaviour muft naturally excite, particularly where the object is not very inviting; nay, it was even publicly reported at Paramaribo, that two of thefe Tropical Amazons had fought a duel for the fake of one of our officers. I mufl now mention a word or two of the Governor and Colonel Fourgeoud ; when I will endeavour to put an end to this long chapter: for, notwithstanding the polite reception our whole corps had met with ever fince we firft landed in the colony, it was evident to perceive that mutual coolnefs which fubllfted between him and our commander in chief, who indeed gave the firft public caufe of animofity, on the very day of our debarkation, by drawing up his regiment with their backs toward the governor's palace. It is eafy to conceive that the difguft which fo early and fo reciprocally manifefted itfelf between the above two gentlemen, who were both of them our commanders, E 3 but but totally independent of each other, could not but make our flay at Paramaribo extremely difagreeable to all the officers in our regiment, as well as thofe of the Society corps: the confequence of which was, that having refided but a few weeks in the colony, it was thought proper by the governor to acquaint Colonel Fourgeoud, that, " as the rebel negroes feemed no further difpofed " to diflurb the tranquillity of the fettlement, its own ** troops, and the corps of black rangers, were deemed u fuflicient for its defence; in confequence of which, " Colonel Fourgeoud, with his marines, no longer being " wanted, was at liberty to return to Europe whenever he u thought proper." Various were the feelings of pleafure and reluctance with which our gentlemen received this news : preparations were, however, made for our departure; but in a few days thefe were again fufpended by the inhabitants, who clamoroufly infilled on our flaying; when the wooding and watering the vefTels was provifionally flopped, but tho fhips flill kept in commiflion on fpeculation. It was during this interval of leifure and uncertainty that I fe-rioufly thought of employing myfelf in writing a fhort hiflory of the colony, and of drawing fuch objects as I thought moft fuitable to compleat my little plan. In thefe defigns, befides confulting the bell authors on the fubject, I had the honour to be materially afliited by his excellency the governor, who not only favoured me with feveral manufcripts, but daily furnifhed me with fuch a fucceffion fucceffion of animals, fhrubs, 8cc. as I was defirous of being acquainted with :—thus, independant of that cool-nefs which was fo evident between thefe two veteran officers, I made it my earned Rudy and endeavour, if poffible, to keep friends with both parties; and, independant of that duty which I owed Colonel Fourgeoud, as my commander in chief, to treat the governor of the colony with that refpect which I thought was due to his dignity, his rank, and his conduct; and in which motive (though not by all) I was Readily fupported by the moft refpect able officers in the corps. I will now endeavour to fulfil the tafk I have undertaken ; and commence with a general defcription of this wonderful country. *E 3 CHAP. C H A P. II. General Defcription of Guiana—of the Colony of Surinam in particular—Accounts of its earliejl Difcovery-~is poffeffed by the Bttgfijb—by the Dutch—Murder of the Governor, Lord Somelfdyk—The Settlement taken by the French, and ranfomed. THE difcovery of Guiana, by fome called " the Wild " CoafV has been long (though with uncertainty) attributed to the Spanifh commander Vafco Nunes, who, in the year 1504, after difcovering Cuba to be an iiland, landed on the continent of South America, penetrated as far as between the rivers Oroonoko and Amazon, and comprehended that country in the extenfive tract of land, to which, in contradiction to Cuba and the adjacent iflands, he gave the name of Terra Firm a. This country, the length of which is about 1220, and the breadth about 680 geographical miles, is fituated between eight degrees twenty minutes north, and three degrees fouth latitude, and between fifty and feventy degrees twenty minutes weft longitude from the meridian of London, in the N. E. part of South America. Its boundaries are marked by the rivers Viapary or Oroonoko on the N. W. and by the Maranon or river Amazon on the S. E. — The N. E. is waflied by the Atlantic Ocean ; and the river Negris, or Black river, terminates its extent on the S.W. which form it into a kind of iiland, and feparate it from New Grenada, Peru, and the Brazils. Though fituated, like Guinea, under the Torrid Zone, 9 the /,<>/>(/<>//, Published Dec! "».i7jy M JJehnJvn latter enriched with a great variety of mineral fub-fiances; and the whole country is interfered by very-deep marihes or fwamps, and by exteniive heaths or fa-vannas. The ftream along the coafl flows continually towards the north-weft; and the whole (bore is rendered almoft inaccemhle from its being covered with dangerous banks, quickfands, bogs, and rocks, with prodigious bufhes, and a large quantity of brufhwood, which are fo clofely interwoven as to be impenetrable. The Spanilh, Portuguese, and Dutch, arc the only nations which poffefs fettlements in this part of Terra Firma, excepting the fmall colony of Cayenne, belonging to the French, which is fituated between the river Marawina and Cape Orange. The dominions in Guiana, fubject to Spain, are fituated on the banks of the Oronoquc, and thofe of Portugal extend along the Chores of the river Amazon. The Dutch fettlements, which fpread along the coafts of the Atlantic ocean, and reach from Cape Naffau to the river Marawina, are Effequibo, Demerary, Berbice, and Surinam * ; the laft of which is the moft extenfive and valuable, and that portion of the Dutch pofTeffions to which the fucceeding account will be chiefly confined. This induftrious nation endeavoured, in the year 1657, to eftabliih a fmall colony on the hanks of the river Poumeron, but in 1666 this fettlement * See the Map prefixed to this work, v, a;. was demolifhed by the Englifh. Nor were they more CHaj\ fuccefsful in one which they founded in 1G77, on the ri* , . 1 « ■ if mm ver Wiapoko or Oyapoa, which was immediately invaded and deftroyed by the French. The Dutch conlider the beautiful and once flourifhing colony of Surinam as extending over the whole of that territory which is encircled on the welt by the river Kanre or Cange, about forty miles from the Corantinc, and on the eaft by the river Sinamaree. l>ut thefe limits are difputed by the French, who confine the boundary of Surinam to the banks of the Marawina, upon which they ftation a military force. The principal rivers that belong to this fettlement are the river Surinam, from which the colony takes its name, the Gorantine, the Copename, the Seramica, and the Marawina. Of thofe rivers the firft only is navigable, the reft, not excepting the Marawina, being, though very long and broad, fo fhallow, and fo extremely crouded with rocks and fmall iflands, that they are of little confequence to Europeans, nor are their banks inhabited except by fome of the Indians or natives of the country. The river Surinam, whofe mouth is fituated in about fix degrees north latitude, is, at its entrance, nearly the breadth of four Englifh miles, and in depth from fixteen to eighteen feet at low-water mark, the tide riling and falling above twelve feet; this breadth and depth is continued from its mouth upwards to the distance of eight or ten miles, when it divides itfelf into F 1 two two branches, winding to the S. S. E. for the length of upwards of 120 miles. All this extent is navigable for fmall craft, but beyond this diftance the river proceeds directly fouth; fometimes in its courfe furround-ing fmall iilands, and fometimes forming fmall cataracts. The fource of this beautiful river has never yet been difcovcred by Europeans. All large velfels, after entering the Surinam, ought to keep rather near the eaft Ihore; the oppofite fide being very full of fhoals, as far as the town of Paramaribo, which is about eighteen miles from its mouth. The other branch, into which this large river is divided, is named Coraawina, and keeps due eaft for about iixteen miles, with a depth of about three or four fathom at high-water mark ; but as the tide makes a difference of twelve feet, it is not conlidered as navigable for any fhips of burthen, though its breadth may be computed at about two miles. At the diftance of fixteen miles, the river Comawina is again divided into two branches, one of which bears the fame name to the S. E. for a length of above fifty miles, and that of Cottica to the E. S. E. for more than forty miles, when this laft takes a meandring courfe to the S. S. W. for the diftance of twenty-four or thirty miles. Into all thefe rivers, the courfes of which are not ftraight but ferpen-tine, are difcharged a number of very large creeks or rivulets, the banks of which are inhabited by Europeans, and cultivated with fugar, cocoa, cotton, and indigo plantations, which form the moft delightful profpects that can EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 37 can be imagined to thofe who travel by water, the uni- chap. verfal mode of journeying in this country, as the foil 11 is in general ill adapted for the conftruction of roads; and in fome places the woods, 8cc. are abfolutely impenetrable, a fmall path of communication between Paramaribo and the river Seramica being the only paffablc road that I know of in the fettlement. The rivers whofe banks are uncultivated, fuch as the Corantine, Copename, Seramica, and Marawina, afford but little matter for defcription : it is therefore only neceffary to remark, that they are generally from two to four miles in breadth, exceedingly ihallow, and crowded with quick-fends, fmall iflands, and rocks, which form a number of beautiful cafcades. In the river Marawina is frequently found a curious Rone or pebble, which is known by the name of the Marawina diamond, and which being po-lifhed, bears a very near refemblancc to that molt valuable gem, and is confequently often fet in rings, 8cc. &c. In all the above rivers, without exception, the water rifes and falls for more than fixty miles from the mouth, oc-cafioned by the itoppage of the frefhes by the tide; yet freiTi water may generally be met with about twenty-four or thirty miles from the mouths of thefe rivers for watering the fhips. The water of the river Surinam is accounted the moft excellent, and is brought by the failors from as far as the Jew Savannah, which is above forty miles from the town of Paramaribo. The circumftance m malt CHAP, moil injurious to mips in thefe rivers is, that their bot- toms are often affected by a kind of water-worm, the ravages of which are the moft effectually prevented by frequently careening the vefTels, in order that they may be properly cleaned, fcraped, caulked, and payed. For that purpofe the coal-tar, invented by the Earl of Dun-donald, (for which a patent of twelve years was granted to him) is greatly preferable to any other material which can be applied for this ufe. It is high or low water nearly every fix hours and half; the fpring tides rife regularly twice a month, when the river fwells to a confiderable decree, which, from various circumltances, is often of infinite benefit to the planters. It may be perhaps expected, in this place, that I fhould add a few words concerning the defence of the above rivers, though that is a fubject which I purpofe to treat more at large on another occafion. On the eaft fide of the mouth of the river Surinam is a fmall promontory, called Braam's Point, which I think originally had been named Pram's, or Parham's Point, after Francis Lord Willoughby of Parham, to whom this fettlement was granted by King Charles the Second in 1662, and which fpot is mppofed to be the firl't on which Lord Willoughby landed in 1652, ten years before he obtained the charter from his fovereign. This point is not fortified; but about eight miles upwards are two redoubts, redoubts, one on each fide of the river, called Leyden CHAP. and Purmerent, and a little higher up is the new fortrefs , IL *.......^ —* n * called Amsterdam, built on the point of land which fe-parates the two rivers, Surinam and Gomewina, from each other ; and whofe fire, eroding with that of the two redoubts, prote&s the entry of both thefe rivers. Near the town of Paramaribo, and about fix or feven miles from the fortrefs Amfterdam, is the citadel which bears the name of Fort Zelandia, protecting the town and all the fhipping in the roads ; and about fixteen miles from Fort Amfterdam, on Rio Comewina, is a fortrefs called Somelidyk, which commands the two oppollte Riores, viz. thofe of Rio Comewina and Rio Cottica. Be-fides thefe, there are military ports on the Corantine, the Seramica, and Marawina. Next to thefe is a ftrong guard at the mouth of the Mott Creek, about thirty miles below the river Surinam, where a fire-beacon or light-houfe is erected on the coaft, to warn the fhips bound for the river that they are pall: the mouth of the dangerous Marawina. This guard alfo fires a few guns, to apprize the colony when fhips are within view and Reering for the coaft. Along the higher parts of the rivers Surinam, Comewina, and Cottica, advanced guards are alfo continually kept, to protect the inhabitants from inland in-vafions by the Indians or fugitive negroes. In thefe fortifications confilts the principal defence of this fettlement ; befides a fmall armed bark or guarda-cofta, which 9 cruifes chap, cruifes between the river Marawina and Berbice, to give _ 11 - intelligence in cafe of any threatening danger to the colony. I had almoR forgotten to mention, that a path fortified with military ports had been projected, and was actually begun, from the upper parts of the river Comawina to the river Seramica; but the plan did not fucceed, and the line, which is called the orange-path, is at prefent in the ftate of a wildernefs. Having thus defcribed the furface of the country in general, with its boundaries, rivers, See. I fhall proceed to an account of the earlieft difcoveries and moll remarkable revolutions of this once flourifhing colony, which efcaped being vifited by the gallant Admiral Rodney in the lafl war.—That part of Terra Firma, which is called Guiana, or the Wild Coart, and in which lies the colony of Surinam, is faid by fome to have been firft found out by the juftly celebrated Chriftopher Columbus, in the year 1498, whence he was fent home in chains; though others contend that it was not difcovered till the year 1504, by Vafco Nunes, a Spaniard, as was ftated in the beginning of this Chapter. In 1595 it was vifited by Sir Walter Raleigh, under Queen Elizabeth, who alfo failed up the river Oronoque above 600 miles, in fearch of the fuppofed El Dorado, and in hopes of difcovering the gold-mines, of which he had the moft lively expectations, from famples of a marcafite, marcailte, which the Spaniards call Madre de Oro *. In C 1634, a Captain Marfhall, with about fixty Englifh, were u difcovered in Surinam employed in planting tobacco, according to the relation of David Piterfe de Vrics, a Dutchman, who converfed with them upon the fpot. In 1640, Surinam was inhabited by the French, who were obliged to leave it foon after, on account of the frequent invafions which they juftly fuffered from the Caxabbean Indians, for having, like their neighbours the Spaniards, treated them with the moft barbarous cruelties. In the year 1650, this colony being vacant, Francis Lord Wil-loughby of Parham, by King Charles the Second's per-miffion, fent thither one veffel, equipped by himfelf, to take pofleflion of it in the name of his royal mafter; a little after which he difpatched three veifels more, one of them carrying twenty guns. All thefe were well received by the Indians or inhabitants of the country, with whom they entered into friendly treaties, and a kind of negociation. Two years after this Lord Willoughby went over himfelf, and leaving feveral good and whole-fome laws and regulations for the government and defence of the colony, returned to England, whence he continued to fupply the fettlement at his own expence with men and ammunition. On thefecond day of June, * Of this extraordinary cnterprizc the curious reader may fee a full account, written by Sir Walter Raleigh himfelf, M Vol. L it waspubliflied by Dr. Birch, in 1751? among the reft: of Raleigh's works, printed for Dodflcy, in two vols, octavo. G 1662, iGGiy the colony of Surinam was granted by charter of Charles the Second to Francis Lord Willoughby, and at that lord's deflre to be divided with Lawrence Hide, fecond fon of Edward Earl of Clarendon, for them and their defcendants for ever: the original record of this charter is to be found in the chapel of the Rolls. In 1664, the Englifh captured the New Netherlands, fince tailed New-York, from the Dutch. In the year 1665, Surinam was fuccefsfully cultivated, moftly by planting tobacco. They had alfo railed above forty fine fugar plantations, and erected a ftrong fortrefs of hewn Rone for their defence. It is proper however to remark, that fome fuppofe thefe improvements were effected by the Portuguefe, though at what period is uncertain; while the French ftrenuouily difpute the point, and infift that they were the work of Monfieur Ponfert de Bretigny, when France had pofTeflion of that country. However this may be, the fortrefs is fituated about fixteen or eighteen miles from the mouth of the river Surinam, and thefe induftrious fettlers found them-felves perfectly happy in a fmall town which they had built under the walls. Their felicity was not of long duration; for in the wars between Charles the Second and the United Provinces, the Dutch having been driven in 1661 from the Brazils by the Portuguefe, took the colony of Surinam from the Englifh in 1667, under the command of a Captain Abraham Criuvon, who was dif-a patched patched for that purpofe by the province of Zealand, with three fhips of war and 300 marines. The Englifh commander, William Biam, loft the fettlement of Surinam by furprize, when above 600 of the beft men in the colony were at work on the fugar plantations. This neglect appears from the trifling lofs of the Dutch, who in ftorming the citadel had but one man killed. They immediately planted the Prince of Orange's flag on the ramparts, and gave now to this fortrefs the name of Zelandia, and that of New Middleburge to the town of Paramaribo, after making the inhabitants, amongft other contributions, pay one hundred thoufand pounds weight of fugar, and fending a number of them to the iiland of Tobago. This event took place in February, and in July following the peace was concluded at Breda. But, moft unluckily for the new poffeffors of Surinam, it was concluded unknown to the Englifh com* modore, Sir John Harm an, who in October that fame year, having firft. taken Cayenne from the French, entered the river with a ftrong fleet of feven fhips of war, two bomb-ketches, &:c. and retook the colony from the Dutch, killing on this occafion above fifty of their men, and deftroying nine pieces of cannon in Fort Zelandia. The new inhabitants were now in their turn laid under contribution, and the Dutch garrifon were tranfported as prifoners to the ifland of Barbadoes. At the difcovery, in Surinam, that the peace had been concluded in Europe between the contending powers, G 2 , before C HAP, before Commodore Harman retook the colony from the II. l.. -* Dutch, confiderable tumult and diforder took place among the inhabitants, who knew not whom they ought to acknowledge as their lawful fovereign. At length, by an order of King Charles, the fettlement was ceded to the Dutch, in 1669, when twelve hundred of the old inhabitants, Englifli and negroes together, left it, and went to fettle on the ifland of Jamaica. At the clofe of the fucceeding war, it was agreed by the treaty of Weftminfter that Surinam fhould be the property of the Dutch for ever, in exchange for the province of New-York, which accordingly took place in the year 1674; and after this period the colony of Surinam was never more in the pofleffion of Great Britain. In 1678, a Mr. Heynfius was governor of the colony, and a Captain Lightenburgh commander of the troops. The Dutch for the firft few years enjoyed little fatisfaction in their new pofTefuons, as they were daily harrafted by the invafions of the Carribbean Indians, to whom they were much more obnoxious than the Englifh had been : indeed they carried their refentment fo far as to murder feveral of the Dutch fcttlers. In addition to this, the province of Zealand, to which the colony properly belonged, being perpetually at variance with the other United Provinces concerning the fovereignty of this fettlement, and not being of themfelves able to fupport the great expence which was requifite for its prefer vat ion and defence, at laft refolved to fell the whole to the Dutch Weft India 6 Company; Company; which they did in the year 1682, for the fum of £.23,636 fterling, including all the warlike ftores, ammunition, Sec. amongft which were fifty pieces of cannon. At the fame time they obtained a charter from their high mightineffes the States General, exempting them from duty for ten years. A few months after this, however, the Weft India Company, notwithstanding the above charter of indemnification, finding the other ne-celfary expences of the fettlement alfo too great for them, again transferred two-thirds of the colony of Surinam, the one to the town of Amfterdam, the other to the houfe of Somelfdyk, at the fame price for which they had bought it, and thefe three together formed a fociety, to whom (ftill under the fan&ton of their high mightineffes) was fome time afterwards intruded, by a refolution of the States General, the fole and entire direction of the affairs of this country. Such was the fituation of Surinam, and in this manner all matters were finally fettled, when Cornelius Van Aar-fen, lord of Somelfdyk (as being one of the proprietors) went over with three hundred men, with whom he alfo took fome felons fentenced for tranfportation. At his arrival, in 1684, he took the command as governor general of the colony. He then created a court of policy, to af-fift in the administration of juftice ; with the members of which, as well as with the inhabitants, he lived in a Rate of continual dilfenfion. The confequence was, that they fent feveral complaints again ft him to Europe, notwithstanding withltanding he had made a favourable peace with the Caribbee, Warowa, and Arawakka Indians, as well as with a few run-away negroes, who had been fettled at Rio Copenamc fince the Englifh left the colony. This unfortunate gentleman's reign, however, laded but a fhort fpace, viz. till the year 1688, when on the fame day both the governor and deputy governor, Mr. Verboom, were murdered by their own foldiers, owing, as was ailedged, to their having not only forced the men to work like negroes in digging canals, 8cc. but alfo obliged them to iubfift on very bad and fhort allowance, which drove them to this act of defperation *.—I am forry to fay this treatment is too frequently the cafe in the fettlements, as I fhall afterwards have occafion to prove. Such indeed was the confidence of thefe affaf-fins, that they offered to give in their defence, and afugn their reafons for committing this act of cruelty. As the particulars of the affaflination are not unintc-refling, I hhall beg leave to trefpafs upon the reader's patience by a brief recital of the tranfaction. The governor was walking under a grove of orange-trees, near his own houfe, with Mr. Verboom, when unexpectedly ten or twelve armed foldiers (feemingly drunk) accofted them, and immediately infifted on lefs work and better fubiiitence. The governor drawing his * Somelfdyk had the character of a tyrant j he was, under the cloak of religion, defpotic, pafHonatc, brutal, and cruel i he even ordered an Indian chief's head to be ftruck off for fome domeftic mifdemeanour, for which he could not produce, efpecially in thofe days, the fmalleft ihadow of authority. fword fivord to force them back, was inftantaneouily (hot CHAP, throtigh the body in many places, and died upon the ,__IT1, , fpot; his companion, on the other hand, received but one wound, and did not expire till the ninth day after. This done, the rioters, accompanied by feveral accomplices, marched in triumph to Fort Zelandia, which they took without refiftance, and made themfelves mailers of* the gunpowder and victualling magazines. After this, the garrifon having joined them, they formed a ring, and chofe out from among them a commander in chief, and feveral other officers to whom they all fwore to be faithful, as alfo to each other, to the laft drop of their blood. What is very remarkable, is, that their new chief, the very fame afternoon, ordered the body of the maffacred governor, Somelfdyk, to be interred in Fort Zelandia with decency and military honours ; and even the great guns were fired from the walls, and three rounds with fmall arms by the rebels. The magiftrates and other inhabitants of Surinam now beheld themfelves in a moft unpleafant fituation, and were obliged even to enter into a capitulation with the in-furgents in the fort, the principal articles of which were, that the latter mould evacuate Fort Zelandia, for which they were to receive a few hundred pounds; that they were then to be permitted to embark on board the tranfport fhip Salamander, to quit the colony without moleftation, and to fet fail for what part of the world they fhould prefer : they accordingly, to the amount of above one . hundred^ hundred, were lent on board; but no fooner did they prepare to weigh anchor for their departure, than the ftiip was boarded by feveral fmall vcffels, privately armed and manned for the purpofe. The rebels were compelled to furrender at discretion, and a few days after were tried for murder and rebellion; when eleven of the ringleaders were executed, three of them were broke alive upon the rack, and eight were hanged on the gallows in irons. The reft obtained their pardon ; but being no longer to be depended on, were gradually dif-charged from the colonial fervice, when others could be procured to replace them. In the following year the widow of Somelfdyk offered to transfer her portion in this fettlement to King William the Third, but to no purpofe ; while a Mr. Scherpcn-hayzoen was fent over to Surinam from Holland, with a frefh fupply of men and ammunition, to take the command in the room of the late Lord of Somelfdyk, as governor of the colony. Mr. Scherpcnhayzocn,athis arrival, linding every thing in the utmoft confufion, in order to apply the fpeedieft means of redrefs, eftablifhcd a court of juftice, which differed from that formed by his predc-ceffor, Governor Somelfdyk, in this particular, that the former is in veiled with the management of all military and criminal affairs, and the latter with that of all civil pro-cefTes and pecuniary matters. Both of thefe courts ftill remain, and of both the governor is always prefulent. This gentleman was alio very diligent in eftablifhing many many good laws and inftitutions; and had juft begun to CHAP, put the colony in a proper Rate of defence (of which at ^ ,y r,» this time it Rood greatly in need) againft its domeftic ami foreign enemies, when war was declared between France and the United Provinces; and the fame year the fettlement of Surinam was attacked by Admiral Ducaffe with a Rrong fleet, which, however, Governor Scherpenhayzon very courageoufly beat off, after they had begun to cannonade Fort Zelandia. In 1692 Jeronimus Clifford, an Englifhman, was condemned to be hanged (which fentence was changed to feven years imprifonment in the fortrefs Somelfdyk) on pretence of having infulted a rnagiftrate who had ar-refted him for debt. On application, however, from the court of Great Britain, he was fet at liberty in 1695, by defire of the King, when he made a demand on the colony of 20,000 guineas, for damages and falfe imprifonment; which being refufed, his heirs have continued to claim it fince 1700 to fo late as 1762, but hitherto without obtaining any fat is faction. During the fucceeding war which happened in 1712, the French Commodore Jaques Caffard, met with the fame reception from Governor De Gooyer, which Ducaffe had experienced from Scherpenhayzon before Zelandia; but four months after he returned with better fuccefs, and laid the colony under contribution for a fum of about 56,6181. fterling. It was on the 10th of October that he Vol. I. 11 entered CHAP, entered the river of Surinam, with fix or eight ihips of ■ ^JL . war, accompanied by a number of fmall vefTels, in which %ct were embarked 3000 men. The largeft fhips were Le Neptune of 74, on board which he himfelf commanded Le Temeraire of 60 guns Le Rubis - 56 LaVeftale - 48 La Parfaite - 48 La Medufe - 36 The nth CafTard fent a long-boat with a white flag, and an officer to treat with the inhabitants for contributions, which, if they refufed to pay, he threatened to bombard the town of Paramaribo *. The boat, however, was obliged to return on board without any fatisfactory unfwer. The river Surinam, juR before Fort Zelandia, being above a mile in breadth, the Medufe and feveral flat-bottomed vcifels with French troops, being favoured by a very dark night, found means to fail up beyond Paramaribo without being obferved by the Dutch, with an intention to plunder the fugar and coffee plantations * In the year 1667, Captain Abraham Golden Parima, on Parham Lake, took CJruifen gave the town the name of new their names from Francis Lord WiU Middlcburg j but it was before and after loughby of Parham i who, as I have men-called nothing but Paramaribo, which is tioned, received this fettlement from faid to be the true Indian name, and Charles the Second, and was one of the fliould fignify The Spot of Flowers, This firft poflefibrs of this beautiful country, is the general account. But in my opi- Surinam is alfo called a province by the nion not only Parham's Point, but the Dutch, but moftly known by the name Para Creek, and the town of Paramaribo, of colony, fettlement, &c nay, even the great water called the that that are fituated above that town: but on the reth, the CHAP. II. befieged prepared two large flat-bottomed barges filled Xmmmm^mmJ with combuftible matters, fuch as old junk, tar-barrels, ckc. and anchored them on the other fide of the river, directly oppofite to the town, to which lire being applied, both were fet in a blaze, and dilcovcred the fmalleft boats of the enemy as they tried to get up the river through the darknefs of the night. Thus difcovered, few ef-caped "without damage from the guns of the fort, and thofe of the trading vefTels that lay in the roads, who funk fome of the flat-bottomed boats, a great part of the crews of which were drowned. This Rratagem, however, did not prevent CafTard's people, whohadhafted forward, from pillaging and fetting on lire the plantations; while he himfelf, having at laft anchored before the town of Paramaribo, threw above thirty fhells into it, and kept up a clofe cannonade both upon that and Fort Zelandia, till the 20th of October, when he fent a fecond menage with one of his captains to the Dutch, demanding of them finally, whether they would capitulate and pay contribution, which, if they now dared to refufe, he threatened fire and deRruction to the whole fettlement. The Dutch finding their ruin inevitable if they per-fifted, demanded three days ceffation of hoftilities to deliberate, which being granted, they at lad complied with commodore CafTard's demands; and accordingly on the 27th, a treaty of twenty-four articles being fettled belt 2 tween CHAP, tween them, they paid the demanded contribution of ,_ , 56,6181. Rerling to the French, principally in fugar, negro Haves, &x. having but little gold or filver in the colony. This was no fooner accomplished, than the commodore weighed anchor, on the 6th of December, 1712, and with his whole fleet left the fettlement of Surinam. CHAR CHAP. III. Firjl Revolt of the Negroes; Caufes thereof—Diflracled State of the Colony—Forced Peace concluded with the Rebels—Mutiny of Sailors, Soldiers, &e, NO fooner was this unfortunate colony delivered CHAP, from its external and avowed enemies, than it s^—f was attacked by internal foes of a more fierce and def-perate nature. The Carribbean and other Indians had, indeed, in former times, often difturbed this fettlement; but, as I have already mentioned, a peace being eftablifhed with them, after the arrival of Governor Somelfdyk in this colony, they have inviolably adhered to it ever lince, living in the greatefi harmony and friendRiip with the Europeans. The revolted negro Raves are the enemies of whom I now propofe to fpeak, who for fome time diffufed a general terror over this fettlement, and threatened its total lofs to the Rates of Holland. From the earlieR remembrance fome fugitive negroes have taken refuge in the woods of Surinam; but thefe were of very fmall confkleration till about the year 1726, or 1728, when their hoftile. numbers were much increafed, and they had acquired lances and firelocks,,which they had pillaged from the eRates. By the accefhon of thefe arms^ chap. arms, iii addition to their ufual weapon?, bows and ar-m- rows, they were enabled to commit continual outrages and depredations upon the coffee and fugar plantations, as well from a fpirit of revenge for the inhuman treatment which they had formerly received from their mafiers, as with a view of carrying away plunder, and principally gunpowder and ball, hatchets, &:c. in order to provide for their future fubfiRence and defence. "* -' - /■ -A GtXratcxi* FwtWiAur f . .-. f ,,-full *ua * —•* Thefe negroes were in general fettled in the upper parts of the river Copename and Seramica, from the latter of which they take the name of the Seramica rebels, in diftinction from the other gangs which have lince revolted. Several detachments of military and plantation people were fent againR them, but were of very fmall effect, in reducing them to obedience by promifes, or extirpating them by force of arms. In 1730, a moR fliocking and barbarous execution of eleven of the unhappy negro captives was refolved upon, in the expectation that it might terrify their companions, and induce them to fubmit. One man was hanged alive upon a gibbet, by an iron hook Ruck through his ribs; two others were chained to Rakes, and burnt to death by a Row fire. Six women were broken alive upon the rack, and two girls were decapitated. Such was their re-folution under thefe tortures, that they endured them without even irttering a figh.— -f * Some " Some Afric chief will rife, who fcorning chains, " Racks, tortures, flames, excruciating pains, « Will lead his injur'd friends to bloody fight, " And in the flooded carnage take delight; ?' Then dear repay us in fome vengeful war, Cf And give us blood for blood, and fear for fear,'' And fo it actually was in this in Ranee, for this inhuman rnafiacre produced an effect very contrary to what had been expected. Indeed it fo much enraged the Seramica rebels, that for feveral years they became dreadful to the coloniRs; who no longer being able to fupport the ex-pences and fatigues of fallying out againR them in the woods, in addition to the great lofTes which they fo frequently fuftained by their invafions, of which they lived in continual terror, at laft refolved to treat for peace with, their fable enemies. Governor Mauricius, who was at this period at the head of the colony, now fent out a Rrong detachment to the rebel fettlement at the Seramica river, for the purpofe of effecting, if pofhble, a peace fo ardently defired. This detachment, after fome fkirmiRiing with the Rrag-gling rebel parties, at Iafl arrived at their head quarters,, where they demanded and obtained a parley. A treaty of peace, confifting of ten or twelve articles, was actually concluded between the different parties in the year 1749, fimilar to that which had been made by the Englifh in the year 1739, with the rebels in the ifland of Jamaica.— The chief of the Seramica rebels was a Creole negro, called. c it a p. called Captain Adoe, who upon this occafion received IIL from the governor, as a prefent, a fine large cane, with a filver pummel, on which were engraven the arms of Surinam, as a mark of their independence, and a preliminary to the other prefents that were to be fent out the year following as Ripulated by treaty, particularly arms and ammunition, on the performance of which the peace was to be finally concluded. Adoe prefented in return a handlbme bow, with a complete cafe of arrows, which had been manufactured by his own hands, as a token that during that time all enmity fhould ceafe on his fide. This affair gave great fatisfaction to many and indeed to moR of the inhabitants of Surinam, who now flattered themfelves that their effects were perfectly fecure; while others regarded this treaty as a very hazardous re-fource, and even as a Rep to the inevitable ruin of the colony. I muft confefs indeed, that, notwithftanding the good intentions of Governor Mauricius, nothing appears tobe more dangerous than making a forced friendfliip with people, who by the moR abject flavery and ill ufage are provoked to break their chains, and fhake off their yoke in purfuit of revenge and liberty, and who by the truft which is placed in them have it in their power to become from day to day more formidable. The infurrection having rifen to fuch a height, the co-loniRs ought perhaps to have continued to oppofe it, while they were pofTefTed of the power of oppofition, not indeed from from a motive of cruelty, but for the political good of CHAP, fo fine a fettlement. [ , If it appeared that cruelty and ill treatment had driven thefe poor creatures to thefe extremities, policy, not lefs than humanity, ought to have dictated to the colonifts a different conduct in future; but it may be afked, Whether it is poffible to keep the African negroes in habits of obedience and induftry without the ftrictcft and often the fevereft difcipline ?—No. But I afk again, Why is it ne-ceffary to inflict fuch inhuman tortures, according to the humour and caprice of an unfeeling mafter, or a Rill more unprincipled overfeer ? Why mould their reafon-able complaints be never heard by a magiftrate who has it in his power to redrefs them ? Is it becaufe this magiftrate is a planter, and that he is interefted in the arbitrary government of this unhappy race?—This is too evident.—It would, however, be great injuftice if I were not to bear witnefs that I have not unfrequently feen the plantation flaves treated with the utmoft humanity, where the hand of the mafter was feldom lifted, but to carefs them; and where the eye of the Have fparkled with gratitude and affection. Let us now proceed, and fee what were the fruits of making peace with the Seramica rebels. In 1750, which was the year after, the promifed pre-fents were difpatched to Captain Adoe; but the detachment that carried them were attacked on their march, and the whole of the corps murdered on the fpot by a Vol. I, I defperate defperate negro, called Zam Zam, who not having been conRilted concerning the treaty of peace, had afterwards put himfelf at the head of a ftrong party, and now carried off the whole Rock of the detachment, con lifting of arms, ammunition, checked linens, canvas cloth, hatchets, faws, and other carpenter's tools; befides fait beef, pork, fpirits, &c. and kept them as his own private property, Adoe, on the other hand, not receiving the prefents at the time he expected, too haftily concluding he was only to be amufed with expectation till a reinforcement of troops mould arrive from Europe to fubdue him, renewed his incurftons : by this accident therefore the peace was immediately broken ; cruelties and ravages increafed more than before, and death and deftruction once more raged throughout the colony. In 175x, this fettlement was in the utmoft diRrefs and confufion; when, in compliance with a rcqueR of the inhabitants, prefented to the States General, Baron Spoke was fent to Surinam, with fix hundred frefh troops drafted from the different regiments in the Dutch fervice, and on their arrival the members of the court were ordered to fend Governor Mauricius to Europe, to account for his proceedings; who never returned to the colony, having in 1753 afked and obtained his difmiffion, after having been honourably acquitted. Baron Spoke, who during the ab-fence of Mauricius was appointed to officiate as governor, found every thing in the greateR diforder, difunion hav*-ing even arifen between the inhabitants and their rulers, to to which it was highly Decenary to apply the fpcedieft CHAP. . ui means of redrcfs. This application was indeed made by \_ .'- .,j the Baron, but he died the year after, and a general dif- tra<5tion again took place. . ;;: nhq i>;7i 'lo wol k *n T757> the afpecl of affairs daily becoming worfe, (during the adminiftration of a Mr. Cromelyn, who now was governor of this colony) a; new revolt broke out in the Temp at y Greek amongft the negroes, owing.to the treatment which they received from their mafters. This freQi infurrection indeed foon became of the moR ferious confequence. The new rebels joined themfelves to Rxteen hundred of the old fugitive negroes already fettled in eight different villages near Tempaty Creekf and after repeated battles and fkirmifh.es, the enemy being moftly well armed, and in their refiftance generally fuccefsful, the coloniRs faw themfelves once more re~ duced to fue for peace with their own Raves, near Tempaty Creek, as they had done in the year 1749 witn tlie rebels of Seramica. During this laR revolt, a Captain Mayer, of the Society Troops, being tried for cowardice by a court martial, and found guilty, was ordered to be Riot through the head ; he was accordingly led to the place of execution, where, after every preparation for completing the fen-tence, he was pardoned by the Governor, who not only ffiewed him every civility, but actually preferred him to the rank of major. I a To C H A P. To evince the abRirdity of that prejudice, which con, 1__nlm A fulers human creatures as brutes, merely becaufe they differ from ourfelves in colour, I muR beg leave to mention a few of the principal ceremonies, that attended the ratification of this peace. The firft thing propofed by the colonifts was a parley, which was agreed to by the rebels; when the laft not only defired, but abfolutely infifted, that the Dutch ftiould fend them yearly, amongft a great variety of other ar^ tides, a quantity of good fire-arms and ammunition, as fpecifted in a long lift, exprefted in broken Englilh, by a negro whofe name was Bofton, and who was One of their captains. Governor Cromelyn next fent two commiflioners, Mr, Sober and Mr. Abcrcrombiej who marched through the woods, efcorted by a few military, Sec. to carry fome.pre-fents to the rebels, previous to the ratification of the peace, for which they now were commifhoned finally to treat. At the arrival of the above gentlemen in the rebd camp, at the Jocka Creek, about fifteen miles eaft of the Tempaty Creek, they were introduced to a very hand-fome negro, called Arabyy who was their chief, and born in the forefts amongft the laft fixteen hundred that 1 have juft mentioned. He received them very politely, and taking them by the hand, defired they would fit down by his fide upon the green ; at the fame time afluring them they need not be under any apprehenjiohs of evil, fince from from their coming in fo good a caufe, not one intended, C or even dared to-hurt them. ^ When the above-mentioned Captain Bofton, however, perceived that they had brought a parcel of trinkets, fuch as knives, fciffars, combs, and fmall looking-glaffes, and forgotten the principal articles in queftion, viz. gunpowder, fire-arms, and ammunition, he refolutely approached the commiffioners, and demanded, in a thundering voice, whether the Europeans imagined that the negroes could live on combs and looking-glaffes; adding, that one of each was quite fufficient to let them all fee their faces, while a fingle gallon of manfancy, viz. gunpowder, would have been accepted as a proof of their confidence ; but fince that had been omitted, he fhould never confent to their return to their countrymen, till every article of the lift mould be difpatched to them, and confequently the treaty fulfilled* This expoftulation occafioned the interference of a negro captain, called Quacoo, who declared that thefe gentlemen were only the meffengers of their governor and court; and as they could not be anfwerable for their mafter's proceedings, they fliould certainly return to the fettlement without injury or infult, and no per-fon, not even he, Captain Bofton, Ihould dare to oppofe them. The chief of the rebels then ordered filence, and de*-fired Mr. Abercrombie to make up a lift himfelf, of fuch articles as he, Araby, ihould fpecify; which that gentleman. C H A P. hi an having done, and promifed to deliver, the rebels *** not only gave him and his companions leave peaceably to return with it to town, but allowed their governor and court a whole year to deliberate whether they were to chufe peace or war, unanimouily fwearing that during that interval all animofity Ihould ceafe on their fide; after which, having entertained them in the beft manner their fituation in the woods afforded, they wifhed them a happy journey to Paramaribo. One of the rebel officers, on this occafion, reprefented to the commimoners how deplorable it was that the Europeans, who pretended to be a civilized nation, fliould be fo much the occafion of their own ruin by their inhuman cruelties towards their flaves. " We de-H fire you," continued the negro, " to tell your governor *c and your court, that in cafe they want to raife no new *— ■ ' H While thus their pray'rs united mount the Iky, te Hear, mighty Jove! and hear, ye gods on high ! tc And may their blood, who firft the league confound, " Shed like this wine, diftain the thirfty ground!" Homer's Iliad* The folemnity being ended, the chief Araby and each of his captains (to be diRinguiRied from the inferior negroes, as the Seramican chief Adoe had. been before in 1749) was prefented with a line large cane and' filver pummel, on which was alfo engraven the arms of the colony: The above-mentioned negroes are called Oucas, after the name of the plantation where the peace articles, were figned; and by that name they are fince diftin-guifhed from thofe of Seramica, whom I have already defcribed. At this time the charter was renewed to the Weft India Company by their High Mightinefles, for the term of thirty years longer (as it had been before in 1670, 1700, and 1730) in confideration of a loan of about five million fterling, at the rate of fix per cent. This fame year peace was alfo a fecond time concluded with the Seramica rebels, who were at that time commanded by a negro called JVille, inftead of their former chief Adoe, who was dead. But this fecond peace was unfortunately broken by a rebel captain, called Muzinga, who had received none of the prefents, which K had had in fact been again intercepted and captured on their CHAP, way to the chief Wille, as they had been formerly on KmJ!^Lmmm their way to the chief Adoe, by the very fame enter-prifmg and rapacious plunderer Zam Zam, with this difference only, that none of the detachment that were fent with them were now murdered, as on the preceding occafion, nor even one lingle perfon injured. Upon this fuppofed breach of faith, captain Muzinga fought moft defperately againft the colonifts, he gave battle face to face, and beat back, at clofe quarters, above one hundred and fifty of their beft troops, killing numbers, and carrying off all their baggage and ammunition. Soon after this, however, when the real caufe of Muzinga's difcontent was known, means were found and adopted to pacify this gallant warrior, by making him receive and mare the prefents fent out by the colonifts, on an equal footing with his brother heroes, when peace was a third and laft time concluded in 1762, between the Seramica rebels and the colony, which has providentally been kept facred and inviolable, as well as that with the Ouca negroes, to this day. By their exertions in the field they thus obtained their freedom, ** O liberty 1 thou goddefs heavenly brighr, " Profufe of blifs, and pregnant with delight -t ct Eternal plcafures in thy prefence reign, " And fmiling Plenty leads thy wanton train, Kz « Eas'd " Eas'd of her load, fubjection grows more light, " And Poverty looks cheerful in thy fight; " Thou mak'ft the gloomy face of nature gar, " Giv'fl beauty to the fun, and pleafure to the day.** The hoRages and chief officers of both the above-mentioned negro cohorts, on their arrival at Paramaribo, were entertained at the governor's own table* having previoufly paraded in Rate through the town* accompanied by his excellency in his own private carriage. By their capitulation with the Dutch, the above Oucav and Seramica rebels muft yearly receive, as I have mentioned, a quantity of arms and ammunition from the colony, for which the Europeans have received in return the negroes' promifes of being their faithful allies, to deliver up all their deferters, for which they are to receive proper premiums, never to appear armed at Paramaribo above five or fix at a time, and alfo to keep their fettlement at a proper diftance from the town and plantations ; the Seramica negroes at the river Seramica, and thofe of the Ouca negroes at the Jocka-creek, near the river Marawina, where one or two white men, called poft-holders, were to refide among them, in the quality of envoys. Both thefe tribes were fuppofed, at the period I fpeak of, to amount in all to three thoufand, and but a few yeara after, by thofe that were fent to vifit their fettlements (including wives and children) they were computed to % 6 bc CHAP. in. C- be not lefs than fifteen or twenty thoufand. They are C already become overbearing and even infolent, brandifh- . ing their filver-headed canes in defiance of the inha-bitants, and forcing from them liquors, and very often money, and reminding them how cruelly their anceftors had murdered their parents and their hufbands. From thefe circumftances, and their numbers increaf-ing from day to day, I muft conclude, that fhould the peace be ever broken, thefe new allies will become the moft dreadful foes that ever the colony of Surinam can have to contend with. In 1763 the town of Paramaribo would have been burnt down to the ground, had it not been prevented by the courage and intrepidity of the failors, who, at the hazard of their lives, without other afliftance, prevented a general conflagration. About this time a mutiny broke out on board the outward-bound Eaft Indiaman, Ncimburgb, commanded by Captain Ketell. The crew, confifting chiefly of French and German deferters, who had been kidnapped in Holland, rofe in arms againft their fuperiors, and having murdered moft of the officers and warrant officers, while others were put in chains, carried the veffel to the Brazils, there the ringleaders went 011 lhore, and being engaged in riot and difputation foon difcovered what they were to the Portuguefe governor, m confequence of which they were all taken into cuf-tody; but their accomplices on board fufpe&ing what had had happened, immediately flipped their cable, and fet fail for the ifland of Cayenne, where this piracy was put to an end; for the French feizing fliip and crew, delivered both to the colony of Surinam, where, in 1764, feven of the moft guilty were executed onboard the fame* velfel which they had captured, then at anchor in the roads before the town of Paramaribo. One of thefe unhappy wretches was decapitated, and fix hanged to the yard-arm, whofe heads were alfo chopped oft" and planted upon iron fpikes on the beach, in a cage made for the purpofe. The others, who had been taken by the Portuguefe, were fent from the Brazils to Amfterdam, after which they were alfo executed in Texcl roads on board the Weftelingwerf man of war, which Ihip was that fent out with us from Holland : their bodies were afterwards gibbeted in iron harnefs, and placed for an example along the coaft. This fame year alfo, three of the fociety or colony foldiers, who had been guilty of mutiny and defertion, were executed in Surinam; but as their cafe is the moft peculiar of its kind that ever happened, I muft alfo beg leave to give fome account of the tranfaction. During the time of an infurrection, which happened in the year 1761 among the negro flaves in the colony of Berbicc, where they had not been treated fo cruelly as in other colonies, not only a regiment of marines, commanded by Colonel de Salfc, which now belongs to General Douglas, was fent over from Holland to that fettlement, EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 7* fettlement, but troops alfo from the neighbouring cold- CH A P. Ill nies were difpatched, in order to fubdue the revolt. In t this delign they foon fucceeded, fmce the woods in that part, being of fmall extent, are eafdy penetrated, which prevents the rebels from forming fettlements, and fince from the fame caufe they will not ferve to conceal them from their purfuers. The confequence was, that after numbers had been lhot dead, and others taken prifoners, the reft were forced to furrender at difcretion, and implore for mercy, or they muft have been ftarved to death for want of fubfiftence. During thefe troubles, it happened that one officer and about feventy men, fent from the colony of Surinam, had been pofted on the banks of the river Corrantine. This detachment, together with a party of Indians, who are natural enemies to the negroes, but friends to the Europeans,, had one day beaten the rebels in a fkirmifh, having killed feveral of them, and retaken about the value of twenty or thirty pounds fterling in effects, which the negroes had pillaged from the neighbouring eftates. The officer who commanded this detachment having, however, unwarrantably diftributed this booty among the Indians alone, without giving a fhare to his foldiers, difguftcd them fo much that they revolted ; and defcrt-ing their commander, took their march for the river Oronoque through the woods, in hopes of foon falling in with Spanifh fettlements and being relieved: but how miferably were thefe deluded men miftaken, and disappointed NARRATIVE OF AN pointed in their defperate undertaking, by meeting the rebels or bufh negroes on the fecond or third day of their march ! Thefe, notwithftanding. the folemn proteRations of the foldiers, that they were come without any evil intention towards them, and their intreatics to let them pafs by unmolefted, were fufpe&ed of being fent out to fpy and betray them ; the negroes therefore infifted that they fliould lay down their arms at mercy, which the deferters having complied with, the rebels immediately drefTcd them in one rank. Then having picked out ten or twelve to affift them in attending the lick and wounded, repairing their arms, and trying to make gunpowder, (in which however they mifcarried) they condemned all the others to death, which was inRantly put in execution, and above fifty of thofe unfortunate men were one by one mot dead upon the fpot. It may well be fuppofed, that thofe who were faved alive by the negroes muft have fpun out a very melancholy exiftence among them, and indeed moft of them died within very few months after by ill treatment, hardihips, and want; and when the rebels furrendered themfelves to the Europeans at difcretion, the few remaining miferable wretches that were ftill found alive, were directly loaded with irons, and fent back from the colony of Berbice to Surinam, where three of them were executed in the town of Paramaribo, one being hanged, and two broken alive upon the rack. One of thefe miferable wretches was a Frenchman, called Renauld, who feemed to have imbibed the fentiments of the negroes by by his refidence amongft them. With a truly heroic fpirit he comforted his accomplice,-who was a German, and, tied down by his fide, juft ready to receive the dreadful blows, he exhorted him to preferve his courage; adding, that the voyage of life would foon be over, while his own bones were breaking by the executioner with an iron bar. The ring-leading negroes were ro'afted alive by half dozens in a fhocking manner, being chained to ftakes in the midft of furrouuding flames, and expired without uttering a groan or a iigh. The miferable fate of fo many poor wretches excited great conamiferation; and it is impoftible to reflect, without the ftrongeft feelings of indignation, on a punifhment fo fhocking to humanity, inflicted upon men, the moft of whom were drove to mifconduct by tyranny and oppreffion. But at the fame time 1 mall ever think it my duty to fupport that the ftricteft difciplirie and fubordination (when tempered by jujlice) isabfollitely neceffary amongft all large bodies of people, of whatever clafs or defcription, not only for the good of the public in general, but as the fureft means of avoiding fcverity on the individual (the ufual confequence of too much lenity) and of being painfully obliged to cilablifh good order at laft by a perpetual round of reluctant rigour and chaftifement.--We will now leave thefe fable fcenes, and point out what happened in the colony of Surinam, during its fhort and flourifhing Rate. Vol. I. l, C II A P. CHAP. IV. 'Short Interval of Peace and Plenty—The Colony plunged in nezv Difrefs by a freflj Infurreelion, and nearly ruined—\ Review of the Troops for its Defence—An Aclion with the Rebels—Gallant Behaviour of a black Corps—The Arrival of Colonel Fourgeoud's Marines. C HAP. TN 1764, gold and filver fpccic being fcarce, cards were IV I 1 -f _r Ramped, to the amount of 40,0001. value, which paffed as calh, at a difcount of ten per cent. In 1765, a confiderable degree of commotion was excited in the colony, on account of a free negro woman, called Elizabeth Sampfon, marrying an European; fhe was worth above 100,0001. Rerling, inherited from her mailer, whofe flave fhe had formerly been : having addreffed herfelf to their High MightinefTes, her re-queft was granted; and accordingly, being chriftened, flie entered into the lawful bond of matrimony with a Mr. Zublu In the fucceeding year the colony was vifited by an earthquake, which however did very little damage. In 1769, the whole coaft was on fire, from Cayenne to bemerary: this happened in the dry fcafon, when all the foreft is parched by the heat, and the underwood choked with dried leaves. The flames, which were fup-pofed to have been kindled by the neglect of the Indians or rebels, were fo violent, that they threatened deRruction deftruction to feveral eftates, and during the night ap- CHAP, peared moR tremendous from the fea ; while the eaft . lVm__ wind made the fmoke fo thick throughout the day, that one perfon could not fee another at the diftance of fix yards. During this time it is not furprifing that the fmell was almoR infupportablc. This fame year, a quantity of rock cryftal was difco-vered in the inland parts of Dutch Guiana. In 1770, the houfe of Somelfdyk fold its ftiare or portion of the colony to the town of Amfterdam for the fum of 63,6361. fterling; fo that from that period that city poffeffes two-thirds, and the other third ftill belongs to the Weft India Company, which, as I have already Rated, form together the fociety of Surinam. The colony now feemed in a profperous and flourishing ftate, fince the concluding of the treaty with the Seramica and Ouca negroes, and every thing exhibited an afpect of peace and good order. The inhabitants believed their perfons and effects in perfect fecurity, fo that nothing was thought of but mirth and diflipation, which was foon extended to lavilhnefs and profufion. Surinam refembled, indeed, a large and beautiful garden, flocked with every thing that nature and art could produce, to make the life of man both comfortable to himfelf, and ufeful to fociety : all the luxuries, as well as the neceffaries of life, abounded; every fenfe was apparently intoxicated with enjoyment ; and, to ufe the L . 2 figurative figurative language of a facred book, Surinam was a land that flowed with milk and honey. But this delulive felicity lafted not long. The planter, too carnefl to become immediately opulent, never once confidered the wretchednefs of the flave ; while drunken-nefs, luxury, and riot, became predominant in the one party, the mifery of the other proportionally increafed; nor did the deftruc~tion that fo lately threatened them feem to have the fmallefl influence on their minds; at the fame time the fuccefsful example of the Seramica and Ouca negroes ferved to flimulate the other flaves to revolt, and from thefe complicated caufes the colony was again plunged into its former abyfs of difficulties. The moft beautiful eftates in the fettlement, called Plantations, were once more feen, fome blazing in flames, and others-laid in afhes; while the reeking and mangled bodies of their inhabitants were fcattered along the banks of the river Cottica, with their throats cut, and their effects pillaged by their own negroes, who all fled to the woods,, men, women, and children, without exception. Thefe new revolters were now diftinguifhed by the name of the Cottica Rebels, from the fpot on which their hoftilities commenced; and their numbers augmenting from day to day, they foon became as formidable to the fettlement as the Seramica and Ouca negroes had for* merly been, and in 1772 they had nearly given the ftnifhing blow to Surinam. At that period all was horror and consternation—nothing but a general maffacre * was was expected by the majority of the inhabitants, who fled from their eftates, and crouded to the town of Paramaribo for protection. In this fituation of affairs, the inhabitants were obliged to have recourfe to the dangerous refolution of forming a regiment of manumitted flaves, to fight againft their own countrymen. When we confider the treatment which was fo generally exer-cifed againft the flaves of this fettlement, it muft fur-prife the reader to be told, that this hazardous refolution had providentially the defired effect. Thefe brave men performed wonders above expectation, in conjunction •with the Colonial or Society troops, whofe ftrength and numbers alone were no longer thought fuflicient to defend this fettlement. But not to rely abfolutely on fuch precarious afliftance, the fociety of Surinam made application to his ferene highnefs the Prince of Orange for a regular regiment, and our corps was in confequence dispatched in the manner which has been already related. As, however, the events which preceded our arrival were of the utmoft importance, I fhall endeavour to lay before my readers the moft authentic information I was able to obtain. The regular troops from Europe that belong to the fociety of Surinam, were intended to be twelve hundred men when complete, divided into two battalions, paid partly by the fociety, and partly by the inhabitants: but they can never produce that number in the field, for many reafons— fuch as their either dying on their pafTage, while they are CHAP, are fcafoning to the climate, or during their dangerous _l^._f anc^ fatiguing duty in the woods and fwamps. Bcfidcs this number, a reinforcement of three hundred more, was now fent them from the town of Amfterdam; but of thefe poor wretches fcarcely fifty were landed fit for fervice; the remainder, owing to the inhumanity of their leader, Mr. N., having participated in a fate little better than that of the poor African negroes in the veffel of the inhuman Captain C—gw—d, who, in 1787, threw 132 living flaves into the fea to perifli. The unhappy creatures, under the command of Mr. N. were Rarved and tormented by unneceffary feverity ; and his lieutenant, unable to continue a witnefs of the tyrannical pu-nifhments he inflicted, leaped from the cabin window, and terminated his exiftence. The military in Surinam are compofed of feveral very good and experienced officers, and well inured to the fervice, but for their private men 1 cannot fay much; they are, in fact, little better than the outcaits of all nations : they arc of all ages, fliapes, and fizes, and feem by chance wafted together from all the different corners of the globe. Notwithftanding this, however, it has often been found that they behave well in action, and have on many different occailons, by their bravery, been of infinite fervice to this fettlement *. Here is alio a fmall corps of artillery, being part of the * A corps of European chaflfeurs, or rifle-men, was fince added to th«fe troops, after the manner of the light infantry in England. twelve twelve hundred, which I muft acknowledge to be a very CHAP, fine company in all refpects. As for what they pleafe ^ jVl to call their militia, they are, a few gentlemen excepted, who command them, fo ftrange a collection of ill-dif-eiplined rabble, that they can fcarcely be mentioned as fighting men. With refpect to the new-raifed corps of manumitted Raves, though in number they amounted but to three hundred, they indeed proved ultimately of as much fervice to the colony as all the others put together*. Thefe men were all volunteers, and in general ftout able young fellows, felected from the different plantations, the owners of whom received for them their full value in money. None were accepted but thofe who were reputed to be of unexceptionable character. It muft, however, be obferved, that what we Europeans call a good character, was, by the Africans, looked on as deteftable, particularly by thofe bom in the woods, whofe only crime confifted in revenging the wrongs done to their forefathers. I have been an ocular witnefs to aftonifhing proofs of the fidelity of thefe en-franchifed flaves to the Europeans, and their valour againft the rebel negroes. Their chief leaders are three or four white men, called Conductors, to whom they pay the ftricteft obedience: * Blood-bounds were alfo propofed, to difcover and attack the rebel negroes hi the woods, but never adopted, from the difficulty of their proper training, &c. one chap* one or two or thefe attend them when they fet out or Ivy |t any enterprise of confequence. Every ten privates have one captain, who commands them in the foreft by the different founding of his horn, as the boatfwain commands the feaman by his call, or as the cavalry of Europe are directed by the found of the trumpets in the field; by which they advance, attack, retreat, fpread, Sec: they are armed only with a firelock and fabre. Of both thefe weapons they undcrfland the management in the moft mafterly manner; they generally go naked, in preference, in the woods, excepting trowfers, and a fcar-let cap, the emblem of liberty, on which is their number, and which, together with their parole or watchword, which is orange^ diftinguifhes them from the rebels in any action, to prevent difagreeable miftakes. They have, indeed, of late years, been farther diftin-guifhed by green uniforms.—Thus far as to the force of the colony, I have already Rated, that the newly revolted rebels, called Cotticas, were juR preparing to give the finifliing blow to Surinam ; and I fhall now proceed to relate how this cataRrophe was prevented. Thefe negroes, being commanded by a defperate fellow named Baron, had erected a Rrong fettlement between the river Cottica and the fea-coaft, whence they fallied forth to commit their depredations on the plantations in Cottica river, &c. I have Condon , i'nllisli,,! lh<-'.'-A-j,)-i, I'r.I..!< >»•■>■<•'• . ■ I'ml-'r I Vi/ii-r/i i.ir./ t I have called this fettlement ftrong, becaufe, like an chap. iiland, it was entirely furrounded by a broad unfordable IV' , marfli or fwamp, which prevented all communication, except by private paths under water, known only to the rebels, and before which Baron had placed loaded fwivels, which he had plundered from the neighbouring eRates: it was moreover fenced and inclofed oh every fide by feveral thoufand ftrong pallifadocs, and was on the whole no contemptible fortification. To this fpot Baron gave the name of Boucon or Mouldered, intimating that it fliould pcrifli in duft rather than it fliould he taken by or furrendered to the Europeans. He even prefumed to fuppofe, that it would never be difcovered. After many marches and counter-marches, however, this neft of defperadoes was at laft difcovered, by the vigilance and pcrfeverance of the Society troops, and the . black foldiers or rangers, by which name I fhall for the future diflinguifh them, their fervice being chiefly like that of the rangers in Virginia, who were fent out againft the Cherokee Indians. Another fettlement of the rebels was, indeed, well known to exift in that corner of the colony, known by the name of the Lea-fhore, and fituated between the rivers Surinam and Seramica; but here the lituation, by mar1h.es, quagmires, mud, and water, is fuch, that it fortifies them from any attempts of the Europeans; nay, they are even indifcoverable by negroes, fo thick and impenetrable is the foreft on that fpot, and fo choked with thorns, briars, and every fpecies of underwood. Vol. I. M From From thefe coverts they fally forth in fmall parties-, during the night, to rob the gardens and fields fur-rounding Paramaribo, and carry off the young women, Sec. In this wildernefs a young officer, Lieutenant Freidrecy, was loR two or three days and nights, as he went out on a mooting party, and would probably never have been heard of, had not the governor, by ordering a gun to be fired at intervals, given a fignal for him to find his way back, and thus reRored him once more to his friends. As foon as it was determined that the rebels commanded by Baron, at Boucon, fhould be befieged and rooted out, a Rrong detachment of white and black troops were fent againft them, under the command of the brave Captain Myland, who was to head the firft;; and Lieutenant Freidrecy, a fpirited young officer, with the conductors, was to lead the latter. The detachment, on their arrival at the marih, however, were obliged to encamp on its borders, not being able to pafs through it on account of its unfordable depth. On the difcovery of the troops, the bold negro Baron immediately planted a white flag within their view, which he meant not as a token of peace, but of defiance; and an inceffant firing inftantly took place on both fides, but with very little effect. It was then projected to throw a fafcine bridge over the marfh, by the troops; but this plan, after feveral weeks had been fpent in the attempt, and a number of men fhot mot dead while employed upon it, was of ncceflity laid chap, afide. Thus every hope of parting through the marfli ^^J^j into the fortrefs being fruftrated, and the food and ammunition being conliderably leffencd, added to the lofs of many men, affairs were at length arrived at fuch a crifis, that the fiege muft have been broken up, and the remaining troops muft have marched back to Paramaribo, had not the rangers, by their indefatigable efforts, and (however ftrange to think) implacable enmity againft the rebels, found out and difcovered to the Europeans the under-water paths of communication to Boucon, feveral being Riot and drowned in the execution of this important fervice. Captain Myland with the regulars, on this intelligence, now forded the fwamp on one fide, and inftantly making a feint attack on the fortrefs, drew Baron with all the rebels, as was expected, to its defence; while Lieutenant Freidrecy, with the rangers, having crofted the fwamp on the other fide, embraced the opportunity of leaping, with his black party, over the palifadoes, fword in hand, without oppofition. A moft terrible carnage at this time enfued, while feveral prifoners were made on both fides, and the fortrefs of Boucon was taken; but Baron, with the greateft number of the rebels, efcapcd into the woods, having firft found means, however, to cut the throats of ten or twelve of the rangers, who had loft their way in the tnarfh, and whom he feized as they ftuck faft in the M 2 fwamp; fwamp; and cutting off the ears, nofe, and lips of one of them, he left him alive in this condition to return to his friends, with whom however the miferable man fooa expired. This Baron had formerly been the negro flave of a Mr. Dahlbergh, a Swede, who on account of his abilities had advanced him to the rank of a favourite, had taught him to read and write, and bred him a mafon ; he had alfo been with his mafter in Holland, and was promifed his manumiflion on his return to the colony. But Mr. Dahlbergh breaking his word with regard to his liberty, and felling him to a Jew, Baron obftinately refufed to work, in confequence of which he was publicly flogged under the gallows. This ufage the negro fo violently refented, that from that moment he vowed revenge againft all Europeans without exception ; fled to the woods, where putting himfelf at the head of the rebels, his name became dreadful, and particularly fo to his former mafter Dahlbergh, as he folemnly fwore that he fliould never die in peace till he had wafhed his hands in the tyrant's blood. To thofe who know how greatly mankind are affected by fclf-intereft, it will not appear fo extraordinary, as it may to a fuperficial obferver, that thefe black rangers fhould fo inveterately engage againft their friends and countrymen. What will not men do to be emancipated from fo deplorable a ftate of fubjedtion ! and this emancipation was obtained upon more certain and advantageous 2 t grounds grounds by the confent of the Europeans, than if they had abfconded into the woods. Having thus once engaged in this fervice, it is evident they muft be con-fidcred by the other party as apoftates and traitors of the blacked dye; they muft be convinced, that defeat muft not only cxpofe them to death, but to the fevereft tortures ; they were therefore fighting for fomething more than liberty and life: fuccefs was to bring them the moft folid advantages, mifcarriage was to plunge them in the fevereft rhifery. The taking of Boucon was now greatly fpoken of, and deemed a very fevere blow to the rebels ; both the regulars and the rangers, indeed, behaved with unprecedented intrepidity and courage. Captain My land's gallant conduct was moft highly acknowledged; while Lieutenant Freidreey was prefcnted by the Surinam Society with a beautiful fabre, a fufee, and a brace of piftols, mounted in fdver, and ornamented with emblems exprefflve of his merit; befides which, he obtained the rank of captain. It muft be confefTed, that on this occafion the whole detachment, white and black, without exception, juftly met with the fulleft marks of approbation for their fpirited behaviour.—In this ftate were the public affairs of Surinam; when, in 1773, our fleet dropped anchor before the town of Paramaribo. CHAP CHAP. V. The Scene changes—Some Account of a beautiful Female Slave—The Manner of travelling in Surinam — The Colonel explores the Situation of the Rivers—Barbarity of a Planter—Wretched Treatment of fome Sailors. TTAVING in the firft chapters given fome account of our incorporation, our voyage, our landing, and our reception in the colony, in February 1773; and having defcribcd the colony of Surinam, its boundaries, and revolutions, from its earlieft difcovery; I fhall now proceed in my narrative, by connecting the proceedings of our little corps with the general chain of events; and write precifely what I have learned by local and ocular obfervation. Having already Rated that from our arrival till February 27th, we feemed to he landed in Guiana for little more than idle diflipation; I fhall now proceed from the fame date, which was about the commencement of the rainy feafon, when our mirth and conviviality ftill continued, to prefent to the reader, as a contraft to the preceding fcenes of horror, a de-fcription of the beautiful mulatto maid Joanna, This charming young woman I firft faw at the houfe of a Mr. Demelly, fecretary to the court of policy, where I daily daily breakfaftcd ; and with whole lady Joanna, bat hf- c h a p- v. teen years of age, was a very remarkable favourite, v.^^j Rather taller than the middle fize, fhe was poReffed of the molt elegant fhape that nature can exhibit, moving her well-formed limbs with more than common gracefulnefs. Her face was full of native modefty, and the moR dif-tinguifhed fweetnefs; her eyes, as black as ebony, were large and full of expreflion, befpeaking the goodnefs of her heart; with cheeks through which glowed, in fpite of the darknefs of her complexion, a beautiful tinge of Vermillion, when gazed upon. Her nofe was perfectly well formed, rather fmall; her lips a little prominent, which, when flie fpoke, difcovered two regular rows of teeth, as white as mountain fnow; her hair was a dark brown inclining to black, forming a beautiful globe of fmall ringlets, ornamented with flowers and gold fpa-ngles. Round her neck, her arms, and her ancles, fhe wore gold chains, rings and medals: while a fhawl of India muflin, the end of which was negligently thrown over her po-liflied fhoulders, gracefully covered part of her lovely bofbm, a petticoat of rich chintz alone completed her apparel. Bare-headed and bare-footed, fhe fhone with double luftre, as fhe carried in her delicate hand a beaver hat, the crown trimmed round with filver. The figure and appearance of this charming creature could not but attract my particular attention, as they did indeed that of all who beheld her; and induced me to enquire from Mrs. 8 Demelly, chap* Demelly, with much furprize, who fhe was, that appeared t _» to be fo much diftinguifhed above all others of her fpecies in the colony. " She is, Sir," replied this lady, " the daughter of a f* refpectable gentleman, named Kruythoff; who had, be-" fides this girl, four children by a black woman, called " Cery, the property of a Mr. D. B. on his eftate called " Fauconberg, in the upper part of the river Comc-f* wina. M Some few years fince Mr. Kruythoff made the offer U of above one thoufand pounds Rcrling to Mr. D. B. to M obtain manumiflion for his offspring; which being in-*< humanly refufed, it had fuch an effect on his fpirits, to that he became frantic, and died in that melancholy u Rate foon after; leaving in Ravery, at the difcretion of to a tyrant, two boys and three fine girls, of which the to one now before us is the eldeR *. " The gold medals, 8cc. which feem to furprize you, €t are the gifts which her faithful mother, who is a if moR deferving woman towaxds her children, and of " fome confequence amongft her eaft, received from her " father (whom lire ever attended with exemplary affec-M tion) juft before he expired. * In Surinam all fuch children go with fliould their father be a prince, unlefs he their mothers j that is, if fhe is in flavery, obtains them by purchafc. her offspring are her mailer's property, " Mr. ei Mr. D. B. however, met with his juft reward: for u having fince driven all his belt carpenter negroes to the u woods by his injultice and feverity, he was ruined, *' and obliged to fly the colony, and leave his eftate and " ftock to the difpofal of his creditors ; while one of the « above unhappy deferters, a famboe *, has by his in-" duftry been the protector of Gery and her children. *4 His name is Jolycceur, and he is now the firft of Baron's «* captains, whom you may have a chance of meeting " in the rebel camp, breathing revenge againft the " Chriftians. ** Mrs. D. B. is Rill in Surinam, being arrefted for her " hufband's debts, till Fauconberg fhall be fold by ex-" ecution to pay them. This lady now lodges at my ** houfe, where the unfortunate Joanna attends her, " whom fhe treats with peculiar tendernefs and diftinc-« tion." Having thanked Mrs. Demelly for her account of Joanna, in whofe eye glittered the precious pearl of fym-pathy, I took my leave, and went to my lodging in a Rate of fadnefs and ftupefaction. However trifling, and like the ftyle of romance, this relation may appear to fome, it is neverthelcfs a genuine account, and on that fcore I flatter myfelf may not entirely be uninterefting to others. When reflecting on the ftate of flavery altogether, * A famboe is between a mulatto and a negro. Vol, I. jsf while chap, while my cars were ftunned with the clang of the whip, L V^__j and the difmal yells of the wretched negroes on whom it was exercifed, from morning till night; and confkler-ing that this might one day be the fate of the unfortunate mulatto I have been defcribing, fliould fhe chance to fall into the hands of a tyrannical mafter or miftrefs, I could not help execrating the barbarity of Mr. D. B. for having withheld her from a fond parent, who by bellowing on her a decent education and fome accomplifh-mcnts, would probably have produced, in this forfaken plant, now expofed to every rude blaft without protection, an ornament to civilized fociety. I became melancholy with thefe reflections; and in order to counterbalance, though in a very fmall degree, the general calamity of the miferable flaves who furrounded me, I began to take more delight in the prattling of my poor negro boy Quacoo, than in all the fafhionable con-verfation of the polite inhabitants of this colony : but my fpirits were depreffed, and in the fpace of iwenty-four hours I was very ill indeed ; when a cordial, a few preferved tamarinds, and a bafket of fine oranges, were fent by an unknown perfon. This firft contributed to my relief, and lofing about twelve ounces of blood, I recovered fo far, that on the fifth I was able, for change of air, to accompany a Captain Macneyl, who gave me a preRing invitation to his beautiful coffee plantation, called Sporkefgift, in the Matapaca Creek. Having mentioned tamarinds, I will, before we proceed 2 on on our journey, embrace the opportunity of introducing CHAP, a fliort defcription of them. The tree on which this lf fruit is produced is about the fize of a large apple-tree, and is very ftrair, and covered with a brownifh-colourcd bark; the twigs are {lender, arched, and knotty, producing leaves and a pod, which will be beft known by the annexed reprefentation, where A is the leaf of the natural fize ; B the extremity of the branch ; C the fruit green and unripe; D the pulp, which is brown when in perfection; and E the purple kernels or Rones that are in-clofed within it. The tipper part of the leaves are a darker green than underneath: upon the whole, they form a very agreeable fhade, on which account the tamarind-trees are frequently planted in groves. The male and female fpecies bear a remarkable dif-tinction in their colour ; that of the firft having the deepeR hue. I fhall not prefume to be minute with refpect to the medicinal qualities of thefe or any other vegetable in Guiana, which are as amply as I believe juftly defcribed by Dr. Bancroft, in his letters to Dr. Pitcairn, Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians in London, except in mentioning fuch efficacy as I have found them to poffefs by my own experience, and which confifts in the pulp; which when preferved is a moft delicious refrefhment in hot climates: it is a laxative, and when diffolved with water, makes, a very cooling and agreeable beverage, and N z is is much recommended in all difeafes, particularly in fevers. We now fet out from Paramaribo for Sporkefgift, in a tent-boat or barge, rowed by eight of the beft negroes belonging to Mr. MacneyPs eftate ; every body, as 1 have already mentioned, travelling by water in this colony. Thefe barges I cannot better defcribe than by comparing them with thofe that accompany what is ufually Ryled the Lord Mayor's Show on the river Thames. They are, however, fome what lefs, though fome are very little inferior in magnificence, and are often decorated with gilded flags, filled with muficians, and abound in every convenience. They are fometimes rowed by ten and even by twelve oars, and being lightly built, fweep along with aftonifhing celerity. The rowers never flop, from the moment they fet out till the company is landed at the place of deflination; but continue, the tide ferving or not, to tug night and day, fometimes for twenty-four hours together, finging a chorus all the time to keep up their fpirits. When their labour is over, their naked bodies Rill dripping with fweat, like poft-horfes, they headlong, one and all, plunge into the river to refrefh themfelves:— " The wanton courier thus, with reins unbound, «« Breaks from his ftall, and beats the trembling ground; » Pamper'd and proud, he feeks the wonted tides, And laves in height of blood his (hining fides." We We now parTed a number of fine plantations, but I CHAP, could not help taking particular notice of the Cacao V' eflate, called Alkmaar, fituated on the right fide in rowing up the river Comewina, which is no lefs confpi-cuous for its beauty than for the goodnefs of its proprietor, the invaluable lady the widow Godefroy, whofe humanity and friendfhip muft always be remembered by me with gratitude. At our arrival on the eftate Sporkefgift, I had the pleafure to be the fpectator of an inftance of juftice which afforded me the greateft fatisfaction. The fcene confifted in Mr. Macneyl's turning the over-feer out of his fervice, and ordering him to depart from the plantation in an inferior boat, called a ponkee*, to Paramaribo, or wherever he thought proper; which was inftantaneoufly put in execution. The caufe of his difgrace was having, by bad ufage and cruelty, caufed the death of three or four negroes. His departure was made compleatly joyful to all the flaves, by an holiday, which was fpent in feftivity, by dancing and clapping hands on a green before the dwelling-houfe windows. The overfeer's fentence was the more ignominious and galling, as at the time of receiving it a negro foot-boy, who was buckling his fhoes, was ordered back, and he was defired to buckle them himfelf. The fpirited conduct of this planter, the joy of his negroes, the falubrity of the * Apan&ee is a fiat-bottomed boat of four or fix oars, fomctlibg like » fquarotoed fhoc; fometimes it haa a tilt, and fometimes not. i country country air, and the hofpitablc manner in which we were entertained at his eRate, had Rich an effecT: on my conftitution and my fpirits, that on the ninth I returned, if not recovered, at leaR greatly benefited, to Paramaribo. But I fliould be guilty of partiality, did I not relate one inflancc, which throws a fhadc over the humanity even of my friend Macneyl. Having obferved a handfome young negro walk very lamely, while the others were capering and dancing, I inquired into the caufe of his crippled appearance ; when I was informed by this gentleman, that the negro having repeatedly run away from his work, he had been obliged to hamflring him, which operation is performed by cutting through the large tendon above one of the heels. However fevere this inRance of defpotifm may appear, it is nothing when compared with fome barbarities which the talk I have undertaken will oblige me, at the ex-pence of my feelings, to relate. On our return to the town of Paramaribo, the only news that occurred confiRed in a few fhocking executions ; alfo that the Boreas man of war, Captain Van-de-Velde, had failed for Holland ; and that Colonel Forgeoud had on the eighth, the Prince of Orange's annivcrfary, entertained a large company with a ball en mi/itaire, in the officers guard-room. The mufic on this occafion confifted of two fiddlers only, who had the confcience to make the colonel pay one hundred and twenty Dutch Rorins for rofin and catgut. About About this time I was attacked by a diRemper called CHAP, the prickly beat, by the colonifts rootvont. It begins by ^ V,_ the fkin taking a colour like fcarlet, (occafioned by a number of fmall pimples) and itching inconceivably ; under the garters, or any place where the circulation is impeded, the itching is almoft infupportable. With this peft all new-comers from Europe are foon inferred; the cure is to bathe the parts with the juice of limes and water, as for the bites of gnats or mufquitoes. The prickly heat is fuppofed to be a prognoftic of good health by the inhabitants; which I have reafon to think true, fince from that period my health and fpirits were, perfectly rc-eftablifhed, and I was once more as happy as Paramaribo could make me. At this time Colonel Fourgeoud fet out with a barge, to infpect the fituation of the rivers Comewina and Cottica, in cafe the actual fervice of our troops fliould foon be wanted; being at his departure faluted by the guns from Fort Zelandia, and by thofe of the ihips in the roads. This compliment I acknowledge aftoniihed me, after the coolnc "s vhich took place, and was now rooted^ between this gentleman and the governor of the colony. As we were ftill in a ftate of inaction, I made another ex-curlion, with a Mr. Charles Ryndorp, who rowed me in his barge to Rve beautiful coffee eftates, and one fugar plantation, in the Mattapaca,Paramarica, and Werapa Creeks; the defcription of which I muft defer to another occafion ; C H A P. fion ; but on one of which, called Schovnort, I was the t_ VL , witnefs to a fcene of barbarity which I cannot help relating. The victim of this cruelty was a fine old negro flave, who having been as he thought undefervedly fentenced to receive fome hundred lames by the lacerating whips of two negro - drivers, in the midft of the execution pulled out a knife, which, after having made a fruitlefs thruR at his perfecutor the overfeer, he plunged up to the haft in his own bowels, repeating the blow till he dropped down at the tyrant's feet. For this crime he was, being firft recovered, condemned to be chained to the furnace which diftils the kill-devil*1, there to keep in the intenfe heat of a perpetual fire night and day, being bliftered all over, till he fhould expire by infirmity or old age, of the latter of which however he had but little chance. He fhewed me his wounds with a fmile of contempt, which I returned with a figh and a fmall donation : nor fhall 1 ever forget the miferable man, who, like Cerberus, was loaded with irons, and chained to everlafting torment. As for every thing elfe J obferved in this little tour, I muft acknowledge it to be elegant and fplcndid, and my reception hofpitable beyond my expectation : but thefe Elyfian fields could not diffipate * Kill-devil is a fpecies of rum which the negroes; many Europeans alfo, from is diftilled from the fcum and dregs of a point of ceconomy, make ufe of it, to fugar cauldrons. This is much drunk in whom it proves no better than a flow but this colony, and the only fpirits allowed fatal poifon. the the gloom which the infernal furnace had left upon my mind. Of the coffee eftates, that of Mr. Sims, called Limefhope, wras the moR magnificent, and may be deemed with juRice one of the richelt in the colony. We now once more, on the fixth of April, returned fafe to Paramaribo, where we found the Wefterlingwerf man of war, Captain Crafs, which had arrived from Plymouth in thirty-fevcn days, into which port he had put to Rop a leak, having parted company with us, as already mentioned,off Portland, in the end of December 1772. This day, dining at the houfe of my friend, Mr. Lolkens, to whom I had been, as I have faid, recommended by letters, 1 was an eye witnefs of the unpardonable contempt with which negro flaves are treated in this colony. His fon, a boy not more than ten years old, when fitting at table, gave a flap in the face to a grey-headed black woman, who by accident touched his powdered hair, as fhe was ferving in a difh of kerry. I could not help blaming his father for overlooking the action; who told trie, with a fmile, that the child fliould 110 longer offend me, as he was next day to fail for Holland for education; to which I anfwered, that I thought it almoft too late. At the fame moment a failor palling by* broke the head of a negro with a bludgeon, for not having faluted him with his hat.—Such is the Rate of fla-very, at leaff in this Dutch fettlement! About this time, Colonel Fourgeoud made a fecond ex-curfion, ail(i now departed with a barge, to explore the VoL- I* O banks banks and fituation of the river Surinam, as he had before done thofe of Rio Comewina and Rio Cottica. At this time died Captain Barends, one of the matters of the tranfports, which were Rill kept in commiffion, in cafe they Ihould be wanted for our return to Europe. Five or fix failors now were buried every day, belonging, to the merchant fhips, whofe lamentable fate I cannot pafs by unnoticed, being actually ufed worfe than the negroes in this fcorching climate, where,, befides rowing, large flat-bottomed barges up and down the rivers, day and night, for coffee, fugar, 6cc. and being expofed to the burning fun and heavy rains, and hefides Rowing the above commodities in a hold as hot as an. oven, they are obliged to row every upftart planter to his eRate at a call, which faves the gentleman fo many negroes, and for which they receive in return nothing—many times not fo much as a mouthful of meat and drink; palliating hunger and thirR, by begging from the flaves a few bananas or plantains, eating oranges and drinking waterr which in a little time relieves them from every complaint, by fhipping them off to eternity. In every part of the colony they are no better treated, but, like horfes, they muR (having unloaded the veffels) drag the commodities to the dif-tant flore-houfes, being bathed in fweat, and bullied with bad language, fometimes with blows; while a few negroes are ordered to attend, but not to work, by the direction of their mafters, which many would willingly do to relieve the drooping failors, to whom this ufage muR be exceedingly difheartening difheartening and galling. The planters even employ CHAP, thofe men to paint their houfes, clean their fafh-windows, and do numberlefs other menial fervices, for which a feaman was never intended. All this is done to lave the work of their negroes; while by this nfage thoufands are fwept to the grave, who in the line of their profeffion alone might have lived for many years ; nor dare the Weft India Captains to refufe their men, without incurring the difpleafure of the planters, and feeing their fhips rot in the harbour without a loading nay, I have heard a failor fervently wiffa he had been born-a negro, and beg to be employed amongft them in cultivating a coffee plantation. I now took an early opportunity to enquire of Mrs. Demelly what was become of the amiable Joanna; and was informed that .her lady, Mrs. D. 13. had efcaped to Holland on board the Boreas man-of-war, under the protection of Captain Van-de-Velde, and that her young mulatto was now at the houfe of her aunt, a free woman, whence ihe expected hourly to be fent up to the eftate Fauconberg, friendlefs, and at the mercy of fome unprincipled overfecr appointed by the creditors, who had now taken poflcffion of the plantation and flock, till the whole fhould be fold to pay the feveral fums due to them by Mr. D. B.—Good God!—-I flew to the fpot in fearch of poor Joanna: I found her bathed in tears. —She gave me fuch a look—ah ! fuch a look !—From that moment I determined to be her protector againft every infulr, and perfevered, as fhall be feen in the fequel.—Here, reader, let my youth, blended with extreme fenfibility, plead my Vol.1. q2 excufe; chap, excufe ; yet afiuredly my feelings will be forgiven me__ v' , by thofe few only excepted—who delight in the prudent conduct of Mr. Inc/e, to the haplefs and much-injured: Tarico at Barbadoes, I next ran to the houfe of my friend Lolkens, who happened to he the adminiftrator of Fanconberg eftate;. and alking his aftiftance, I intimated to him my ftrange determination of purchaling and educating Joanna. Having recovered from his ftrrprize, after gazing at me idently for. fome time, an interview at once was pro-pofed; and the beauteous Have, accompanied by a female relation, was produced trembling in my prefence. Reader, if you have perufed the tale of Lavinia with pieafure, though the fcene admits of no comparifon, reject not the hiftory of Joanna with contempt.—It now proved to be ftie who had privately fent me the cordial and the oranges in March, when I was nearly expiring, and which ihe now modeftly acknowledged " was in " gratitude for my expreftions of companion rejecting "her fad fituation ; " with fingular delicacy, however, ftie rejected every propofal of becoming mine upon any terms. She was confeious, fhe faid, " that in fuch a Rate " fliould I foon return to Europe, fhe muft either be ** parted from me for ever, or accompany me to a part " of the world where the inferiority of her condition « muft prove greatly to the difadvantage of both herfelf « and her benefactor, and thus in either cafe be mifer-« able." In which fentiments Joanna firmly perilling, ihe was immediately permitted to withdraw, and return to the houfe of her aunt; while I could only intreat of t Mr. Mr. Lolkens his generous protection for her, and that CHAP. Ihe might at leaft for fome time be feparated from the u Yj_ , other flaves, and continue at Paramaribo; and in this re-queft his humanity was induced to indulge me. On the 30th the news arrived, that the rangers, having difcovered a rebel village, had attacked it, and carried off three prifoners, leaving four others dead upon the fpot, whofe right hands, chopped off" and barbecued or fmokc-dried, they had fent to the governor of Paramaribo as a pi oof of their valour and fidelity. On receiving this intelligence, Colonel Fourgeoud immediately left the river Surinam, where he Rill was, and on the firft of May returned to town, in expectation of his regiment being employed on actual fervice, but there the builnefs ended ; and we ft ill, to our utter altonifli-mcnt, were allowed to linger away our time, each agreeably to his own peculiar fancy. On the 4th of May, the rangers however were reviewed in the Fort Zelandia, at which ceremony I was prefent, and muft confefs that this corps of black foldiers had a truly manly appearance : warriors whofe determined and open afpect could not but give me the fatisfaction of a foldier in beholding them. They here once more received the thanks of the governor for their manly behaviour and faithful conduct, particularly at the taking of Boucon; befides which, they were entertained with a rural feaft, at the public expence, at Paramaribo, to which were alfo invited their families ; and at which feaft feveral refpect able people of both fexes made their appearance with pleafure, to witnefs the happincis of their fable friends, the day being Vol. I. O 3 fpent chap, fpcnt in mirth and conviviality, without the leaR difturb-.. ^ ance, nay even with decorum and propriety, to the great fatisfa day greatly aftoniflied to fee all my gold returned upon my table; the charming Joanna having carried every article back to the merchants, who cheerfully returned her the money. " Your generous intentions alone, Sir, (Ihe faid) were «« fufficient: but allow me to tell you, that I cannot help «' confidering any fuperfluous expence on my account " as a diminution of that good opinion which I hope you " have, and will ever entertain, of my difintereRed dif-14 pofition." Such was the language of a flave, who had iimple nature only for her inftrudtor, the purity of whofe fen-timents Rood in need of no comment, and thefe I was now determined to improve by every care. I fhall now only add, that a regard for her fuperior virtues, fo lingular amongR her eaft, gratitude for her particular attention to me, and the pleafure of producing to the world fuch an accomplished character under the appearance of a flave, could alone embolden me to rifk the cenfure of my readers, by intruding on them this fubject: let this be my apology, and if it be accepted but by few, I fhall not be inclined to complain. In the evening I vifited Mr. Demelly, who, with his lady, congratulated me on my recovery from ficknefs; and at the fame time, however ftrange it may appear to many readers, they, with a fmile, wifhed me joy of Vol. I. P what.. » CHAP, what, with their uRial good-humour, they were pleafed v- to call my conqueR; which, one of the ladies in com-pany affured me, while it was perhaps cenfured by fome, was applauded by many, but fhe believed in her heart envied by all.—A decent wedding, at which many of our refpectable friends made their appearance, and at which I was as happy as any bridegroom ever was, concluded the ceremony ; with which I fhall beg leave to conclude a chapter, which, methinks I hear many readers whifper, had better never had a beginning. CHAP. CHAP. VI. Account of a dreadful Execution—Plutluating State of political Affairs—Short Glimpfeof Peace—An Officer pot dead; his whole Party cut to Pieces, and the general Alarm revived throughout the Colony. ON the 21ft of May our Lieutenant Colonel Lam> ci-TAP. man died, and a number of our officers lay lick. Inftead of gaiety and diflipation, difeafe and mortality now began to rage amongft us; and the devaftation in-creafed from day to day among the private men, in a moft alarming proportion. The remains of the deceafed officer were interred with military honours, in the centre of the Fortrefs Zelandia, where all criminals are im-prifoned, and all field officers buried. At this place I was not a little fhocked, to fee the captive rebel negroes and others clanking their chains, and roafting plantains and yams upon the fepulchres of the dead; they pre-fented to my imagination, the image of a number of diabolical fiends in the fliape of African flaves, tormenting the fouls of their European perfecutors. From thefe gloomy manfions of defpair, on this day, feven captive negroes were feleeled, who being led by a few foldiers to the place of execution, which is in the Savannah, where the failors and foldiers are interred, fix were hanged, and one broken alive upon the rack, with an iron P2 bar; CHAP, bar; bcfides which a white man was fcourged beR>re the VL J court houfe, by the public executioner, who is in this country always a black. The circumftance which led me to take particular notice of this affair, was the fhame-ful injuftice of fliewing a partiality to the European, who ought to have been better informed, by letting him ef-cape with only a flight corporal punifhment; while the poor uneducated African for the fame crime, viz. Realing money out of the Town Hall, loR his life under the moR excruciating torments, which he fupported without heaving a figh or making a complaint; while one of his companions with the rope about his neck, and juR on the point of being turned off, uttered a laugh of contempt at the magiffrates who attended the execution. I ought not in this place to omit, that the negro who flogged the white man inflicted the punifhment with the greateft marks of commiferation. Thefe tranfactions almoft induced me to decide between the Europeans and Africans in this colony, that the firfl were the greater barbarians of the two—a name which tarniflies Chrif-tianity, and is bcRowed on them in too many corners of the globe, with what real degree of juftice I will not take on me to determine. Having teffified how much I was hurt at the cruelty of the above execution, and furprized at the intrepidity with which the negroes bore their punifhment, a decent looking man flepped up to me, tX Sir, (faid he) you « are but a new-comer from Europe, and know very little " about " about the African flaves, or you would teftify both lefs " feeling and furprize. Not long ago, (continued he) I " faw a black man fufpended alive from a gallows, by " the ribs, between which, with a knife, was firft made " an incifion, and then clinched an iron hook with "a chain; in this manner he kept alive three days, " hanging with his head and feet downwards, and catch-u ing with his tongue the drops of water (it being in " the rainy feafon) that were flowing down his bloated « breaft. Notwithftanding all this he never complained, « and even upbraided a negro for crying while he was " flogged below the gallows, by calling out to him—You a man ?—Da cay faj'yf Arc you a man? you behave like " a boy. Shortly after which he was knocked on the " head by the commiferating fentry, who ftood over him, " with the butt end of his mufket."—u Another negro, « (faid he) I have feen quartered alive; who, after four " ftrong horfes were fattened to his legs and arms, and « after having had iron fprigs driven home underneath « every one of his nails on hands and feet, without a mo-" tion, he firft aiked a dram, and then bid them pull away, " without a groan; but what afforded us the greateft en-" tertainment, (continued he) were the fellow's jokes, " by defiling the executionef*to drink before him, in cafe *-? there Raould chance to be poifon in the glafs, and bid-" ding him take care of his horfes, left any of them " fhould happen to ftrike backwards. As for old men " being broken upon the rack; and young women roafted " alive " alive chained to (lakes, there can nothing be more " common in this colony."—I was petrified at the inhuman detail; and breaking away with execrations from this diabolical fcene of laceration, made the beR of my way home to my own lodgings. On the 24th, having received a fupply of provifions from Holland, and abfolutely doing no fervice in the colony, it was univerfally refolved that we fliould proceed home; our regiment, notwithstanding its being partly paid by the United Provinces, Rill being exceedingly chargeable to the fociety and the inhabitants, who, in conjunction, paid all other expences ; thus, in the hopes of failing in the middle of June, the tranfports were ordered a fecond time to wood, water, and make all other necefTary preparations. 1 muR fay nothing of what I felt on this occafion; I continued, however, not long in this Rate of fufpenfe; for the following day intelligence being brought that a plantation was demolifhed, and the overfeers murdered by the rebels, our ll$y was prolonged a fecond time, at the requeft of the governor himfelf and inhabitants; and, in confequence, the three tranfports, which had fince February the 9th been ke^pt waiting at a great expence, were finally put out of cornViiiRion, and tffe provifions Rowed at the head-quarters in a temporary Rore-houfe erected for that purpofe. The minds of the people began now to be quieted, Ending at laft that the troops were in earneft preparing for for actual fervice, a circumftance greatly, indeed, to be CHAP, lamented as to the occafion, but certainly much better , VL for the colony, than to let the regiment-linger away an idle life at Paramaribo. Thus our warlike preparations for fome days proceeded, and our marines appeared in excellent fpirits; when again, on the 7th of June, to our unutterable furprize, we were for the third time officially acquainted, that things feeming quiet, and prefuming that tranquillity was at laft rc-eftablilhed, the colony of Surinam had no farther occafion for our fervices; thefe fluctating councils did not fail to produce much difcontent among the military, as well as the inhabitants; and cabals were formed, which threatened to break out into a civil conteft. Some charged the governor with being jealous of the unlimited power which was vefted in Colonel Fourgeoud, who was alfo by many others blamed as abufing that power, and as not treating the governor with that civility, which he might have evinced without leffening his own confequence. Thus, while one party acknowledged us to be the bulwark of the fettlement, by keeping the rebels in awe, the opposition hefitated not to call us the locufts of Egypt, who were come to devour the fruits of the colony. Without entering into the merits of the queftion, it is fufRcient to fay, that our life was rendered very uncomfortable, and a great number of us could not help thinking, 6 that chap. tnat between the two parties we were but ill treated. VI> This fame day, while at dinner on board a Dutch veffel in the roads, the company were alarmed by the moft tremendous claps of thunder I ever heard in my life. On our fide of the continent, feveral negroes and cattle were killed by lightning; while, on the other fide, nearly at the fame time, the city of Guatimala, in Old Mexico, was fwallowed up by an earthquake, by which eight thoufand families are faid to have inftantly perifhed. On the nth, the fhips, being taken again into commif-fion, were ordered with all poflible expedition to prepare for our final departure, and every one was making himfelf ready for the voyage. Being thus apparently difengaged from military fervice, I received a polite invitation from a Mr. Camphel, who was lodged with a Mr. Kerry at my friend Kennedy's, to accompany him on a vifit to the iiland of Tobago, where I might recruit my debilitated health and dejected fpirits. His plan was to return with me by the Leeward I Hands to Europe. It was, indeed, to me a moft agreeable offer, all things confidercd, and I fliould certainly with pleafure have accepted it, had not my application to Colonel Fourgeoud been prevented by a frefh alarm, which was received on the 15th. The fubftance of this was no lefs, than that an officer of the Society troops had been fhot dead by the rebels, and his whole party, con-fifting of about thirty men, entirely cut to pieces. So alarming a piece of intelligence could not fail to throw the whole 3 colony colony once more into the utmoft confufion and confter- CHAP, nation ; the above gentleman, whofe name was Lepper, ^ VJ* ^ and only a lieutenant, was in a great meafure the caufe of this misfortune, by his impetuofity and intrepidity, totally unregulated by temper or conduct *; but as this cenfure in general terms may appear fevere, it becomes in fome degree incumbent on me to relate the particulars. The period when this unhappy event took place, was that which, in the language of the colony, is termed the Jhort-day feafon. During this, Mr. Lepper having been informed that between the rivers Patamaca and Upper Cormootibo, a village of negroes had been difcovered by the rangers fome time before; he determined with his fmall party, which was only a detachment from the Patamaca pod, to fally through the woods and attack them. But the rebels being apprized of bis intentions by their fpies, which theyconftantly employ, immediately marched out to receive him; in his way they laid themfelves in am-bufh, near the borders of a deep marfh, through which the ibkliers were to pafs to the rebel fettlement. No fooner had the unfortunate men got into the fwamp and up to their arm-pits, than their black enemies rufhed out from under cover, and Riot them dead at their leifure in the water, * This gentleman formerly belonged through the heart with bis fword in a to the life-guards in Holland, from which duel, he fled, after thrufting his antagonift Vol. I. while while they were unable to return the fire more than once, their fituation preventing them from re-loading their mufquets. Their gallant commander, being imprudently diftinguifhed by a. gold-laced hat, was Riot through the head in the RrR onfet. The few that fcrambled out of the marfh upon the banks were immediately put to death in the moft barbarous manner, except five or fix, who were taken prifoners and carried alive to the fettlement of the rebels. The melancholy fate of thefe unfortunate men, I fhall, in a proper place, defcribe, as I had it fince from thofe that were eye-witnefles of it. The intelligence had fcarcely reached Paramaribo, than the whole town was in a tumult; fome parties were fo vehement that they were ready to tear the governor and council to pieces, for having difmiffed Colonel Fourgeoud with his regiment; while others ingenuoufly declared, that if we were intended for no further ufe than we had hitherto been, our company might without regret be drf-penfed with. All this could not but be exceedingly galling to our officers, who wifhed nothing more than to be employed on actual fervice for the advantage of the colony. On the other fide, moft bitter lampoons were fpread through the town againft the governor and his council; libels of fuch a black and inflammatory nature-, that no lefs than a thoufand gold ducats were offered as a reward for the difcovery of their author, with a promife of concealing the name of the informer if he required it: but the whole was to no purpofe, and neither author nor informer informer made their appearance i the general clamour CHAP, however ftill continuing, the governor and council were ^_ ^j' , forced a third time to petition us to remain in Surinam, and to protect the diffracted colony. To this petition we once more condefcended to liften, and the fhips were actually a third time put out of commiflion. We, however, Rill continued doing nothing, to the un-fpeakable furprize of every perfon concerned: the only-part on duty, hitherto, having confiftcd of a fubaltern's guard at the head-quarters, to protect the chief, his colours, his Rore-houfes, pigs and poultry, which guard regularly mounted every day at half paft four o'clocky and another on board the tranfports, until the provifions had been Rowed on Ihore in the magazines. This, a few field-days excepted, when the foldiers were drilled for pomp alone in a burning fun till they fainted, comprehended the whole of our military manccuvres. But I perceive the reader is already impatient for fome information reflecting thefc two extraordinary men, who, from their inveteracy and oppofition to each other, as well as from other caufes, were the authors of thefe unaccountable and fluctuating proceedings; and the outlines of thefe two characters may perhaps aflift in unravelling the myftery. As the ingredients of flattery or fear make but a fmall part of that man's compofition who prefumes to give them, and who pretends perfectly to have known both, Q % the <2HAP. the reader may depend on having them painted in their L. V_ true original colours, however Rrong the fhades. Governor Nepfeu was faid to be rather a man of fenfe than of learning, and was wholly indebted to his art and addrefs, for having rifen to his prefent dignity from fweeping the hall of the court-houfe. By the fame means he was enabled,, from nothing, to accumulate a fortune, by fome computed at no lefs than eight thoufand pounds fterling annually, and to command refpect from all ranks of people, no perfon ever daring to attack him but at a diftance. His deportment was affable,, but ironical, without ever lofing the command of his temper,, which gave him the appearance of ai man of faftiion, and rendered his influence almoft unbounded. Fie was generally known by the appellation of Reynard, and was moR certainly a fox of toomuch artifice to be run down by all the hounds in the colony. Colonel Fourgeoud was almoR exactly the reverfe of this portrait. He was impetuous, paflionate, felf-fuffi-cienty and revengeful: he was not cruel to individuals,, but was a tyrant to the generality, and caufed the death of hundreds by his fordid avarice and oppreflion. With all this he was partial,, ungrateful* and confufed; but a moR indefatigable man in bearing hardships and in braving dangers,, not exceeded by Columbus himfelf, which, like a true buccaneer, he fuftained with the moft heroic courage, patience, and perfeverance. Though un-! conquerably conquerably harfti and fevere to his officers, he was CHAP, however not wanting in affability to the private foldiers, i He had read, but had no education to aflift him in digefting what he read. In ffiort, few men could talk better, but on moR occafions few could act worfe. Such were the characters of our commanders, while the oppofition of two fuch men to each other could not fail to produce unhappinefs to the troops, and operated as a fufficient caufe for. the fluctuating Rate of political affairs in this dejected colony.. As we Rill continued totally inactive, I am neceffarily deprived, of the pleafure of relating any of our hero's warlike atchievements.—To relieve the famenefs of the narrative, I therefore take the liberty of defcribing one of his favourites.r—This was no other than a bird called the toucan, and in Surinam banarabeck or cojacai, either from its bill having fome refemblance to that fruit, or from its being accuftomed to feed on it, and perhaps from both. This animal the. colonel kept hopping tame amongR his poultry. The toucan is not larger than a tame pigeon, and yet its beak is no lefs than fix inches in length, if not more. It is lhaped like a jackdaw, carrying its tail almoft perpendicular,, except when it flies : its colour is black, except a little white under the throat and breaft, which is bordered with red in the form of a crefcent reverfed, and a few feathers above and under its tail, fome white and fome crimfon. The head is large, with a blueifti ring round; C H A P. round the eyes, of which the iris is yellow, and its afli-, ^||, coloured toes are much like thofe of a parrot. Its remark able beak deferves the moR particular attention, which is ferrated, and of a fize utterly difproportioned to its body. This beak, however, which is arched, is as thin as parchment, and confequently very light; it is yellow on the top, and on the fides of a beautiful deep orange, inclofing a tongue which bears a ftrong refemblance to a feather. The toucan feeds on fruit, efpecially pepper, and is very domeflic. 1 fhall here alfo take the opportunity to defcribe another tame bird, which I faw with pleafure at the houfe of Mr. Lolkens, and which I take to be what we call the fly-catcher; they denominate it in this country fun-fowh) becaufe when it extends its wings, which it frequently does, there appears, on the interior part of each wing, the moR beautiful reprefentation of a fun. This bird is about the fize of a woodcock, and of a golden colour, but fpeckled ; its legs are very long, and alfo its Render bill, which is perfeaiy flrait, and very pointed. With this it darts at the flies while they creep, with fuch wonderful dexterity and quicknefs, that it never mifies the object, which feems to conRitute its principal food ; and this property renders it both ufeful and entertaining. This bird might, with fome degree of propriety, be Ryled the perpetual motion, its body making a continual movement, and its tail keeping time like the pendulum of a clock. Having Having defcribed thefe two contrafts in appearance, I muR add, that neither they, nor any of thofe birds in Guiana which are remarkable for their beautiful plumage, ever ling with any degree of melody, three or four perhaps excepted, whofe notes are fweet, but not varied. Of thefe I fhall fpeak at a proper opportunity. « *-For Nature's hand3 "That with a fportive vanity has deck'd « The plumy nations, there her gayeft hues " Profufely pours. But if Ihe bids them fhine, ' The l.iinituii) place 11 The Brest Mini bank 1l. I. T " morrow. CHAP. « morrow. Upon faying which (continued the foldier) u." as 1 ^ on my bleeding breaft, with my face refting " on my left arm, he, dropping his hatchet into my " fhoulder, made the fatal wound you fee, of which I " mail perhaps no more recover.—I however lay quite " ftill. They went away, carrying along with them ** the mangled heads of my comrades, and five or fix " prifoners alive, with their hands tied behind their " backs, of whom I never fince have heard. When all M was quiet, and it was very dark, I found means, on my w hands and feet, to creep out from among the carnage* " and get under cover in the foreft, where I met another <* of our foldiers, who was lefs wounded than myfelf; « with whom, after ten days wandering, in torment and iC dcfpair, without bandages, not knowing which way to " proceed, and only one Angle loaf of black bread for " our fubfiftence, wc at laft arrived at the military poft ** of Patamaca, emaciated, and our putrefied wounds full "of live worms." I gave the miferable creature half-a-crown ; and having agreed with Captain Orzinga upon the figrials, we left this peft-houfe, and ftepping on board my man of war, rowed up till we arrived before a creek, called Bar-bacoba, where we once more came to an anchor* On the following day we continued to row farther up the river, till we came before the Cormoetibo Creek, where we moored the fleet, as being my head Ration, Ration, by Colonel Fourgeoud's command. Here we law chap, nothing but water, wood, and clouds; no trace of hu- ^J^j manity, and confequently the place had a moft difmal, folitary appearance. On the 10th I detached the Cerberus to her ftation, viz. Upper Patamaca; for which place fhe rowed immediately, with a long lift of paroles, according to my orders, but which were never of any fervice. We now tried to cook the victuals on board; our furnace was a large tub filled with earth, and we fucceeded, at the expence of having almoft Raided one of my men to death, and at the hazard of fetting the barge once more on fire. As we had no furgeon along with us, this office fell to my lot; and, by the help of a fmall cheft of medicines, I performed fo well, that in a few days the Raided marine recovered. To prevent, however, a fimilar accident again, I fought an opening in the creek above-named, which having found not very far from the mouth, I ordered my negroes to build a fhed, and my men to drefs their victuals below it, placing fentinels around them to prevent a furprize, and in the evening we returned to our ftation. This cooking we continued to perform every day, until the fourteenth, when we rowed down to Barbacoba. Here we built another fired on the 15th, for the fame purpofe ; and then, the rain already beating through my decks, we rowed down to Devil's Harwar for repair, where I put one of my negroes fick in the hofpital. T 2 On On the 16th, I got my deck caulked and payed, and fent an account of our arrival to Colonel Fourgeoud. On the 17th, we returned to Cormoetibo Creek, having loR an anchor among the roots of the mangrove-trees that on both fides line the banks of all the rivers in the colony. Thefe trees are of two fpecies, the red and the white, but the former is that of which I now fpeak 1 it rifes from a number of roots that fhew themfelves above ground for feveral feet before they are joined together, and form the trunk, which is both large and tall; the bark is grey on the outfide, but the infide is red, and ufed for tanning leather. The wood is reddifh, hard, and good for building and other purpofes ; but the moR remarkable property of this tree is, that from its extended branches, and even its trunk, defcend thoufands of ligneous fhoots, like the ropes of a fhip, which dropping to the earth, take root and again re-afcend, forming for a great circumference an impenetrable thicket, while, like fo many props, they keep the tree fteady in all weathers. The white mangrove is found moftly in places more diftant from the water. This evening my fentinel, when it was very dark, called out that he faw a negro, with a lighted tobacco-pipe, crofs the Cormoetibo Creek in a canoe. We loR no time in leaping out of our hammocks; but were not a little mortified, when one of my flaves declared it was no more than a fire-fly on the wing—which actually was the cafe. Thefe infects are above an inch long, with a round C patch under the belly, of a tranfparent greenifh colourr ^ which in the dark gives a light like a candle: its eyes are alfo very luminous, and by the light of a cotvple of thefe flies one may fee very well to read fmall print. There is another fpecies, which is fmaller, and only to be obferved when they fly elevated, at which time they appear like the intermitting fparks of fire emitted from the forge of a blackfmith. On the 18th, having nothing elfe to do, I fliot a bird, which is here called a tigri-fowlo, or tiger-bird, but which I take to be of the heron fpecies; it is about the fize of a heron, but of a reddifh colour, covered over with regular black fpots, from which it has derived its name: its bill, which is long and ftrair, as alfo the legs and toes, are of a pale green colour, and feem to indicate that it lives upon fifh: the neck is alfo long, from which hangs down a kind of heavy feathers. On the head, which is fmall, it has aroundifh black fpot, and its eyes are a beautiful yellow. By a water-patrole from the Cerberus I received intelligence this evening, that the men began to be fickly; and on the following day I was informed, that on the fpot where we had dreffed our victuals, in the Cormoetibo Creek, and which is on the rebel fide of the river, a ftrong detachment had lately been murdered by the enemy. I therefore ordered the flied to be burnt to the ground, and the meat to be dreffed on board the barges. Here Here all the elements now feemed to unite in oppofing tis; the water pouring down like a deluge, the heavy rains forced themfelves fore and aft into the veffel, where they fet every thing afloat; the air was infefted with myriads of mufquitoes, which, from fun-fet to fun-rifing, conflantly kept us company, and prevented us from getting any fleep, and left us in the morning be-fmeared all over with blood, and full of blotches. The fmoak of the fire and tobacco, which we burnt to annoy them, was enough to choak us; and not a foot-Rep of land could we find, where we might cook our fait provifions in fafety. To all this mifery may be added, that difcord broke out between the marines and the negroes, with whom, as promifes or threats had as yet no weight, I was obliged to have recourfe to other means. I tied up the ringleaders of both parties; and after ordering the firft to be well flogged, and the latter to be horfe-whipped for half an hour, after due fufpcnce and expectation, I pardoned them all without one lafh. This had equally the effect of the punifhment, and peace was perfectly re-eftablifhed ; but to prevent approaching dif-eafe was totally out of my power. Not all the golden rules in Doctor Armftrong's beautiful poem upon health could avail in this fituation. We rowed down on the 20th, till we arrived before the Cafepoere Creek, in hopes of meeting fome relief, but were equally uncomfortable. So very thick were the mufquitoes now, that by clapping my two hands to-+ gether, gether, I have actually killed to the number of thirty- CHA P. VII. eight at one ftroke. - ,, In rowing down to Barbacoeba, we faw one or two beautiful makes fwim acrofs the river. In the courfe of our progrefs we occafionally met with a little relief, by ftepping ailiore under the Riade. I now had recourfe to the advice of an old negro. —" Caramaca," faid I, " what methods do you take to prefejrve your health?" _u Swim every day twice or thrice, Sir," faid he, " in the " river. This, Mafara, not only ferves for exercife where « I cannot walk, but keeps my fkin clean and cool; and " the pores being open, 1 enjoy a free perforation. u Without this, by imperceptible filth, the pores arc " fhut, the juices Ragnate, and difeafe muR inevitably " follow." Having recompenfed the old gentleman with a dram, I inftantly ftripped and plunged headlong into the river. I had, however, no fooner taken this leap, than he called to me for God's fake to come on board; which having done with much aftonifhment, he reminded me of the alligators, as well as of a fifh which is here called pery.—" Both thefe, Sir," faid he, " are exceed-" ingly dangerous, but by following my directions you * will run no hazard. You may fwim entirely naked, " only take care that you conitantly keep in motion; *' for the moment you are quiet, you run the rifk of 4* their fnapping off a limb, or being dragged to the " bottom." Having Having mentioned the alligator, I ihall take the liberty to offer to the reader (though he cannot but have met with fome account of this creature in reading different voyages) fome particulars which I have myfelf obferved, or of which I have been informed on the befl authority. It is an amphibious animal, and found in moR rivers in Guiana; its fize is from four to eighteen or twenty feet in length; the tail as long as the body, both of which are on the upper part indented like a faw, its fhape being fomething like a lizard; the colour on the back is a yel-lowifh brown, approaching to black, variegated on the lides with greenifh fliades, the belly being a dirty white; the head is large, with a fhout and eyes fomewhat refembling thofe of a fow; the laft immoveable, and guarded each by a large protuberance or hard knob. The mouth and throat, extremely wide, are befet with double rows of teeth, that can fnap almoft through any bone: it has four feet, armed with claws and hard fharp-pointed nails. The whole animal is covered over with large fcales, and a fkin fo thick that it is invulnerable, even by a mufquet-ball, except in the head or the belly, where it is moft liable to be wounded; its flefli is eaten by the natives, but is of a mufky tafte and flavour, owing it is faid to a kind of bags or bladders which are on the infide of each limb. The alligator lays its eggs on the fliore to a great number in the fand, where they are hatched by the fun, the males London,I'n/Jishni l)te!'c''tji)i, Ov ,1. Johnson, X'/',m/s Chmh t'onl. males eating the greater portion of them. On land this 0 animal is not dangerous for want of activity, but in the rivers, where he is often feertdurking for his prey, with his muzzle alone above water, Something like the Rump of an old tree, he is truly tremendous to all that approach him; yet of man, as I have feen, he is afraid, during the time he keeps his hainids/laiid fefct in motion, but no longer. Some negrOes,,:r" i-;,/,, b\ ./.Johnson. X'l\,,J.r fluirj, lord. 73 The buildings on Devil's Harwar are all made of the pitta CHAP, or manicole-tree ; which tree, and the manner of ufing it VIL , for houfes, &c. I fhall afterwards attempt todefcribe : but now muft content myfelf with only faying, that on this poft the buildings confift of a dwelling-houfe for the commanding-officer, with four very good rooms; another for the fubalterns ; a good lodge for the private foldiers ; and an hofpital for the fick, which is large and roomy : but this is no more than is neceffary, as it never is without inhabitants. There is alfo a powder and victualling magazine, proper kitchens, a bake-houfe, &c. be-fides a well with frefh water. The Society troops feed a flock of fheep, pigs, and poultry at this place, for the ufe only of the hofpital: here was alfo at this time a cow, which had been allotted for the rangers after Boeccow was taken, but the feaft had not been kept at this place. She had now a calf, and afforded milk for the officers to their tea, &.c. but for us poor fellows in the barges there was nothing at all of the kind. I may add, that fome of the officers had alfo little gardens here, which afforded them fallad, &c. The circumftance which renders Devil's Harwar fo unhealthy, in my opinion, is the myriads of mufquitoes that prevent the people from reft, and the multitudes of chigoes or fand-fleas which abound in that Ration. On the feventh, 1 arrived again at Cormoetibo Creek, where I relblved to make a landing on the fouth fhorc at all hazards, for my own foldiers to cook their beef 5 and and barley ; concluding it as well to be fhot by the enemy at once, as to be gradually confumed to death on board the Charon. It was, however, a difficult talk to fmd theimalleft fpot for the purpofe, the whole of that fhore being fo very marfhy, and over-grown with every kind of underwood, that we could fcarcely put our new project in execution ; till at Lift, my negroes having made a temporary kind of bridge, to Rep from the vawl upon a fmall fpeck of dry ground, and having formed a Right Hied of manicole-leaves to keep off the rain, we found means to keep in a fire, and were infinitely more comfortahle than we were on hoard the Charon. Our danger in this htuation, however, was certainly greater than in our former Ration; fince an old rebel fettlement was not very far from this place, which was called Pinneburgh, from a neighbouring creek ; though others allcdgc that it obtained this name from the fharp pins Ruck in the ground, like crow-feet, or chevcux de frize, with which the rebels had formerly fortified and defended it. NotwithRanding this village had been de-molifhed, it was well known that the rebels Hill frequently vifited the fpot, to pick up fome of the yams and cafadas (which the ground continued, in its uncultivated Rate, to produce) for a temporary fubhftence. I was indeed almoft abfolutely convinced that the rebels, who had lately paffed above La Rochelle in Patamaca, were at this moment encamped at the above fpot Pinnebui , and ready to commit fome depredations on the eftates on the the river Cottica or Pirica, if not to attack ourfclves; on c H A P. this account i always kept double fentinels round the vn-landing-place, and gave orders that no men ffiould be allowed to fpeak or make any kind of noife while on that fpot, in order that wre might hear the fmalleft ruftling of a leaf, and fo obviate our danger by vigilance and alacrity. On the 8th my other officer Macdonald fell fick, but. refufed to be fent to Devil's Harwar, as he would not fuffer me to be left quite by myfelf. I have faid that we had no furgeon, but carried with us a parcel of medicines, which confided of emetics, cathartics, and powders, of which I knew not the proper ufe. At their defirc, however, I daily diftributed them to the men, who, loading their ftomachs with heavy fait provifions, and ufing no exercife, had fometimes occafion for art to aflift nature. But thefe briny meals of pork and beef, Colonel Fourgeoud infilled were much more wholefome food in a tropical country than frefh provifions; for, by a moft curious theory, he afferted that the latter corrupted in the ftomach by the heat, whereas the others underwent a proper digeftion. Unfortunately for us, there were but few on board either the Cerberus or the Charon, whofe ftomachs were in a ftate to digeft fuch food, I had alfo fome plaifters on board the barge, but thefe were foon expended by the run-mng ulcers, with which the whole crew was covered; and this was eafily accounted for, lince in this climate, 6 where chap, whore the air is impregnated with myriads of invtfible Vl1- animalcula, the frhalleft fcratch immediately becomes a running fore. The bell antidote and cure for fuch com-plaints in this country is lemon or lime acid, but this we had not. The next bell mode of treatment is never to expoi'e an open wound, or even the fmalleft fcratch, to the air; but the inftant they are received, to cover them with grey paper wetted with fpirits, or any kind of moifture, fo that it may Rick to the fkin. For my own part, no man could enjoy a better Rate of health than I continued to enjoy, wearing nothing but my long trowfers, and checked fhut loofe at the collar ami turned up in the ileeves. Nay, even when the fun was not too hot, I ftripped all together, and twice every day continued to plunge into the water: by thefe means I was always cool and clean; 1 alfo daily ufed a cheering glafs of wine, having firft hung it a few fathoms under water, which rendered it much more cool and pleafant. During all thefe hardfhips, I muft not forget the high gratification which was afforded us one day by a few marcufas that we found in this place, which had been left there ftanding ever fince the eftate, many years ago, had been deftroyed. There was indeed but one fingle old tree, I fliould rather fay a fhrub, for the plant which bears them falls more properly under that defcription. This delicious fruit is of an oval form, and of an orange or golden colour; the bloffom refembling the pafffon-flower. They are commonly larger, but fome lefs than a hen's a hen's egg, and are broken open as one would break c H A P, an egg; they are then found to inclofe an afh-coloured V1L fucculent jelly, full of fmall feeds. This is Rpped out of the fhell, being fweet mixed with acid, of an ex-quifite flavour, and fo cool that it reminds one of ice marmalade. Here we remarked a variety of beautiful butterflies, particularly fome of an azure blue, which are exceedingly large, and between the ihowers fkimmed and hovered amongft the green boughs, to which their ultramarine hue, brightened by the fun, bore the moft enchanting contraft: but as I could not catch one of them while I (laid here, I muft defer the farther defcription to another part of the work. This evening we heard the found of a drum, which we could fuppofe to be no other than that of the rebels; neverthelefs we determined to continue drefting our victuals alhorc, ftill keeping on our guard, according to the advice of Mr. Klynhams. On the 9th Mr. Macdonald was much worfe; however, on feeing me receive a letter from Colonel Fourgeoud, he feemed to revive, as we all did, expecting now to be relieved from our horrid fituation. But what was our mortification, at reading that we were ftill to continue on this forlorn ftation ! This letter was accompanied by a prefent of fifh-hooks and tackle, to make up for the deficiency of other refrefhmcnts; and, indeed, of fait Vol. I. Y provifions, CHAP, provifions, which began daily to get both worfe and The receipt of fuch unwelcome intelligence made the whole crew declare they were facrificed for no manner of purpofe; while the negroes fighed, pronouncing the words, Ah! poty backer a! Oh! poor Europeans ! By the diftribution however of a few tamarinds, oranges, lemons, and Madeira wine, which were by this opportunity fent me by my beft friend at Paramaribo, I found means to impart, not only to my officers, but alfo to my drooping foldiers, fome relief. But this cheering fun-Rune could not laft long: and the day following we were as much diftreffed as ever, when I had once more recourfe to the nimble inhabitants of the foreft, and brought down two monkies with my gun from the top of the mangroves, where they were fporting in Rocks confuting of fome hundreds. On the nth, I fent two men fick to the hofpital, and the fame evening we again heard the drums. On the following day, at noon, we were difturbed by a hurricane; the Charon broke loofe from her anchors, and was driven afiiore, her upper works being terribly damaged by the Rumps of trees, 8cc. that hung over the river, while the water from the clouds broke in upon us like a torrent, and I expected no lefs than a fhipwrcck. lefs— Timco Danseos et dona ferentes. On On the 15th the other officer, Lieutenant Baron Owen, came down fick from the Cerberus, and at his requeft I ventured to fend him down to Paramaribo. I now received another letter from Colonel Fourgeoud, with a little money for the men to purchafe refrefhments, where nothing was to be met with: but not a word intimating that we were to be relieved. On the 20th I received a report, that the Cerberus, having only four private men left, had retired to the poft at La Rochelle; and, on the 21ft, I fent two of my men, to her afRftance, and ordered her back to her former Ration. I now was myfelf at laft attacked with a fever, and upon the whole felt myfelf in a truly diftreffed condition ; deprived by ficknefs of my two only officers, and my ferjeant. My men upon the three ftations (viz. the two barges and Devil's Harwar together) melted down to fifteen, from the number of forty-two, without a fur-geon, or refrefhment, furrounded with a black foreft, and expofed to the mercy of rclentlefs enemies; who muft be formidable indeed, fliould they be informed by any means of our defencelefs fituation. The remaining few were, with truth, declaring they were doomed to deftruction; infomuch, that they could with difficulty be prevented from mutiny, and from proceeding down the river Cottica with the Charon againft my orders. Por my own part, I was not altogether free from un-eafmefs. in fact, a few troops from all quarters ought Y 2 to CHAP. t0 have marched againft the enemy, when they croffed ^V|I; J the Patamaca Greek; that is, from La Rochelle, Devil's Harwar, and the river Pirica; when, being affailed at once from three quarters, the rebels might have been, if not entirely routed, at leaR feverely punifhed for their prefumption : not to fpeak of the happy effect which fuch a check muft have had in faving the lives and property of thofe victims, who, after fuch incurfions, are generally devoted to their rage. On the 23d I felt myfelf rather better; and between the fits of the fever Riot a couple of large black monkies to make fome broth, to fupply the want of freih provifions : but as the deftruction of one of thefe animals was attended with fuch circumftances, as for ever after had almoft deterred me from going a monkey-hunting, I muft beg leave to relate them as they happened:—Seeing me on the fide of the river in the canoe, the creature made a halt from Skipping after his companions, and being perched on a branch that hung over the water, examined me with attention, and the ftrongeft marks of curiofity: no doubt, taking me for a giant of his own fpecies; while he chattered prodigioully, and kept dancing and Riaking the bough on which he refted with incredible ftrength and agility. At this time I laid my piece to my ihoulder, and brought him down from the tree into the ftream ;—but may I never again be a witnefs to fuch a fcene ! The miferable animal was not dead, but mortally wounded. I feized him by the tail, and taking it in both 3 my EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 165 my hands to end his torment, I fwung him round, and CHAP* VII hit his head againft the fide of the canoe; hut the poor ^_ , creature Rill continued alive, and looking at me in the moR affecting manner that can be conceived, I knew no other means to end this murder, than to hold him under water till he was drowned, while my heart felt fick on his account: for his dying little eyes Rill continued to follow me with feeming reproach, till their light gradually forfook them, and the wretched animal expired. ' I felt fo much on this occafion, that I could neither tafte of him nor his companion, when they were dreffed, though I faw that they afforded to fome others a delicious repaft. That monkies, efpecially when young, are no bad food, may eafily be accounted for, fince they feed on nothing but fruits, nuts, eggs, young birds, &c.; and indeed, in my opinion, all young quadrupeds are eatable : but when one compares thofe which are killed in the woods to thofe filthy and difgufting creatures that difgrace the ftreets, no wonder that they fliould difguft the leaft delicate ftomach. As for the wild ones, I have eaten them boiled, roafted, and ftewed, and found their flefli white, juicy, and good : the only thing that difgufted me was, their little hands and their heads, which when dreffed, being deprived of the fkin, appeared like the hands and the ikull of a young infant. I have already obferveci that there are in Guiana many different fpecies, from the large CHAR large ourang-outang to the very fmall farcawinkee. The ,_ v IL , former, however, I never have feen, nor heard defcribed, while I was in this country ; as for the latter, I fhall de-fcribe him on another occafion, and fhall only, for the prefent, give an account of thofe which I met with on this cruife. That which I Riot the fecond inRant is what is called in Surinam mi coo : it is nearly the fize of a fox, and of a reddifh grey colour, with a black head and very long tail. Thofe I killed on the tenth were indeed exceedingly beautiful, and much more delicate when dreffed than the former: they are called the keejee-keejee by the inhabitants, arc about the fize of a rabbit, and moft aftonilhingly nimble. The colour of their body is reddifti, and the tail, which is long, is black at the extremity; but the fore-feet are orange colour. The head is very round, the face milk white, with a round black patch in the middle, in which are the mouth and the noftrils; and this difpofition of the features give it the appearance of a mafk: the eyes are black, and remarkably lively. Thefe monkies we faw daily pafs along the fides of the river, fkipping from tree to tree, but moftly about mid-day, and in very numerous bodies, regularly following each other like a little army, with their young ones on their backs, not unlike little knapfacks. Their manner of travelling is thus: the foremoft walks to the extremity of a bough, from which it bounds to the extremity of one belonging to the next tree, often at a moft VII. moft afionifhing diftance, and with Rich wonderful ac- CHAP, tivity and precifion, that it never once miffes its aim: the others one by one, and even the females, with their little ones on their backs, which flick faft to the mother, follow their leader, and perform the fame leap with the greateR feeming facility and fafety : they alfo are remarkable for climbing up the nebees or natural ropes, with which many parts of the foreR are interwoven. Thefe nebees grow in fuch a manner as to afford the appearance at firft fight of a fleet at anchor. The monkies, I am told, have fometimes two young ones fucking, like the human fpecies. I have been a witnefs how thefe animals towards fun-fet afcend to the tops of the palm-trees, fome of which are above one hundred feet in heighth, where they lleep fafe in the large diverging branches. The keefee-keefee is fuch a beautiful and delicate fond creature, that it is by many people kept as a favourite, when it wears a filver chain. Befides its mimic drolleries, it is remarkable for its goodnature and chirruping voice, which pronounces peeteeco peeteeco without intermiflion. They are eafily tamed, and are taken by means of a ftrong glue made by the Indians, which is fomething like our European bird-lime. The other fpecies, of the fhooting of which I have juft given the horrid account, were called by my negroes monkee-monkee. The only facts which I can relate farther °f them is, that they are in fize between the two former defcribed, and all over black. One circumftance I ought not CHAP, not to omit, which is very remarkable, viz. that one vn m ' i morning I faw from my barge a monkey of this kind come down to the water's edge, rinfing his mouth, and appearing to clean his teeth with one of his fingers: he was firR difcovered by one of the flaves, who pointed him out to my great amufement. Here I fhall end the fubject for the prefent, after adding that the above animals are fociable, and that they are very tenacious of life, as 1 have ftiewn. It is almoft fuperfluous to mention, that the ufual diftinction between what are called monkies and apes, confifts in this, that the firft have all tails, of which the latter are diverted; but never having met with in Guiana any of the latter defcription, I believe them more to be the inhabitants of Afia and Africa, than of the part of the new world dif-tinguifhed by the name of South America. The monkies are often mifchievous near the plantations, where they commit depredations on the fugar-canes, &:c. yet of this I but one time have been a witnefs. As I am fpeaking of the animals found in this part of the country, I muft not omit the otters here, called ta-vous9 which in the Cormoetiho Creek frequently attracted our attention by their difagreeable noife : as they are amphibious, they live moftly on lifti; they are about three feet in length, grey-coloured, and all over fpotted with white; their legs are fhort, they are web-footed, and armed with five claws; the head is round, the nofe befet with whifkers like a cat; the eyes are fmall, and ulaced placed above the ears; the tail is very Ihort. This ani- CHAP, mal moves aukwardly upon land, but in the rivers pro- . |VII*||. ceeds with great velocity. In Guiana it is faid there is another fpecies of otters, which are much larger, but thefe I never faw. NotwithRanding the favourable appearances of the preceding day, I was, on the 24th, exceedingly ill indeed, not being able to fit up in my hammock, under which the black boy Quaco now lay, crying for his mafter, and on the following day the poor lad himfelf fell lick; at the fame time I was alfo obliged to fend three men in a fever to Devil's Harwar. As misfortunes often croud together, I received, at this fatal period, the melancholy account that the officer, Mr. Owen, was alfo dead, having expired on his pafTage downwards at the eftate Alica, where he was buried. My enfign, Mr. Cottenhurgh, who had fince gone to Paramaribo, died next; and for myfelf no better was now to be expected. In the height of a burning fever I now lay, forfaken by all my officers and men, without a friend to comfort me, and without affiftance of any kind, except what the poor remaining negro Raves could afford me, by boiling a little water to make fome tea. In this fituation the reader may judge of the confolation which was afforded me, the very evening when thefe accumulated misfortunes feemed to threaten our extinction, by the receipt of an order from the Colonel, to come down with both the barges to Devil's Harwar, where I was again to take poll VoL- Z 00 CHA P. on more, and relieve Captain Orzinga, of the Society fer-VIL vice, who with his men was to proceed to La Rochelle in Patamaca, to Rrengthen the troops already there. Ill as I was, this had fuch a powerful effect on my fpirits, that I immediately ordered the Cerberus down to the mouth of the Cormoetibo Creek, where Rie joined me that evening. On the 26th, we bid farewei to this deftruclive place; and having weighed anchor, rowed down as far as Barbacoeba, during which time a circumftance happened, which will probably prove more entertaining than the repeated accounts of ficknefs and deaths. As I was refting in my hammock, between the pa-roxyfms of my fever, about half way between Cormoetibo and Barbacoeba, while the Charon was floating down,, the fentinel called to me that he had feen and challenged fomething black and moving in the brufh-wood on the beach, which gave no anfwer; but which, from its fize, he concluded muR be a man. I immediately dropped anchor; and having manned the canoe, ill as I was, I Reppcd into it, and rowed up to the place mentioned by the fentinel. Here we all Rapped aihore to reconnoitre, as I fufpected it to be no other than a rebel fpy, or a flraggling party detached by the enemy; but one of my flaves, of the name of David, declared it was no negro, but a large amphibious fnake, which could not be far from the beach, and I might have an opportunity of fhooting it if I pleafed. To this, however, I 1 had had not the lead inclination, from the uncommon fize of CHA P. the creature, from my weaknefs, and the difficulty of get- t T^' 1 ting through the thicket, which feemed impenetrable to the water's edge; and therefore ordered all of them to return on board. The negro then afked me liberty to Rep forward and (hoot it himfelf, affuring me it could not be at any great diftance, and warranting me againft all danger. This declaration infpired me with fo much pride and emulation, that I determined to take his firft advice, and kill it myfelf; provided he would point it out to me, and be refponfible for the hazard, by ftanding at my fide, from which I fwore that if he dared to move, I fliould level the piece at himfelf, and blow out his own brains. To this the negro cheerfully agreed; and having loaded my gun with a ball-cartridge, we proceeded ; David cutting a path with a bill-hook, and a marine following, with three more loaded firelocks to keep in readinefs. We had not gone above twenty yards through mud and water, the negro looking every way with an uncommon degree of vivacity and attention; when ftarting behind me, he called out, " Me fee fnakee P and in effect there lay the animal, rolled up under the fallen leaves and rubbifh of the trees; and fo well covered, that it was fome time before I distinctly perceived the head of this monfter, diftant from me not above fixteen feet, moving its forked tongue, while its eyes, from their uncommon brightnefs, appeared to emit fparks of fire. I now, rcfting my piece Vol. I. Z2 upon 17* NARRATIVE OF AN CHAP, upon a branch, for the purpofe of taking a furer aim, ^VH',_» fired; but milling the head, the ball went through the body, when the animal Rruck round, and with fuch aftonifhing force as to cut away all the underwood around him with the facility of a fcythe mowing grafs; and by flouncing his tail, caufed the mud and dirt to fly over our heads to a confiderable diflance. Of this proceeding however we were not torpid fpectators, but took to our heels, and crouded into the canoe. The negro now in-treated me to renew the charge, affuring me the fnake would be quiet in a few minutes, and at any rate perfift-ing in the affertion that he was neither able nor inclined to purfue us; which opinion he fupported by walking before me, till I fliould be ready to fire. And thus I again undertook to make the trial, efpecially as he faid that his firfl Rarting backwards had only proceeded from a defire to make room for me. I now found the fnake a little removed from his former Ration, but very quiet, with his head as before, lying out among the fallen leaves, rotten bark, and old mofs. I fired at it immediately, but with no better fuccefs than the other time: and now, being but Rightly wounded, he fent up fuch a cloud of dufl and dirt, as I never faw but in a whirlwind, and made us once more fuddenly retreat to our canoe; where now, being heartily tired of the exploit, I gave orders to row towards the barge: but David Rill intreating me to permit him to kill the animal, 1 was, by his perfuafions, induced to make a third and laft attempt, in company with him. Thus, Thus, having once more difcovered the fnake, we dif- CHAP, charged both our pieces at once, and with this good effect, m that he was now by one of us fhot through the head. David, who was made completely happy by this fuccefs-ful conclufion, ran leaping with joy, and loR no time in bringing the boat-rope, in order to drag him down to the canoe; but this again proved not a very eafy undertaking, fince the creature, notwithftanding its being mortally wounded, Rill continued to wreath and twiR about, in fuch a manner as rendered it dangerous for any perfon to approach him. The negro, however, having made a running noofe on the rope, and after fome fruitlefs attempts to make an approach, threw it over his head with much dexterity; and now, all taking hold of the rope, we dragged him to the beach, and tied him to the Rern of the canoe, to take him in tow. Being ftill alive, he kept fwimming like an eel; and I having no relifh for fuch a ftiip-mate on board, whofe length (notwithftanding to my aftonilhment all the negroes declared it to be but a young one come to about its half growth) I found upon meafuring it to be twenty-two feet and fome inches; and its thicknefs about that of my black boy Quaco, who might then be about twelve years old, and round whofe waift I fince meafured the creature's fkin. Being arrived along-fide of the Charon, the next confutation was, how to difpofe of this immenfe animal; when it was at length determined to bring him on fhore at Barbacoeba, to have him fkinned, and take out the oil, CHAP, oil, Sec. In order to effect this purpofe, the negro David _ VJJ'^ having climbed up a tree with the.end of the rope, let it down over a ftrong forked bough, and the other negroes hoifted up the fnake, and fufpended him from the tree. This done, David, with a fharp knife between hjs teeth, now left the tree, and clung faft upon the monfter, which was ftill twifting, and began his operations by ripping it up, and ftripping down the fkin as he defended. Though I perceived that the animal was no lorjger able to do him any injury, I confefs I could not without emotion fee a man ft ark naked, black .and bloody, clinging with arms and legs round the llimy and yet living monfter. This labour, however, was not without its ufe, lince he not only dexteroufly finifhed the operation, but provided me, belides the fkin, with above four gallons of line clarified fat, or rather oil, though there was wafted perhaps as much more. This 1 delivered to the furgeoris at Devil's Harwar, for the ufe of the wounded men in the hofpital, for which I received their hearty thanks, it being confidered, particularly for bruifes, * very excellent remedy. When I fignified my furprize to fee the fnake ftill living, after he was deprived of his intef-tines and fkin, Caramaca, the old negro, whether from experience or tradition, affured me he would not die till after fun-fet. The negroes now cut him in flices, in order to drefs and feaft upon him, they all declaring that he was exceedingly good and wholefome; but to their great I.l.l„h'll,h,b/i..l„,l />,, great mortification I refufed to give my concurrence, and c we rowed down with the fkin to Devil's Harwar. Of this fpecies feveral fkins are preferved in the Bri-tifh and Mr. Parkinfon's Mufeums. It is called by Mr. Weftley Lyboija, and Boa in the Britifh Encyclopaedia, to which publication I refer the reader for a perfect account,, and an excellent engraving, of this wonderful creature, which in the colony of Surinam is cvMz&Aboma. Its length, when full grown, is faid to be fometimes forty feet, and more than four feet in circumference; its colour is a greenifh black on the back; a fine brownifh yellow on the fides, and a dirty white under the belly : the back and fides being fpotted with irregular black rings, with a pure white in the middle. Its head is broad and flat, fmall in proportion to the body, with a large mouth, and a double row of teeth: it has two bright prominent eyes ; is covered all over with fcales, fome about the fize of a fhilling; and under the body, near the tail, armed with two ftrong claws like cock-fpurs, to help it in feizing its prey. It is an amphibious animal, that is, it delights in low and marfliy places, where it lies coiled up like a rope, and concealed under mofs, rotten timber, and dried leaves, to feize its prey by furprize, which from its immenfe bulk it is not active enough to purfue. When hungry, it will devour any animal that comes within its reach, and is indifferent whether it is a floth, a wild boar, a flag, or even a tiger; round which having having twifted itfelf by the help of its claws, fo that the creature cannot efcape, it breaks, by its irreiiitible force, every bone in the animal's body, which it then covers over with a kind of flime or flaver from its mouth, to make it Hide; and at laR gradually fucks it in, till it disappears : after this, the aboma cannot fhift its iituation, on account of the great knob or knot which the fwal-lowed prey occafions in that part of the body where it refts till it is digefted ; for till then it would hinder the fnake from Aiding along the ground. During that time the aboma wants no other fubfiftence. I have been told of negroes being devoured by this animal, and am difpofed to credit the account; for ftiould they chance to come within its reach when hungry, it would as certainly feize them as any other animal. I do not apprehend that its flelh, which is very white, and looks like that of fifli, is in any refpect pernicious to the Romach. I Ihould have had no objection to the negroes eating it till it was confumed, had I not obferved a kind of diffatisfaction among the remaining marines, who would not have been pleafed with my giving the negroes the ufe of the kettle to boil it. The bite of this fnake is faid not to be venomous; nor do I believe it bites at all from any other impulfe than hunger. I fliall only add, that having nailed its Rein on the bottom of the canoe, and dried it in the fun, fprinkling it over with wood-afhes to prevent it from corruption, I fent fent it to a friend at Paramaribo, whence it was fince fent to Holland as a curiofity. However extraordinary this account may appear to many readers, let them perufe the narrative which is related by a gentleman in the iiland of Ceylon, who faw a tiger killed there by a fnake he calls the anacunda, but in a quite different manner, and their wonder will ceafe. I muft add, however, that this gentleman's relation is fo very marvellous, that, notwithftanding what I have experienced, I muft confefs it very greatly ftaggered my faith f. This bufinefs being ended, I alfo made an end of the cruife, by dropping down before the Society poft Devil's Harwar, in order the next day to affume the command. * Doctor Bancroft mentions the povrerof fafcination in the aboma. This I am obliged to contradict:. Nor can I, without great difficulty, attribute this quality even to the rattle-make. Vol. I. CHAP. C II A P. VIII. Three Eftates burnt, and the Inhabitants murdered by the Rebels—Real Piclure of Mifery and Dijlrefs—Specimen of a March through the Woods of Surinam — Colonel Fourgeoud and the remaining Troops leave Para-maribo. £~\ N the 27th of Anguft I relieved Captain Orzinga V-/ with his men, and took the command of Devil's Flarwar, having been on board the Charon exactly fifty-fix days, in the moR wretched condition that can be de-fcribed : but I hoped now to get the better of my complaint by the help of a few refrefhments, fuch as milk, 8cc. which could not be obtained in our former fituation. The Society troops (above one hundred in number) being to fet off next day with my empty barges to La Rochelle, in Patamaca, I reviewed my marines, when I found I had left out of five officers but two, who were both fick, the three others being dead ; I had alfo only one ferjeant, two corporals, and fifteen privates, out of fifty-four healthy men, who embarked with me on the 2d day of laft July. This army was not more than fufffcient to defend the hofpital, (which was crouded with fick) the ammunition and victualling magazine, 8tc. on a fpot where lately had been kept three hundred foldiers, particularly 3 while while the enemy were certainly lurking not far off: in conlideration of which, the Society Captain reinforced me with twenty of his men. The next evening he entertained me and my two fubalterns with a fupper of frefh meat* both roaft and boiled, to our great comfort and furprize; but which, to my unfpeakable mortification, proved to be the individual poor cow with her calf, on whom we had built all our hopes for a little relief. It appeared that one of his fentinels, as concerted between them, had fhot it by a wilful miRake. Thus did Captain Orzinga, for the fake of a momentary gratification, deprive us all of that lafting comfort on which we had fo much depended, and of which we had fo much need, being altogether emaciated for want of wholefome and nutritive food. On the morning of the 28th the Society troops rowed to Patamaca, when, examining the twenty foldiers they had left me, they proved to be the refufe of the whole, part with agues, wounds, ruptures, and rotten limbs, and moft of them next day were obliged to enter the hofpital. On the 29th, having baftonaded my late pilot for ftealing from the foldiers, I difpatched the information to Colonel Fourgeoud, that I had taken poft, and acquainting him with my weak lltuation, requefted a proper reinforcement. In the evening two of my men died. AH things now being regulated and fettled, I thanked Heaven in the expectation of getting fome reft, being A a % ftill Rill extremely weak; and with thefe cheering hopes retired at ten o'clock at night to my hammock ; but this tranquillity was again of fhort duration, for having fcarcely clofed my eyes I was awaked by my feije*anr, and the following letter put into my hand, fent by an cxprefs from the captain of the militia, or bargers in Cottica. « Sir, " This is to acquaint you, that the rebels have burnt " three eftates by your fide, Suyingheyd, Peru, and L'Ef-" perance, the ruins of which are ftill fmoking ; and " that they have cut the throats of all the white inhabi-« tants that fell in their way. As on their retreat they " muft pafs clofe by where you are polled, be on your " guard.—I am in hafte. " Your's, Sec. (Signed) " Stoeleman." Confcious of my defencelefs fituation, I immediately ftarted up; and the exprefs who brought the letter having fpread the news the moment of his landing, there was no neceftity for beating to arms, fince not only the few foldiers who were well, but the whole hofpital buFft out; and feveral of them, in fpite of my oppofition, crawling on their hands and feet to their arms, dropped deadupon the fpot,—May I never behold fuch anotherfcene 8 of of mifery and diftrcfs! Lame, blind, fick, and wounded, in the hope of preferving a wretched exiftencc, ruflicd Upon certain death! They could only, in a word, be compared to the diftreffed army and navy at Cartha-gena, commanded by the Britifh Admiral Vernon, whom Thomfon defcribes— --M You, gallant Vernon, faw " The miferable fcene, you pitying faw, ** To infant weaknefs funk, the warfiour's arm j * Saw the deep-racking pang, the ghaftly form, which in this country cannot be employed for military fervice. VoL- h B b The CHAP. The manner of interfpcrfing them amongft the troops vu** is as follows: The foremoft are generally two negroes, with bill-hooks to cut a way, fo as to make a practicable path, with one corporal and two men to reconnoitre the front, and, in cafe of neceflity, to give the alarm; and then one fubaltern, Rx privates, and a corporal, form the van. Then follows, at fome diftance, the corps in two divilions; in the firft, one captain, one corporal, twelve privates, one furgeon, and two negroes to carry the powder; in the fecond, is one ferjeant and twelve privates ; and then again follows, at fome diftance, the rear guard, confiding of one fubaltern, one ferjeant, one corporal, and eighteen privates, with fixteen negroes to carry the medicines, beef, bread, fpades, axes, rum, &x.; the fick alfo are carried. The three laft of all being one corporal and two men at a diftance, to give the alarm in cafe of an attack, as the others had orders to do in the front, which ends the train. Every thing being ready, according to the above rules, for my fmall party, which confifted of myfelf, an officer of the Society, Mr. Hertfl>ergh, one furgeon's mate, one guide, two ferjeants, two corporals, forty privates, and only eight negro Raves to cut open the paffage, and carry the baggage, we faced to the right at fix o'clock in the morning, and fallied forth into the woods, keeping our courfe directly for the perica river; and having marched till about eleven o'clock on the Cordon, i difcovered, as i had expected, the Inferences to the above March., Two Ntyrocs with Hill hooks to open a Path . ........ \ c Corporal 8c tWOJPrivOteS, tO rover the Van . x' I A e . a/baller// , Six Privates, k one Corporal----......................P | 3 . 4 S . 6 7 . ft ,9 10 J •) 3 . / . > $ . 7 . 8. @. 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Ont On The Captain or comtnandina Officer. The o'oroeo/i Two Private?, to cover /lie Powder . J Negro with a Box afjlall Cartridges . Two Privates . A Negro with a Box ci'Hall Cartridges. Right Privates . One Corporal . Twelve Privates ■ One o'ert/ea/it ............................ B. 0 B A «^uhattern Officer.......................................................... 7)t o Privates . Three Negroes. with Sledieuies ,/iettlcs ,-Axes, Spades, Sec . '/'w<> /'//vole.? . Three Negroes with Salt Her/', Sa/t 2'ork Xr. Two Privates . 7'hree Net)'roes, n(ill /Star/- li read , or litis le liiseuii One Private Two Negroes, with lull devil or .Yew Kit/it One Private . One Negro, with the Captains Provisions . One Private One Negro, with Provisions lor the two Subaltern Officers* . One Private. Three Negroes to carry the Sick k Wounded . . SLv Privates. One Sergeant, . One Corporal Sc two Privates, to cover the Rear..............................? / Marks to bo cut on the Trees on a March. to n Si CL n o 4 CL 5 to h Vi 5 l_ A + B * Foiayeouds T'!r Column . Sid.A . 2'* Ditto. Sub.W Society's I. tolwnti, Sub. J) . 2? Ditto , Sub. Y, 3 d Ditto , Sub. (' • f g '/'. i ' vantage, for my Englifli horfe pafRng him with the rapidity of a cannon-Riot, his galloway fprung, rider and all, through a hedge of thick limes, and left poor Mr. Van de Velde, not like Doc"tor Slop, in the dirt, but like Abfalom, hanging among the branches. The horfes in Surinam are little better or larger than affes (except thofe which are brought from North America or Holland, the latter of which are generally employed for carriages) yet they are ufeful in the fugar -mills, where a number of mules are alfo employed, Thefe laR are brought over from Barbary, and fometimes fold as high as fifty guineas. None of thefe animals are indigenous to Guiana; but, as many other animals have been imported, and become the inhabitants of the climate, to fave unneceffary repetition I here give the following lift of fuch quadrupeds- as are not natives of the new continent : The Elephant,. Hipopotamus, The Rhinoceros, Cameleopard, Camel, Dromedary, Lion, Tiger, Panther, Wild Goat, Rabbit, Small Guinea Stag^ Ferret, Rat, Mo ufe, Stoat or Ermine, Fat Squirrel, Hyxna, Garden Squirrel^ Jackall, Marmot, Horfe, Sheep, Hog, Goat, Dog, Badger, Sable, EXPED Horfe, Afs, Zebra, Ox, Buffalo, Should the number on this lift feem rather great, I in that cafe refer to the celebrated Count de Buffon, whence it was extracted. On the 18th arrived lick from Devil's Harwar Enfign Mathcw, one of the officers by whom I had been re* lieved; and the fame day he was followed by his commander and friend, Colonel Wefterloo, fupportcd by two foldiers. They had ridiculed me for complaining, after a confinement of fo many weeks on board the barges; while thefe gentlemen had been out but a few days and always on fhore, the latter of them having attempted to accompany the old Colonel Fourgeoud to Wana (whom he had joined at La llochelle in Patamaca) but was completely unfitted for proceeding by his very firft entry into the woods. I was at dinner with a Mr. Day, when I faw him pafs by a miferable fpectaclc, and chufmg to forget what had paffed at Devil's Harwar, and in reality having a regard for this gentleman, 1 ftarted up immediately, and got him a coach, in which I accompanied him to his lodgings, where, having placed a centinel before his chamber-door to keep out the rabble, I fent for E e 2 . a Doctor ITION TO SURINAM. 211 Genett, Ichneumon, Civet, Jerboa, Cat, Maki; and Antelope, feveral kinds Chamois Goat, of Monkies. a Doctor Van Dam, as well as a Doctor Rifiam, an American, to attend him, forbidding all other communication, that of an old negro woman, his man fervant, and a black boy excepted, and by thefe means I apparently preferved his life. On the 20th, Lieutenant Count de Randwyk came down alfo indifpofed with Enfign Coene, and at laft my poor old fhiprrfate Lieutenant Hamer, who had been kept at Devil's Harwar near four months, till, overcome by difeafe, he obtained leave to be tranfported to Paramaribo. On the sad, the governor fent me a cotton twig, which I copied; and as I cannot have a better opportunity, I will now proceed to a defcription of that ufeful plant, which has only been cultivated in Surinam from about the year 1735, but not with advantage till about the years 1750 or 1752. There are feveral fpecies of the cotton-tree, but I fhall confine myfelf to that which is the moft common and the moft ufeful in this colony. This fpecies of cotton, which grows upon a tree about fix or eight feet high, bears before it is a year old, and produces two crops annually, each of about twenty ounces in weight; the leaves are fomething like thofe of the vine, of a bright green, and the fibres of a cinnamon colour. The cotton-balls, fome of which are as large as a fmall hen's egg, and divided in three parts, grow on a very long ftalk, and in a triangular pod, which is firft produced prockiced by a yellow flower, and when ripe opens of CHAP, itfelf, and difclofes the globular contents as white as ^J^j flakes of fnow; in the middle of thefe are contained fmall black feeds, formed not unlike thofe that are xylually found in grapes. The cotton will profper in any of the tropical foils, and produces a good profit if the crops are not fpoiled by a too long rainy feafon, being cultivated with very little trouble and expence : all indeed that is required is, to plant the feeds at a little diflance from each other, when each feed, as I have faid, produces the firR year it is put in the ground. The feparation of the feeds from the pulp, is the work of one man only, by the help of a machine made for the purpofe ; after which the cotton has undergone all the neceflary procefs, and is put in bales of between three and four hundred pounds weight each for tranfportation, which bales ought to be well moiflened at the time of Rowing it, to prevent the cotton from Ricking to the canvas. In the year before my arrival in Surinam, near three thoufand bales of cotton were exported from this colony to Amflerdam and Rotterdam alone, which produced about forty thoufand pounds fterling. The befl eflates make twenty - five thoufand pounds weight. The average prices have been from eight pence to twenty-two pence per pound. The raw material is fpun in the Weft Indies by a rock and fpindle, and extremely fine, when by the negro, girls it is knit into ftockings, 8cc. one pair of which are 3 fometimes chap, fometimes fold for the price of a Portuguefe joe, or fome-times for two guineas. The Indians or natives of Guiana make very good hammocks of cotton, which they barter with the inhabitants at Paramaribo for other commodities.—In the annexed plate A is the twig itfelf, B the pod, C the cotton-ball, and D the feed, but on a fmaller fcale than nature. I mould here alfo defcribe the coffee, cacao, fugar, and indigo plantations, but muft referve them till another occafion, having made it a rule to fpeak of things only as they occur, which is more pleafant to myfelf, and better adapted to diversify my narrative. Being now perfectly recovered, I reftdved to join Colonel Fourgeoud at the Wana Creek, without waiting his orders, and to accompany him on his excurfions through the foreft : in confequence of which, having firft cropt my hair, as being more convenient in the woods as well as more cleanly, and provided myfelf with the neceflary bufh-equipage, fuch as jackets, trowfers, &c.; I waited on the governor to afk his commands; he entertained me in a moft polite manner, and told mc, that what I was now going to fuffer would furpafs what I had already undergone. I neverthelefs perfiftcd in wifhing to go without waiting an order from the chief, and accordingly applied to the magiftrates for a boat, and the neceffary negroes to tranfport me; which being promifed for the fucceeding day, I transferred the colours and regiment's calh, with the command of the remaining fick troops, to 5 Lieutenant EXPEDITION TO SURINAM, fifth limb, it twifts about the branches, and which near the extremity is covered over with hair like the face, the under part near the tip only excepted, which is perfectly callous and black, as are alfo the infide of all its feet. The hedge-hog of this country is, 1 think, little different from that of the old continent, being about eight or ten inches in length, covered over with pale yellow prickles, but with hair on the face and under the belly, which is rather fofter and longer than in the hedgehog of Europe. It has dark brown fpots like eye-brows over its eyes, and no ears but auditory holes, and five toes with bended claws on each foot; its tail is very fhort, and its defence conlifis in forming itfelf into a round ball in the manner of the armadillo. Its food conlifis of fruit, roots, vegetables, infects, &c. and its flefh is not dif-cfteemed by the Indians or natives of the country. Colonel Fourgeoud not having yet arrived, I amufed myfelf 74 myfelf with fwimming, and paddling up the mouth of CHAP. the deep Wana Creek, with a canoe; during which time . .....f a Mr. Ruback, one of our officers who was with me, ob-ferved (in the top of a mangrove-tree) a battle between a fnake and a frog; and for an additional proof that frogs are to be found in trees, I refer the reader to the Monthly Review for March 1785, page 199, where, in the Abbe Spallanzani's Differtation upon Frogs, the Tree Frog is particularly mentioned. But finding this animal amongft the branches did not fo much excite my furprize, as the conteft between a fnake and a frog, which I ftiall distinctly relate, and in which the poor frog loft the battle. Indeed when I firft perceived him, his head and ftioulders were already in the jaws of the fnake, which laft appeared to me about the fize of a large kitchen poker, and had its tail twifted round a tough limb of the mangrove; while the frog, who appeared to be the fize of a man's lift, had laid hold of a twig with the claws of its hinder legs, as with hands. In this portion were they contending, the one for life, the other for his dinner, forming one ftraight line between the two branches, and thus i beheld them for fome time, apparently ftationary, and without a ftruggle. Still i was not without hope, that the poor frog might extricate himfelf by his exertions; but the reverfe was the cafe, for the jaws of the fnake gradually relaxing, and by i their elafticity forming an incredible orifice, the body and fore-legs of the frog by little and little difappeared, Vol* i. g g till till finally nothing more was feen than the hinder feet and claws, which were at. laR difen gaged from the twig, and the poor creature was fwallowed whole by fuction down the throat of his formidable adverfary, whence he was drawn fome inches farther down the alimentary canal, and at laft ftuck, forming a knob or knot at leaft fix times as thick as the fnake, whofe jaws and throat immediately contracted and re-affumed their former natural ftiape. The fnake being out of our reach, we could not kill him, as we wifhed to do, to take a further examination. Thus we left him, continuing in the fame attitude without moving, and twifted round the branch. On the third of November, one party of the troops being arrived, and encamped on the fouth-weft lide of the Cormoetibo Creek, about one mile above the mouth of the Wana Creek, I went with a couple of rangers to pay them a vifit; when Major Rughcop, the commanding officer, informed me that Colonel Fourgeoud had marched laft from Patamaca in two columns, of which he led the one, while the other was hourly expected; and that the reft of the regiment was divided between the rivers Cottica, Perica, and Comewina, excepting thofe that were ftck in the hofpital at Paramaribo. I was now in excellent health and good fpirits; and in the hopes of being reconciled to Fourgeoud by this voluntary proof of my zeal for the fervice, I returned to the rangers' camp to wait his arrival. I was indeed well acquainted with his irreconcileable irreconciieable temper, and at the fame time confcious of my own wild and ungovernable difpofition, when I thought myfelf ill treated ; but foon forgot trifling injuries, and was now determined, by my active and affable, behaviour, to make him my friend if poflible. At length the wifhed-for hour arrived ; and being apprized of Colonel Fourgeoud's approach, I went half a mile from the camp to meet him, acquainting him that I was come pour participer de la gloire, and to ferve under his immediate command, which he having anfwered with a bow, I returned it, and we marched together to the rangers' camp. The occurrences in this march were the troops taking from the enemy three villages, particularly one called the Rice Country ^ on account of the great quantity of rice which was found there, fome ripe and fome in full bloffom, which we totally deftroyed, after putting the rebels to flight. Thefe were commanded by one Bonny, a relentlefs Mulatto, who was born in the fo-refl, and was quite unconnected with Baron's party, which had lately been driven from Boucou. We further learned that they had found feven human Jkulls Ruck upon Rakes, under which lay mouldering the bodies above ground, and part of the garments, (as may be feen in the annexed plate) and which proved them to be the remains of the unfortunate Lieutenant Lepper, with fix of his unhappy men, moR of whom being taken alive, had one by one been Rripped naked by the rebel negroes at the arrival in their village, and (for the recreation of their wives and children) by Bonny's orders flogged to death. Vol. I. G g 2 This This information we got from a rebel woman, who bad been made a prifoner by Fourgeoud on his march through the above village or rice condre, and whom we treated with every kindnefs. This inhuman conduct in Bonny was directly oppofite to that of Baron, who, notwithftanding all his threats and menaces, it was well known had fent back to Paramaribo different foldiers, whom he might have killed. He even aflifted in concealing them from his enraged accomplices, and furniftied them with provifions, perfectly fenfible that they were not the caufe of the dijC-turbance. But not a ranger, as I have faid before, that had the misfortune to fall into his hands could efcape his ungovernable fury. On further converfation, we found that the whole party, being nearly Rarved, had conjunctly called out for bread, as it was known that there was plenty in the boxes, but that it had been kept back three days, and rice ferved out in its Read. To fupprefs this kind of mutiny, the officers had rufhed in amongft the men with cocked piftols and drawn fwords, and indifcriminately laying hold of the firft in their way, had unluckily feized a poor man named Sbmidt, whom, notwithftanding all the others averred to be innocent, they had, for an example to the reft, bafto-naded between two corporals, till the blood guihed out of his mouth like a fountain;—and thus ended the revolt. One of the conductors, named Mangol, difdaining at all to ferve under Colonel Fourgeoud's command, had left him without afking his confent, after which he forfook forfook the fervice entirely. Thefe were the particulars CHAP, of the march in both columns, from Crawaffibo in Come- . X_ wina to the Wana Creek. Whilft I was now about noon refting in my hammock very contentedly, I was accoRed by my friend Lieutenant Campbell, who acquainted me, with tears in his eyes^ that the evening before Colonel Fourgeoud had given to the officers of the Surinam Society, not only of that brave and gallant corps the Scots brigade in the Dutch fervice, but of the Britifh in general, the moR unmerited character that could be invented. I immediately Rarted up; and having got Campbell's information confirmed, wTent to Fourgeoud, and afked him in public the caufe of this unmanly flander. He replied with a Rare, that his obfervations only regarded my petticoat - trowfers, which I wore for coolnefs and conveniency, as many Britifh feamen do, and which he had never feen on the mountains of Switzerland. But as to the reft of what was faid refpecYing us, he laid it totally to the charge of Mr. Stoelman, captain of the Cottica militia, who was ab-fent. Thus I could only anfwcr by denouncing, in the fevereft terms, vengeance upon this affaftin of our reputation ; and after promifing to transform my fhort trowfers into long ones, we coolly feparated. An hour however after this, I received a Ridden order to crofs the Cormoetibo River, and be henceforth under the command of Major Rughcop, who was with his party vc>l. I. ' Gg3 or chap, or column at this time encamped on the fouth-fide at the i month of Wana Greek. " Force is indeed the ruling *' principle in military affairs," fays a certain author ; and, upon the whole, could the ingenious advice given to a commander in chief, as publifhed in a late pamphlet, have been read by Colonel Fourgeoud, I muft have imagined he had ftudied it, fentence after fentence, fince nothing could better correfpond with his general character. Being arrived in Major Rughcop's camp, and having got a couple of negroes to ferve me, the next meafure was to build a hut, or, more properly fpeaking, a flied over my hammock, to keep me free from the rain and the fun, which was done within the fpace of one hour. As thefe huts are of very material and of general ufe in tropical marches and campaigns, where no tents can be pitched, and where (as I have feen, fo many thoufands of thefe temporary erections) I will defcribe the manner in which they are conftructed, being not only extremely curious, but very ufeful on different occafions—curious, becaufe neither hammers nor nails, nor indeed any kind of carpenter's tools are required ; a ftrong cutlafs or billhook being all that is wanted,—and ufeful, as they are inftantly raifed, and form not only lafting, but the moft delightful and convenient habitations, with even two fto-ries, one above the other, if required.—For thefe erections not more than two articles are wanting; the firft the manicole, by the French called latanie, and here parafallay or or the pine-tree; and the fecond the nebees, called by the French liannes, by the Spaniards bejucos, and in Surinam tay-tay. The manicole-tree, whir h is of the palm-tree fpecies, is moftly found in marfhy places, and is always a proof of a rich and luxurious foil. It is about the thicknefs of a man's thigh, very Rrait, and grows to the height of from thirty to hfty feet from the ■ground: the trunk, which is jointed at the diftance of two or three feet, is of a light-brown colour, hard externally for the thicknefs of half an inch, but pithy, like the Englilli elder, and good for nothing within, except near the top, where the wood becomes green, and inclofes a delicious kind of white fruit, called cabbage, and which, being peculiar to all the palm-trees, I fhall on another occafion amply defcribe. On the top of all this the manicole-tree fpreads in beautiful green boughs, with leaves hanging Rrait downwards like filk ribbons, which form a kind of umbrella. The manner of ufing it for building huts or cottages, is by cutting the trunk in pieces of as many feet long as you wifti to have the partition high; for inftance, feven feet, which pieces are next fplit into fmall boards, the breadth of a man's hand, and divefted of their pithy fubftance, and then they are fit for immediate ufe. Having cut and prepared as many of thefe laths as you wanted to furround the dwelling, nothing remains but to lafh them in a perpendicular pofition and clofe to each other to two crofs bars of the fame tree fixed to the the corner pofls, and the whole is cut and fliaped with the bill-hook alone, and tied together by the nebees or tay-tay> which I think have derived their name from our verb to tie, fince the Englifh had poffeffion of the colony. The nebees are a kind of ligneous ropes of all iizes, both as to length and thicknefs, that grow in the woods, and climb up along the trees in all directions: they are fo plentiful and wonderfully difperfed, that, like the ligneous cordage of the mangrove, they make the foreR appear like a large fleet at anchor, killing many of the trees by mere compreffion, and entwining themfelves with each other to the thicknefs of a ftiip's cable, without any kind of foliage, which gives them fometimes a wonderful appearance, particularly when amending lofty trunks in a fpiral manner to the top, from which they next hang down to the earth, take root, and re-afcend. Sometimes the thin nebees are fo clofely interwoven, that they have the appearance of fifhing nets, and game cannot get through them. Thefe nebees are exceedingly tough, and may be ufed for mooring large reflels to the lhore. Having only to add, that fome of the fpecies are poifonous, efpecially thofe that are flat, grooved, or angular, I mall proceed to the roofing of the cottage* This is done by the green boughs or branches of the fame manicole-tree that made the walls, and in the following manner: each bough, which I can compare to riothing fo well as to the Ihape of a feather, and which is as large as a man, muft be fplit from the top to the chap, bottom in two equal parts, as you would fplit a pen, ) when a number of thefe half boughs are tied together by their own verdure, and form a bunch ; you next take thefe bunches, and tie them with nebees one above another upon the roof of your cottage, as thick as you pleafe, and in fuch a manner that the verdure, which looks like the mane of a horfe, hangs downwards. This covering, which at firft is green, but foon takes the colour of the Englifh reed-thatching, is very beautiful, lafting and clofe, and fmifties your houfe, as I have faid, without the help of a hammer or nails ; the doors and windows, tables, feats, 8cc. are made in the fame manner, fo are the inclofures for gardens, or other places for keeping cattle; and by this conveniency it is that the rebel negroes never want good houfes, which, if burnt to afties one day, are again perfectly rebuilt the next, though they never rebuild them exactly in the places where they have once been difcovered by Europeans. The Indians, inftead of the manicoles, generally cover their wigwams with tas or with trooly, of which I fhall fpeak on another occafion. I ought not to forget, that the feeds of thefe trees are contained in a fpatha, near the top, of thirty or forty knotty fibres, forming a fpecies of broom, for which they are ufed throughout the colony; thus, while the manicole fupplies the materials for a houfe, it affords alfo the means of keeping it clean. This tree produces alfo the cabbage, which, as I have Vol. I. H h faid, CHAP, feidj is found in all the other palm-trees, &c. The hut x- that I now lay under was not built in the convenient man-ner above defcribed; it was not requifite, for the fhort time we generally continued in one place: my habitation confuted only of a roof or cover without any walls. The manner of erecting thefe little fheds, which every private foldier builds for himfelf, is limply by planting four forked poles in the ground, at fuch a diftance that a hammock cm conveniently hang between them; next, to reft two fhort poles, ftrong enough to fupport the weight of the body in the above forks, the one at the head and the other at the feet, to which are fattened the clews of the hammock. On the other extremities of thefe are laid two long flicks, and on them again two fhort ones, and thus alternately two long and two fhort, all which dimi-nifli by degrees. When the whole is hnifhed, the top muft be covered with branches from the manicole, exactly as they grow, without either fplitting or tying them, and as. thick as the feafon may require. When this temporary fabric is completely finifhed, it will not only keep dry both the inhabitants and their boxes, but (by the help of the nebees) fuzees, fwords, pii-tols, &c. may be fufpended from the rafters. As I have been defcribing the manicole, 1 am induced alfo to mention the cocoa-nut tree, as I think it refembles that more than any of the palm fpecies. This tree, which is fo much celebrated, as affording to man food, clothing, fhelter, 8cc. poffeffes not, in my opinion, all thofe qualities, but fclit ftill is well worthy of notice. It grows like the for- CHAP, mcr, in a tall jointed trunk, fometimes from fixty to above v_j^l_j eighty feet high, and is thick in proportion, but feldom perpendicularly ftraight: its bark is of a grey colour; the wood is hard without, but pithy within, like the elder in Great Britain ; its branches are larger, and of a deeper green, than thofe of the manicole-tree, but are equally divided, with pinnated leaves on both fides, which in the other 1 compared to green ribbons ; but they neither hang fo ftraight downwards, nor are the branches regularly arched, which gives them the appearance of large feathers, and they fpring up at the top, in proportion as they fade and go off at the bottom: the cocoa-tree alfo produces a cabbage at its fummit, but is too valuable to be cut down for the lake of a prize fo inadequate to the lofs of its other produce. It bears the nuts when fix or eight years old, after which period it is never feen without them ; they grow ufually fix or eight on one ftalk, which diverges from the heart of the tree; they are the fize of a man's head, but more conical. The nut, it is well known, when diverted of its hufk, is exceedingly hard, and requires a hammer to break it, or to be fawed through the middle to procure the nourifhmcnt it affords; when young, this confifts of a white liquid, which I can compare to nothing better than to milk and water mixed with fugar, and which is an exceedingly cool and agreeable beverage; but at a riper period this is formed into a crifp kernel, which adheres clofe to the iniide of the lhell Vol. I. h h 2 for CHAP, for about half an inch thick, while it remains perfectly v X _■ hollow within. This kernel, which has a fine flavour, and taftes like the liquid, is good eating, as moft of my readers have probably experienced. In the plate annexed, A, is the manicole-tree; B, the trunk fplit into laths; C, the nebees to tie them together; D, the leaf fplit from the top downwards; and E, the fame tied into bunches; F, is the cocoa-nut tree; G, the figure of one of its branches; H,the cocoa-nut in the green hulk; and i, the fame diverted of that outer fubftance. But to proceed with my narrative.—While we continued in this ftation, one morning, being returned from a patrole, with twenty marines and twenty rangers, and fitting round a fpecies of table to take fome dinner with the other officers, I was rudely infultcd by a Captain Meylandy of the Society troops, who, as I faid, with Lieutenant Fredericy, had taken Boucon, and who was Colonel Fourgeoud's countryman and friend. The affront confifted in Meyland's handing round to each a drop of claret, he having indeed but one bottle left, and, in an impertinent manner, excepting me alone, although I held the glafs in my hand to receive it. Juftly fufpecting this infult to originate from my commander in chief, rather than appear to feek a quarrel, I endeavoured to make an apology, telling him, I had inadvertently erred in holding out my glafs, not imagining Iwas to be diftinguifhed from the other officers; affuring him it was not for the value of his wine, which I politely relinquifhed to my •f next next neighbour; but this conceRion had no other effect than tq increafe the wrath of my fierce adverfary, who, apparently miftaking it for pufillanimity, became overbearing and'fcurrilous, in which he was feconded by all the other Swifs and Germans without exception. i faid no more, and having tore away a wing of a boiled bird called powefe, that Rood before me (which bird had been Riot by one of the rangers) i devoured it with little ceremony, and left the table, with a determination to fupport my character or die. Thus refolved, i firft went to the hut of a fick foldier, whofe fabre i borrowed (my own being broken) on pretence of going out to cut a few flicks; after this i went, in queft of Mr. Meyland, and found him contentedly fmoking his pipe by the water-fide, looking at one of his friends who was angling. Having tapped him on the moulder, i haftily told him, before the other, that now if he did not fight me that inftant like a gentleman, i was determined to take revenge another way, with the flat of my fabre, where he flood. He at firft declared that he had only meant a joke, and feemed for peace ; but perceiving that i periitled, he with great fang fro id knocked the tobacco - allies from his pipe againft the heel of his flioe; then having brought his fabre, we walked together without feconds about half a mile into the wood: here i ftopt the captain fhort, and drawing my weapon, now defired him to ftand on his defence ; this he did, but at the fame time obferv-cd, that as the point of his fword was broken off, we were unequally armed ; and fo indeed we were, his being , Vol. i. h h 3 ftill Rill near one foot longer than my own; therefore calling to him that fabres were not made to thruft, but to cut with, I offered to make an exchange ; but he refufing, I dropped mine on the ground, and eagerly with both hands endeavoured to wreR his from him, till (as I had hold of it by the blade) I faw the blood trickle down all my fingers, and I was obliged to let go. I now grafped my own fabre, with which I Rruck at him many times, but without the leaft effect, as he parried every blow with the utmoft facility ; at laft, with all his force, he made a cut at my head, which, being confcious I could not ward off by my fkill, I bowed under it, and at the fame in Rant ffriking fideways for his throat, had the good fortune to make a gafh in the thick part of his right arm at leaft fix inches long, the two lips of which appeared through his blue jacket, and in confequence of which his right-hand came down dangling by his fide. I had, however, not efcaped entirely unhurt, for his fabre, having paffed through my hat without touching my fcull, had glanced to my right fhoulder, and cut it about one inch deep. At this time I infifted on his afking my pardon, or on firing both our piftols left-handed; but he chofe the firft, which ended the battle. I now reminded him that fuch Swifs jokes were always too ferious to Engbfhmen ; when we fhook hands, and I conducted him, covered with blood, to the furgeon of his own corps, who having fewed up the wound, he went to his hammock, and for the fpace of feveral weeks performed no duty. Thus was I reconciled to Captain Meyland; Meyland; and what gave me the greateft fatisfaction, was CHAP, his acknowledging the affront was offered, as finding it , would be agreeable to Fourgeoud to have me mortified ; and indeed ever after this acknowledgment we lived in the utmoft intimacy. Peace, however, was not yet decreed to be my lot, for that very afternoon I found myfelf under the necefiity of challenging two other officers, who had efpoufed Mcyland's quarrel againft me at dinner; but in this I had the fatisfaction of efta-blifhing my character without violence or bloodfhed, both of the gentlemen acknowledged their error; and I became at once the favourite of the camp. On the 9th of November both columns met, and encamped together on the north fide of 4the Wana Creek, near its mouth, where it runs into the Cormoetibo, placing advanced guards at both creeks, at one mile diftance from it; and this very evening I took the opportunity of acquainting Colonel Fourgeoud, that I had nearly cut off the head of his beloved countryman in a duel (well knowing he muft be informed of it by others); which trefpafs he was not only pleafed gracioully to pardon, but to tell me with a fmile that I was a brave garfon, but in thofe fmiles 1 put no more truft than 1 would in the tears of a crocodile. My doubts of his friendfhip were foon confirmed, fince my only true friend, Campbell, going down fick to Devil's Harwar, he would not fo much as allow the boat or pon-kee to wait till 1 had (iniihed a letter, directed to Joanna, for chap, for fome clean linen; however, a ranger (of which corps c. i^L^ I by this time was become a remarkable favourite) found means to enable me to overtake this poor young man in a corialla or fmall canoe, compofed of one lingle piece of timber; when, making hands with Campbell, we fepa-rated with tears, and I never faw him more, for he died in a few days after. Colonel Fourgeoud now being determined to fcour the north banks of the Cormoetibo, we broke up in two columns, viz. his own firft, and that of Major Rughcop, to which laft I ftill belonged, following ; we left behind a ftrong guard, with the provifions for the fick. Before we fet out, 1 fhaU fpecify the fub-ftance of our orders to be obferved on a march, as iffued fince by the chief on the 15th of Auguft 1774 at Cara-vaflibo, and which, though nine months after this date, (being rather late) are fo judicious, that they do infinite honour to his Adjutant Captain Van Giurike, who had the principal mare in their compofition : in Article I. Quietnefs and fobriety was ftrongly recommended. Article II. On pain of death none to fire without receiving orders. Article HI. Alfo death ro whoever quits or lofes his arms. Article IV. The fame punifhment for thofe who dare to plunder while they are engaging the enemy. Article V. An officer and ferjeant to iufpect the diftri-hution of the victuals at all times; and Article Article VI. Each officer to be limited in the number of CHAP, hie black attendants. x\ The other orders were, " That in cafe our marines " marched in two or three divifions or columns, they " were to mark the trees with a fabre or bill-hook, to " give intelligence to each other where they had paffed, a in the manner notieed on Plate XX. where A, B, and C, " denote the marks cut by our firft, fecond, and third " divirion or column, and Z), E, and F, the marks made " by the feveral divifions or columns of the troops of the " Surinam fociety; which marks were to be cut in moderate fit of laughter, in which I was inftantly accompanied by fo many others, that he began to roar like thunder, without being able to diftinguilh one perfon's voice from another. In this mufic he was feconded by a large toad, called here the pipa, to which monfter he actually gave fhelter in his hut, and which kept croaking every night, with fuch a voice as could only be exceeded by Fourgeoud himfelf, or by that of his countryman, a SwifTerland bear. Morpheus 1 now invoked to befriend me again, but to no purpofe, fuch was the impreflion which thefe feveral roarings had left on my mind ;—and in this gloomy temper 1 fhall defcribc this hateful gloomy animal, the colonel's dear companion, viz. thepipQy the largefl of all the toads in South America, if not in the world. The p/'pa is an animal fuppofed by fome to partake of both the nature of the frog and the toad. It is the moft hideous of all creatures upon earth, covered over with a dark brown fcrophulous fkin, very uneven, and marked with irregular black fpots; the hinder feet of the crea- Vol. I. LI 2 ture chap, ture are webbed, and the toes longer than thofe before: Xrl._j thus it can both fvviin and leap like a frog, in which it differs from other toads. Its fize is often larger than a common duck when plucked and pinioned; and its croaking, which takes place generally in the night, inconceivably loud. But what is moR remarkable in this monfter, is the manner of its propagation : the young ones being hatched till they become tadpoles, in a kind of watery cells on the back of the mother, in which the embrio's exiftence firft commences; for on the back fhe is impregnated by the male, and thence iffues this moft extraordinary birth. Toads are not venomous, as is generally imagined, and are even tameable: as, for inftance, Mr. Awcott fed one for many years, and Colonel Fourgeoud kept his as a do-meftic favourite during the whole time of our campaign at Wana Creek; indeed I myfelf have fince lodged a tame frog. That the laft mentioned .animals are eatable as far as their thighs, I alfo know by experience: but their tafte is extremely infipid. To return at once to my hammock and journal,—The croaking of this pipa; the hammering of another, which produces a loud and conftant found of tuck, tuck, tuck, from fun-fet to fun-rife; the howling of the baboons; the hifR-ing of the makes, tigers, 8cc; to which add the growling of Fourgeoud, and fometimes heavy rains into the bargain, made the night very uncomfortable and gloomy indeed. The rifing fun, however, difpelled my refentment; and having taken a found nap during the day, I was as well I after after it, and as well pleafed, as the foreft of Guiana could make me. On the morning of the 4th, I difcovered a couple of fine powefas on the branches of a high tree near the camp, and requefted liberty from the chief to fhoot one of them, which however was bluntly refufed me, on pretence that the enemy might hear the report of my mufquet, though by the way, if it be not a folecifm fo to exprefs myfelf, they knew better where we were than we did ourfelves. A little after, however, a large fnake appearing on the top of another tree, it was ordered to be ihot immediately, whether from fear or antipathy I know not. On the difcharge of the mufquet the animal fell to the ground, quite alive, and flided inftantly into a thicket near the magazine. Upon this occafion I had an opportunity of remarking the uncommon intrepidity of a foldier, who creeping in after the reptile, brought it out from among the brambles, fuperftitioully pretending that he was invulnerable to its bite. However this may be* the fnake, which was above fix feet long, erected its head and half its body fuccefRvely to attack him, and he as often knocked it down with his fift, and at laft with his fabre fevered it in two pieces, which ended, the battle; for doing which he was regaled by Fourgeoud with a dram of rum. Left I fhould be accufed of introducing a word which is probably new and unintelligible to my readers, I will beg leave to add,, that the powefar or peacock-pheafant of Guiana,, chap. Guiana, is a beautiful bird indeed, about the fize of a common turkey, to which it bears a refemblance both in appearance and tafte. Its feathers are a Riining black, except on the belly ; its legs are yellow, and alfo its bill, except near the point, where it is blue and arched. Its eyes are lively and bright, and on its head it is creRed with a brilliant plume of black frizzled feathers, which give it a noble appearance. Thefe birds cannot fly far j and being eaflly tamed, may be reared for domeftic pur* pofes: at Paramaribo they are frequently fold for more than a guinea a piece. Another bird peculiar to Guiana, called by the French the agame, and in Surinam cam-cam\ I will alfo take this opportunity to defcribe.—It is, like the former, nearly the fize of a turkey, but totally different in its formation and plumage; its body, which has no tail, being perfectly the fliape of an egg : it is alfo black, except on the back, where it is of a grey colour, and on its breaft, where the feathers are blue and long, hanging down like thofe of the heron. The eyes are bright, the bill is pointed, and of a blueifla green, as are alfo its legs. The vulgar name of this bird in this country is the trumpeter, on account of the found it frequently makes, which br-ars fome diftant refemblance to that of a trumpet, bm whence that found proceeds is not in my power to certify: fome fuppofe it is made by the nofe. Of all the feathered creation this bird is the moft tameable, and the greateft friend to man, whom it follows, carefles, and even feems to protect with the attachment of a dog. i have *%$%$^ have feen many of them kept on the eftates, where, like chap. the powefa, they are reared for domeftic ufes, and feed w '„,* among the turkeys and other poultry. On the 6th I received fix gallons of rum from Para-maribo, four of which I gave as a prefent to Fourgeoud. About fix in the evening two of our flaves, who had been out to cut manicoles, brought intelligence that a gang of rebels had pafled not above a mile from the camp, headed by a Captain Arico, with whom they had fpoken on the banks of the Cormoetibo Creek, but could not tell which way they fleered their courfe, fo much had they been terrified. On this information we received orders to purfue them by break of day; and the next morning, at five o'clock, all was ready, and we again broke up, leaving a detachment with the ftores, and repaired to the fpot whence the intelligence proceeded.. Here we faw a large palm or mawrifee tree % floating in the river, and moored to the oppofite fhore by a nebee, which plainly indicated that Arico, with his men, had crofled the creek, which they do by riding aftride on the floating trunk, the one behind the other, in which manner they are ferried over, (fometimes with women and children) by thofe who are the beft fwimmers. Notwithftanding this plain evidence, the faith of our colonel, Fcurgeoud, now began to waver, and he averred that it was no more than a ftratagem of the rebels, who, he faid, had come from the place to which we fuppofed The largefl of all the palm ipecjes. them them gone, and who had only tied the tree acrofs the river to deceive us. To this opinion neither myfelf nor the other officers could fubfcribe ; but no arguments would prevail with him, and we marched directly from them, Viz, eaif, in-Rcad of crofting and purfuing them weft, as the rangers would certainly have done : thus we kept on till it was near dark, though the bread was forgotten, and the whole day not a drop of water to be obtained, marching through high fandy heaths or favannahs. After inclining a little to the right, we were juft upon the point of making a camp, when a negro called out that we were come to the Wana Greek. This in my ears was a welcome found; and giving him a calebafh, and the beft part of a bottle of my rum, I defired him to run to the creek, and make me fome grog, and this he did; but the poor fellow, never having made grog before, poured in all the ipirits and but very little water, doubtlefs thinking, that the ftronger it was the better; which beverage I fwallowed to the bottom, without taking time to tafte it, and I became inftantly fo much intoxicated that I could hardly keep my feet. On the 9th we found ourfelves returned to our old camp, from a fruitlefs cruife, when Colonel Fourgeoud fet the captive negro September at liberty, who folio wed like a fhep-herd's dog attending a flock; but our commander in chief was indefatigable, and not only crofted and reconnoitred the weft fide of the creek himfelf, but filling our knapfacks, c we E X P E D I T I 0 N TO SURINAM. 265 we the next morning fet out in the fame track we had chap. kept the eighth, he ftill pcrfifting that he fliould overtake V_J^L_> the enemy. Having thus marched till towards dark, we altered our courfe, and paffed the night in an old camp of the rebel negroes, having again paffed the whole day without water. The following day we Rill proceeded, but neither enemies nor water were to be found ; the men and officers now began to be extremely faint, and fome were already carried in their hammocks. It was by this time indeed infufferably hot, being in the very heart of the dry fea-fon. In this dilemma we dug a hole fix feet deep, in the bottom of which a ball cartridge being fired, a little moifture began to trickle forth, but fo flow and fo black, that it proved not to be of the leaft ufe. We ftill marched on, and encamped in an old weedy field, where the rebels fome time before had cultivated plantations. During the night it was truly affecting to hear the poor foldiers lament for want of drink, but to no purpofe; for in fpite of all this mifery, Fourgeoud ftill perfifted in going forward even the third day, building his hopes on meeting with fome creek or rivulet to alleviate this general diftrefs. In this he was however miftaken ; for having again, on the 12th, marched over burning fands till about noon, he dropped down himfelf, amongft a number of others, a miferable fpectacle, for want of means to flake their raging and intolerable thirft. It was happy that in this iituation wc were not at- VoL. I. Mm tacked CHAP, tacked by the negroes, as it muft have been impoftible XL to make any refiftance, the ground being ftrewed with diftreffed objects that appeared to be all of them in raging fevers. Defpair now feemed to be impreffed even upon Fourgeoud's countenance, as he lay proftrate on the earth* with his lips and tongue parched black; and in this condition, though lb little deferving of it, he again attracted my pity. During all this, fome of the foldiers ftill devoured fait pork, while others crept on all fours and licked the fcanty drops of dew from the fallen leaves that lay fcattered on the ground. I now experienced the kindnefs of which a negro is capable when he is well treated by his mafter* being prefented by one attending me with a large cali-bafh of as good water as ever I drank in my life; and this he met with, after unfpeakable difficulty, in the leaves of a few wild pine-apple plants, from which it wTas extracted in the following manner : The plant is held in one hand, and a fabre in the other, when at one blow it is fevered from the root* through the thick under parts of the leaves. It is then held over a cup or calibalh,, and the water flows pure,, cool, and to the quantity fometimes of a quart from each plant. This water has been caught in the time of the rains by the channeled leaves of the plant, and conveyed to their proper refervoir.. Some other negroes found means to relieve themfelves from the water-witbyr but this was not fuflicient to aflift the dying troops, t The The water+witby is a kind of very thick nebee of the vine fpecies, which grows only in very fandy places, this being flafhed with the fabre in long pieces, and fuddenly held to the mouth, produces a limpid Rream, and affords a pleafing, cool, and healthy beverage, of great fervice in the parching forefts of Guiana. As Providence had gracioufly fent me this Ripply, I could not for my foul refift the impulfe of fharing my relief with poor Fourgeoud, whofe age and natural infirmities pleaded greatly in his favour; and who, being now re-frelhed, faw himfelf at laft obliged to return, without any further hope of overtaking the enemy. But fo exhaufted was the party, that many were carried on long poles in. their hammocks by the flaves. As his laft refource, our commander now detached the Berbicean negro, Gaufarie, by himfelf, to try if he could bring him any intelligence while we continued our retreat. As we returned by our former footfteps, and of confequence approached the pit we had dug yefterday, I was •onvinced that by this time it muft contain clear water. I therefore difpatched my boy Quaco to the front,, to fill one of my gallon bottles before it fliould be changed to a.puddle, and this he did; but being met on his return by Colonel Fourgeoud, he with the butt end of his gun relentlefsly knocked the bottle to pieces, and doubling, his pace, placed two fcntinels at the pit, with orders to preferve the water all for himfelf and' his favourites, But at this moment fubordination being extinguiflied, Vol. h Mm % the CHAP- the two protectors were forced headlong into the pit, fol-^ * , j lowed by feveral others, who all fought Jo come at the water, which being now changed to a perfect mire, was good for nothing. Having flung our hammocks in an old rebel camp, a dram of kill-devil was diftributed to each without diflinction; but, as I never ufed this fluid, I offered my fhare to my faithful negro who had given me the water : this being obferved by old Fourgeoud, be ordered it to be fnatched out of the poor man's hand, and returned into the earthen jar; telling me, " i muft either " drink it myfelf, or have none." I was exceeding] ex-afperated at this mark of ingratitude, and finding means to procure that very evening a whole bottle, I gave it to the flave. Near midnight, accidentally good water was difcovered —Good God ! what joyful news !—how fweet the taitc ! furpafling any wine; and fuch as I fhall ever gratefully remember !—Now all drank heartily, and Fourgeoud ordered a warm fupper to be boiled for himfelf, but not fo much as a fire to be lighted for any other perfon, forbidding even the cutting of a Rick ; thus were we forced to eat our fait beef and pork raw. However, having tied my fmall allowance to a flring, I hung it quietly over the fide of his kettle, to have it dreffed; but his black cook chancing to drop a log of wood upon another in his eager-nefs to affift me, alarmed the hero, when I was obliged to drop my luncheon into the kettle, and take to my heels. The old gentleman now infifting that fome perfon had f cut cut Ricks againft his orders, I quietly ftepped up to his CHAP, hammock in the dark, to undeceive him, and foftly af-fured him that the whole camp was faft afleep; when he, on pretence of not knowing me, fuddenly gave a loud roar, and with both his hands caught hold of me by the hair of the head. I efcaped, and got fairly under cover, while he called, " Fire at him ! fire at him P to the infinite amufement of the whole camp, who lay in their hammocks convulfed with laughter. Having found out Quaco, I inftantly fent him back to bring my luncheon ; and fuch was his diligence, that he actually brought me back a piece of beef at leaft ten times as large as what I had left, with which I had once more the fatisfaction to regale the poor flaves : and thus ended this horrid day. The 13th we once more returned to the Wana Creek, fatigued beyond the power of defcription with thefe fruitlefs fufferings. Here the old gentleman regaled his friends with my rum in my pretence, and without offering me a fingle drop. Here alfo I found a letter from the iiland of Ceylon in the Eaft Indies, where my friend and relation, Mr. Arnoldus De Ly, being governor of Poind-dc-Gale and Maturee, I was invited,to come and find my fortune ready made, but which for the prefent my evil ftars prevented my accepting, as it would have been dishonourable to leave the fervice at this juncture. The The following day the negro Gaufarie returned from his expedition, reporting that he had difcovered nothing. Captain Fredericy, who had marched on the 20th ult. with forty men, white and black, from Jerufalcm, not having been heard of lince, it was apprehended he had met with fome dreadful accident, and, in confequence, on the 15th, two captains, two fubalterns, and fifty men, were difpatched to the river Marawina for fome intelligence. The poR at the Marawina, which is called Vreden-burgh, confifts of houfes furroundcd with palifades in a kind of lquare, which are all built of the manicole-tree, with which the woods of Guiana fo much abound. On the outer fide are a guard and four fentinels, and the fort itfelf is defended by feveral cannon. It is fituated in an opening, on the banks of the river, where is placed a large flag, and where the garrifon communicates with the French poR on the oppofite fliore, both being fituated at but little diftance from the mouth of the Marawina. To give the beft idea of this fpot, I fhall prefent the reader with a view of it, as alfo of our fituation at the Wana Creek, which, however beautiful on paper, was a dreadful poft to many unfortunate fufferers. In the annexed Drawing, three camps are diftindtly exhibited ; thofe of Colonel Fourgeoud and of the de-ceafed Major Rughcop, on both fides of the Wana Creek, and that which was lately the rangers, directly oppofite to its mouth. The I.I'll,I,'ii, 1'itbli.tluii lh,:ri':'i-,,,i,ti, J Jchiuvn.S.'/\mis Cliuirl, >',//•,/. ' *8 The barges, 8cc. were ordered on the fame day to CHAP, bring up provifions, and take down the fick; but at this ^Jj^ very time the whole camp was attacked by that dreadful diftemper the bloody flux, which is both infectious and epidemical, and daily carried numbers to their grave. An emetic, or fome other medicine, adminiftered at random, were the only relief in our power, as there was not a proper furgeon on the fpot, all of them being engaged at the hofpitals in Comewina and in Paramaribo, The poor flaves were peculiarly unhappy, who, as I have Rated, having but half allowance, lived for months on the produce of the cabbage-tree, feeds, roots, wild berries, Sec. and to this circumflance may be attributed the firft introduction of this dangerous difeafe into the camp. So Rarved indeed were thefe wretched negroes, that they tied ropes or nebees about their naked bodies, which is a practice of the Indians when their abdomens are flirunk with hunger, as they find by experience, or at leaft fancy, that the pain occafioned by want of food is relieved by the compreflion. I, however, with a few others, efcaped the infection, but I was laid up with a miferable bad cold and fwelled foot; which difeafe is called the confaca, and is not unlike our chilblains in Europe, as it occa-Rons a very great itching, particularly between, the toes, whence ifliies a watery fluid. The negroes are very fubject to this complaint, which they cure by applying the fkin of a lemon or lime, made as hot as they can hear fu I have I have frequently had occafion to mention our provifions, viz. fait beef, pork, rufk, bifcuit, and water, for our allowance, which were dealt out regularly every live or fix days; the two former having perhaps made the tour of the world, after leaving Ireland, and were even fo green, fo Rimy, fo ftinking, and fometimes fo full of worms, that at other times they would not have remained upon my ftomach ; but I have not deferibed our furniture. This, however, will not occupy much time, as it confiited only of a fquare box or cheR for each officer, to carry his linen, frefh provifions, and fpirits, when he had either. Thefe boxes ferved not only as cupboards, but as chairs and tables in the camp. On a march they were carried on the head of a negro : I muft obferve, moreover, that we had no light after fix o'clock in the evening, that of the moon excepted, when all was folcmn and melancholy beyond defcription. I had not fo much as a trencher^ bafon, fpoon, or fork: for the firft and fecond I made a negro's calibafh ferve me; a fork 1 wanted not, and a fpoon but feldom : inftead of that article, therefore, I ufed a folded leaf, agreeably to the practice of the flaves; and as for a knife, each perfon carried one in his pocket. I at laft contrived to make a lamp by breaking a bottle; in which having melted fome pork, it produced a quantity of oil, and a flip of my fhirt ferved for a wick. Neceffity is proverbially ingenious, and in fuch a fituation every nicety is forgotten. Indeed, could I now have had what 3 formerly formerly I left upon my plate, I fliould have ardently thanked God for it. When fpeaking of ingenuity, I ought not to forget a number of pretty bafkets which were made by the negroes in the camp, and which, they having taught me to conftrucc, I alfo made to amide myfelf, and fent them as prefents to feveral friends at Paramaribo. Thefe bafkets were compofed of a kind of ftrong ligneous cord that is found in the bark of the cabbage-tree, and, as Dr. Bancroft expreffes it, confifts of a web-like plexus, which is divided crofs-wife in long, hard, poliflied threads, brown and as tough as whalebone. Thefe threads are drawn from it, and the filaments or fibres are made ufe of as withies are ufed in England. For holding fifli at ombre or quadrille, nothing can be better or more beautiful; but thofe that are large for holding fruit, vegetables, 8cc. arc quite different, and made of a kind of bulruih, called ivarimbo, which is firft fplit and deprived of its pithy fubftance: the thin nebees make alfo no bad bafkets. The negroes here befides made curious nets, and even hammocks, of the filk grafs plant. This is a fpecies of wild aloe that grows in the woods : the leaves are indented and prickly, and contain longitudinally very ftrong and fmall white fibres, which are bruifed and beaten to hemp. With this we made ropes ftronger than any in Europe. Thefe would anfwer perfectly for the rigging of fhips and other purpofes, had it not been difcovered that they are fooner liable to rot Vol. I. n n in in the wet. This kind of hemp is fo very much like white filk, that the importation is forbidden in many countries, to prevent impofition by felling it for the fame; and the fraud is more difficult to be detected when it is artfully mixed with fdk. By the Indians this plant is called curetta, and in Surinam vulgarly Indian foap, as it contains a faponaceous, pulpy fubftance, which anfwers for wafhing as common foap, and is employed for that purpofe by the negroes and many others. Another plant much refembling this, is by the blaek people termed baboon knifee, as it fometimes cuts through the fkin to the very bone, of which I myfelf had fome proofs in this wildernefs, hut without any ill confequence. In the manner I have already related the time was fpent during this period, in which the whole camp was deftitute of ftockings, fhoes, hats, Sec. Colonel Fourgeoud walked a whole day barefooted himfelf to furnifh an example of patience and perfeverance, and to keep the few remaining troops from murmuring. In this refpect I had fairly the advantage of all the company, my fkin being (the fwelled foot or confaca, and a few fcratches excepted) perfectly whole from my habit of walking thus, while not a found limb was to be found among the reft, whofe legs in general were broken out in dreadful ulcers, with a difcharge of pus. I have already in part accounted for this inconvenience, and fhall ftill farther account for it, by obferving, that while the ftockings and ftioes of thefe unhappy people remained, they were never ver oft the feet of many wearers, who, after marching through water, mud, and mire, in this filthy condition* retted during the night in their hammocks, where, in fair weather, before morning this filth was dried upon their limbs, and in confequence caufed an itching and rednefs on the fkin, which by fcratching broke out in many places ; thefe wounds foon became fcrophulous, and ended in open fores and ulcers, which, from the want of care and proper application, often changed to mortification and intolerable fwellings, by which fome loR their limbs, and others even their lives when they were not faved by amputation. Such were the caufes, and fuch the effects of the evils we had to ft ruggle with ; but they were far from the whole of our wrctchednefs, and might be called only the precurfors of what we had ftill to undergo. At this time a compliment of a fine ham and a dozen of port-wine being fent me by Captain Van Coeverden, I gave all in a prefent to poor Fourgeoud, who was emaciated with fatigue, except four bottles which I drank with the other officers; and next day, the 29th, I had the honour to be ordered on a patrol with Colonel des Borgnes and forty privates once more, to try if we could not take the negroes who had crofted the creek three weeks before. Having dropped down the river with a barge, in which we lay all night, we landed the following morning, and marched N. E.; after which, being without a coropafs, we foon loft our way, and having crofted a large fand- Vol. I. N n 1 favanna, CHAP. ed Paramaribo, and what I had brought with me being xi. torn to rags. mm it " 'i ' On the 4th of January, at fix o'clock in the morning, all were ready to decamp. Thus having fent down the barges with the lick to Devil's Harwar, we at laft croRed Cormoetibo Creek, and marched firR directly fbuth for Patamaca, over Reep mountains covered with Rones and impregnated with minerals. This again contradicts Dr. Bancroft's obfervations, thefe mountains not being above twenty miles from the ocean, though he afferts that no hill is to be found at near fifty miles from the fea. In the evening wc encamped at the foot of a high hill, where we found a fmall rivulet of good water, and a number of manicolc-trees, the two chief requifites. It is curious, and indeed beautiful, to behold, in the fnace of an hour, a green town fpring up as it were from nothing, and a little after all the fires lighted, on which the men are boiling their hard fare, while others are employed in drying their cloaths; though, as I have Rated, this laft was by no means a general rule, the greater number preferring to let them rot on their bodies. This night, however, the whole camp was difturbed by a diuretic complaint, occafioned by drinking the water [ we found here, which indeed was very pure, but was fo impregnated with minerals, that it tafted almoft like that of Bath or the German Spa. This is a circumftance which I think indicates that thefe mountains contain metals, metals, if the Dutch would go to the expence of fearch-ing in their bowels. On the $th we marched the fame courfe again over mountains and dales, fome of which were fo cxccflively Reep that one or two of the flaves, not being able to afccnd them loaded, threw down their burdens, and de-felted, not to the enemy, but found their way to their matters eftates, where they were pardoned ; while others tumbled down, burthen and all, from top to bottom. This evening we found our quarters ready-made, and lodged in the wigwams or huts that were left ftanding when the rice country was deftroyed,. and Bonny with his men put to flight; in that where I lay I found a very curious piece of candle, which the rebels had left behind, compofed of bees-wax and the heart of a bulrufh. Bonny's own houfe, where Fourgeoud lodged, was a perfect curiofity, having four pretty little rooms, and a flicd or piazza inclofed with neat manicole palifades. The whole corps appearing on the 6th exceflively fatigued, Fourgeoud ordered a general day of reft, only detaching Captain Fredericy with fix men, as he knew the country beft, to reconnoitre the banks of the Claas Creek* a water that iftlied from near this place in the upper parts of Rio Cottica. They were hardly marched when the eye of our chief by chance falling on me, he ordered me inftantly to follow alone, and return with a report of what I could difcover on the other fide the creek. I overtook the party foon, when after a fhort march we Vol. I. N n 3 were were in water up to our very arm-pits; Fredericy now ordered a retreat, but defiring him to wait for me, I took off all my cloaths, and with only my fabre in my teeth, fwam by myfelf acrofs the Creek, where having ranged the oppofite fhore, and finding nothing, I again fwam back, after which we all returned to the camp. At noon, making my report to Colonel Fourgeoud, he was aftonillicd indeed at this defperate action, which in fact he had not expected; but I was not lefs amazed when he took me by the hand, entertaining me with a bottle of wine, and ordering Monfieur Laurant to let fome bacon-ham before me, to find, however incredible it may appear, that the one was actually four, and the other creeping with live worms; while my own provifions, now his, which were frefh, were withheld me. This meannefs fo much exafperated me, that, ftarting up, i left Fourgeoud, his valet, his wine, and his reptiles, with that contempt which they deferved, alleviating my hunger with a piece of dry rufk bifcuit and a barbacued lifh, called warappa, which I got from a negro. On the 7th of January we marched again ; and this day having caught one of thofe beautiful large butterflies of whichT made mention during my cruize in the river Cottica, I will here attempt to give a more particular de-fcription of it, though I know nothing about their names. This fiy meafured, in the extenfion of the wings from tip to tip, about feven inches; the colour of both the fuperior and inferior wings is of fuch a vivid and fplendid blue, blue, as can only be compared to the azure fky in a bright day, to which not the pureft ultramarine coloured lattin can approach : the under fide is of a lovely brown variegated with fpots. I cannot help repeating, that its Humming and hovering with fuch a magnitude, and fuch a hue, among the different fhades of green, had the moft enchanting effect. Of the antennae, head, thorax, and abdomen, I ftiall only fay that they were dark coloured. This fly, if 1 miftake not, is, according to the diviiion of Linnaeus, of the Danai fpecies. I never faw the chryfalite or aurelia; but the caterpillar, which is of a ycllowifh grey colour, is as thick as a large man's finger, and about four inches long. The annexed drawing I have improved from one of Mifs Merian. Various and innumerable indeed are the butterflies with which the forefts of Guiana abound ; fome people, in fatft, who make fly-catching their bullnefs, get much money by it; and having arranged them in paper-boxes, with pins ftuck through them, fend them off to the different cabinets of Europe. Doctor Bancroft mentions, touching them with fpirits of turpentine as neceffary to preferve them, but fixing a piece of camphor in the box with the flies is quite fufficient. This evening we encamped near the Patamaca Creek, where the poor negro woman cried bitterly, and fcat-tered fome victuals and water at the root of a tree by way of libation, as being the fpot where her hufband was interred^ interred, who had been fliot in fome former fkirmilh by the Europeans, Here Captain Fredericy and myfelf, walking without the fkirts of the camp in a fandy favannah, difcovered the freftt footReps of a large tiger with her young, at which time they are extremely ferocious: we thought it prudent therefore to make a fudden retreat. I mea-fured the diameter of the dam's claws printed in the fand, which were nearly of the dimenfions of an ordinary pewter-plate. Having marched a few hours longer the fuccced-ing morning, we at laft arrived at the Society poft La Rochellc in Patamaca; Rich a difplay of meagre, ftarved, black, burnt, and ragged tatterdemallions, and moftly without lhocs or hats, as I think were never before beheld in any country. They could be compared to nothing but a gang of gypfies, while their leader was not unlike Bampfield Moore Carew, and myfelf at beft like the forlorn Crufoe in his worft condition, with my only check fhirt and the one-half of my trowfers, the reft being torn away. Here we found a fet of poor wretches ready to enter the woods which we had juft left, and def-tined to undergo in the fame manner the fevereft mifery that ever was inflicted on fublunary beings. 1 have already mentioned the prickly heat, ring-worm, dry gripes, putrid fevers, biles, confaca, and bloody flux, to which human nature is expofed in this climate; alfo the mufquitoes, Fatat and Scrapat lice, chigoes, cock-roaches, ants, tints, horfe-flies, wild-bees, and bats, befides the thorns, briers, the alligators, and peree in the rivers; to which if we add the howling of the tigers, the hifRng of fer-pents, and the growling of Fourgeoud, the dry fandy fa-vannas, unfordable marines, burning hot days, cold and damp nights, heavy rains, and fhort allowance, the reader may be aftoniilied how any perfon was able to furvive the trial. Notwithftanding this black catalogue, I folemnly declare I have omitted many other calamities that we fuffered, as I wifh to avoid prolixity, though perhaps I have been already too often guilty of it. I might have mentioned indeed lethargies, dropfics, Sec. 8cc. befides the many fmall fnakes, lizards, fcorpions, locufts, bufh-fpiders, bufti-worms, and centipedes, nay, even flying lice, with which the traveller is perpetually tormented, and by which he is conftantly in danger of being ftung; but the defcription of which curfed company I muft defer to another opportunity. The reader may form fome conception of the familhed Rate in which we came hither, when I inform him, that the moment of our arrival, obferving a negro woman flipping on plantain broth from a callibafh, I gave her half-a-crown, and fnatching the bafon from her hands, I devoured the contents with a greater relifh than I have ever tafted any delicacy before or fince during my whole exiftence, I now obferved to Colonel Fourgeoud, how pitiable it was, not to regale his remaining foldiers with vegetables and frefti beef or mutton, befides providing Vol. I. O o them c h a P. them with hats, flockings, Rioes, See.; but he replied, u XI' , that Hannibal had loR his army at Capua by too much indulgence. In fhort, he quoted not only Hannibal but Horace for his example, according to the advice given in a certain pamphlet, Ibit eo quo vis qui Zonam perdidit j and appeared fully convinced, that no perfons will behave fo defperately in action as thofe who are tired of their lives. On the nth, the other party which had left Wana the day before ourfelves, arrived, having, according to cuf- tom, neither taken nor feen any thing. On the 12th, one of the rebels with his wife came to La Rochelle, and furrendered themfelves voluntarily to the commander in chief. This day Fourgeoud acquainted me now himfelf, that I was at liberty to go and refit at Paramaribo when I thought proper. This propofal I gladly accepted, and that moment prepared for my departure, with fome other ofRcers, leaving behind us himfelf and a band of fuch fcare-crows as would have dif-graced the garden or field of any farmer in England. Among thefe was a Society captain, named Larcher, who declared to me he never combed, waihed, fhaved, or fliifted, or even put off his boots, till all was rotted from his body. At lafl arrived the happy hour, when, taking leave of my tattered companions, I and five more, with a tent- tent-boat and fix oars, rowed Rrait down for Paramaribo, CHAP. Rill in good health and in a flow of fpirits, and at the ^J^L^ very fnmmit of contentment. At Devil's Harwar I met a cargo of tea, coffee, bifcuit, butter, fugar, lemons, rum, and twenty bottles of claret, fent me by my friends, directed to La Rochelle, which I again, notwithftanding the barbarous ufage that I had fo lately met with, gave all in a prefent to poor Fourgeoud, twelve bottles of wine excepted, which we drank in the barge to the healths of our wives and miftrefles; nor could I help pitying Colonel Fourgeoud, whofe age (he being about flxty) and indefatigable exertions claimed the attention of the moft indifferent: for during this trip, though but few rebels were taken, he had certainly fcour-ed the foreft from the river Comewina to the mouth of the Wana Creek, difperfed the enemy, and dcmoliihed their habitations, fields, and gardens, and thus cut them off from all profpect of fupport. On the evening of the 13th, we Ripped at the eftate Mondefire, and thence kept rowing down all night and day, fliouting and flnging till the 15th at noon, when, the tide ferving, we went on fliore at the fortrefs Amfter-dam; whence crofling the river, we arrived before Mr. De Lamar's door at Paramaribo. I ftept afhore among a croud of friends, who all flocked round to fee and to welcome me to town. I next fent for my ineftimable Joanna, who burft O o % into into tears the moment Ihe beheld me, not only for joy at my Rill exifting (for it had been reported that I was no more) but alfo from feeing my very diftreffed fitua-tion.—Thus ended my fecond campaign, and with this I put an end to the chapter* CHAP. CHAP. XII. Deferrpi'ion of the town of Paramaribo and Fort Zelandia— Colonel Fourgeoud's march to the river Marawina—A Captain wounded—Some Privates Jhot—Strange Execution in the Capital—Account of Fort Somelfdyk—Of the Hope in Rio Comezvina* TJEING once more arrived at Paramaribo, it will not chap. ft 7f TT be improper to introduce in this place fome account of that beautiful town. Before I commence the defcrip-tion however, I muR obferve, that being long accuftomed to walk bare-footed, I could not bear the confinement of ftioes and ftockings for fome time, they heated and even fwelled my feet fo much, that, dining on the 16th of January with my friend Kennedy, I was actually obliged to throw them off at his houfe, whence he was fo kind as to fend me home in his whifky. I have already mentioned that Paramaribo is fituated on the right fide of the beautiful river Surinam, at about fixteen or eighteen miles diftance from its mouth. It is built upon a kind of gravelly rock, which is level with the reft of the country, in the form of an oblong fquare, its length is about a mile and a half, and its breadth about half as much. All the ftreets, which are perfectly ftraight, are lined with orange, fhaddock, tamarind, and lemon-trees, which appear in everlafting bloom ; while at the fame time their branches 1 are c h a p. are weighed down with the rich eft clufters of odoriferous xii. fruit. Neither ftone nor brick is made ufe of here for Ci ■ —' » — " I pavement, the whole being one continued gravel, not inferior to the fineft garden walks in England, and ftrewed on the furface with fea-fhells. The houfes, which are moftly of two, and fome of three ftories high, are all built of fine timber, a very few excepted; moft of the foundations are of brick, and they are roofed with thin fplit boards, called fhingles, inftead of Hates or tiles. Windows are very feldom feen in this country, glafs being inconvenient on account of the heat, inftead of which they ufe gauze frames; fome have only the fhutters, which are kept open from fix o'clock in the morning until fix at night. As for chimnies I never faw one in the colony, no fires being lighted except in the kitchens, which are always built at fome diftance from the dwel-ling-houfe, where the victuals are dreffed upon the floor, and the fmoke let out by a hole made in the roof: thefe timber houfes are however very dear in Surinam, as may be evinced by that lately built by Governor Nepven, which he declared had coft him above 15,000 fterling. There is no fpring water to be met with in Paramaribo, moft houfes have wells dug in the rock, which afford but a brackiih kind of beverage, only ufed for the negroes,, cattle, &x. and the Europeans have re-fervoirs or cifterns, in which they preferve rain-water for their own confumption ; thofe of nicer tafte let it firft drop through a filtering-ftone into large jars or earthen pots, pots, made by the native Indians on purpofe, which they CHAP, barter at Paramaribo for other commodities. The inha- 1_XI1' bitants of this country, of every denomination, ileep in hammocks, the negro flaves excepted, who moRly lie on the ground; the hammocks ufed by thofe in fuperior Rations are made of cotton, ornamented with rich fringe; thefe are alfo made by the Indians, and fometimes worth above twenty guineas; neither bedding nor covering is neceflary, except an awning to keep off the mufquitoes. Some people indeed lie on bedfteads ; in that cafe they are furrounded, inftead of curtains, with gauze pavilions, which admit the air freely, and at the fame time keep off the fmalleft infect. The houfes in general at Paramaribo are elegantly furnifhed with paintings, gilding, cryftal chandeliers, china jars, 8cc.; the rooms are never papered or plaiftered, but beautifully wainfcoted with cedar, Brazil, and mahogany wood. The number of buildings in Paramaribo is computed at about one thoufand four hundred, of which the principal is the governor's palace, whence there is a private paffage through the garden which communicates with Fort Zelandia.—This houfe, and that of the commandant, which has lately been burnt, were the only brick buildings in the colony. The town-hall is an elegant new building, and covered with tiles; here the different courts are held, and underneath are the prifons for European delinquents, the military excepted, who are confined in the citadel of Fort Zelandia. The Proteftant church, where CHAP, where divine worfhip is performed both in French and _X*L, , Low Dutch, has a fmall fpire with a clock; befides which there is a Lutheran chapel, and two elegant Jewifh fynagogues, one German, the other Portuguefe. Here is alfo a large hofpital for the garrifon, and this manfion is never empty. The military ftores are kept in the fortrefs, where the Society foldiers are alfo lodged in barracks, with proper apartments for fome officers. The town of Paramaribo has a noble road for flapping, the river before the town being above a mile in breadth, and containing fometimes above one hundred veflels of burthen, moored within a piftol fhot of the fhore; there are indeed feldom fewer there than fourfcore fhips loading coffee, fugar, cacao, cotton, and indigo, for Holland, including alfo the Guinea-men that bring flaves from Africa, and the North American and Leeward Iiland veflels, which bring flour, beef, pork, fpirits, herrings, and mackarel falted, fpermaceti-candles, horfes, and lumber, for which they receive chiefly melaffes to be dif-tilled into rum. This town is not fortified, but is bounded by the river on the S. E.; by a large favannah on the W.; by an impenetrable wood on the N. E.; and is protected by Fort Zelandia on the eafl. This citadel is only feparated from the town by a large efplanade, where the troops parade occafionally. The fort is a regular pentagon, with one gate fronting Paramaribo, and two baf-tions which command the river; it is very fmall but Rrong, being made of rock or hewn Rone, furrounded by by abroad fofTe well fupplicd with water, befides fome chap. out-works. On the Eaft fide, fronting the river, is a bat- xu' __ii —tj ~ mil* tery of twenty-one pieces of cannon. On one of the baftions is a clock, which is ftruck with a hammer by the fentinel, who is directed by an hour-glafs. On the other is planted a large enfign-ftaff, upon which a flag-is hoifted upon the approach of fhips of war, or on public rejoicing days. The walls are fix feet thick, with embrafurcs but no parapet. I have already fpoken of its antiquity. Paramaribo is a very lively place, the ftreets being generally crouded with planters, failors, foldiers, Jews, Indians, and Negroes, while the river is covered with canoes, barges, 8cc. conftantly pafling and repairing, like the wherries on the Thames, often accompanied with bands of mufic; the fliipping alfo in the road adorned with their different flags, guns firing, &c.; not to mention the many groupes of boys and girls playing in the water, altogether form a pleafing appearance; and fuch gaiety and variety of objects ferve, in fome meafure, to compenfate for the many inconveniencies of the climate. Their carriages and drefs are truly magnificent; filk embroidery, Genoa velvets, diamonds, gold and fllver lace, being daily worn, and even the mafters of trading fhips appear with buttons and buckles of folid gold. They are equally exoenfive at their tables, where every thing that can be called delicate is produced at any price, and ferved up in plate and china of the neweft fafhion, and Vol. I. P p moft chap, mofl exquifite workman(Iiip. But nothing difplays the . J i hixury of the inhabitants of Surinam, more than the number of flaves by whom they are attended, often twenty or thirty in one family. White fervants are feldom to be met with in this colony. The current money, as I have already Rated, are Ramped cards of different value, from five millings to fifty pounds: gold and filver is fo fcarce, that the exchange premium for fpecie is often above ten per cent. A bafe Dantzic coin called a bit, value fomething lefs than fixpence, is alfo current in Surinam. Englifh and Portuguefe coin are fometimes met with, but naoftly ufed as ornaments by the Mulatto, Samboe, Quaderoon, and Negro girls. The Negro flaves never receive any paper money, for as they cannot read they do not underftand its value; befides in their hands it would be liable to many accidents, from fire or children, and particularly from the rats, when it becomes a little greafy. This town is well fupplied with provifions, viz, butcher's meat, fowls, fifh and vcnifon. Vegetables in particular the country abounds with ; befides the luxuries peculiar to this climate, they import whatever Europe, Africa, and Afia can afford. Provifions, however, are ex-cefRvely dear in general, efpecially thofe imported, which are moftly fold by the Jews and mafters of fhips. The firfl enjoy extraordinary privileges in this colony; the latter erect temporary warehoufes for the purpofe of trade, during the time their fhips are loading with the productions productions of the climate. Wheat flour is fold from four pence to one fhilling per pound ; butter two fhil-lings; butcher's meat never under one fhilling, and often at one fhilling and fix pence ; ducks and fowls from three to four fhillings a couple. A Angle turkey has coft me one guinea and a half; eggs are fold at the rate of five, and European potatoes twelve for fix pence. Wine three millings a bottle. Jamaica rum a crown a gallon. Fifli and vegetables are cheap, and fruit almoft for nathing. My black boy, Quaco, has often brought me forty oranges for fix pence, and1 half a dozen pine-apples for the fame price ; while limes and tamarinds may be had for gathering. Howie-rent is exceffively high. A fmall room unfurnifhed cofts three or four guineas a month ; and a houfe with two apartments on a floor, lets for one hundred guineas yearly. Shoes fell for half-a-guinea a pair; and a fuit of cloaths, with filver binding, has coft me twenty guineas. The wood with which the houfes are generally built dcferves alfo to be noticed, viz. the Wana, and the Cuppy, The Wana is a light durable timber of a coarfe grain, and does not take the beft polifh; it is of a very pale red, approaching mahogany, and moftly ufed for doors and cupboards, alfo for boats and barges. This tree grows to a confiderable height*. *■ This Dr, Bancroft, I think, calls the Tettrmcr. Vol. I. p p 2 The The Cuppy-tree refembles the wild chefnut, is hard, knotty, and durable; it is fawed into boards, and ufed to enclofe the houfes for fences, inftead of brick and ftone walls; the timber is of a brown colour, and takes a good poliffu For a better idea of this town, I ihall refer the reader to the annexed plan; and proceed to give fome further account of its inhabitants. The whites or Europeans in this colony, and who re-fide principally in town, are computed at five thoufand, including the garrifon. The negro flaves at about feventy-five thoufand. The military mount guard every morning at eight o'clock, in the fortrefs; but the fafety of the town is entrufted to the burghers or militia, who keep watch during the night. At fix o'clock in the morning, and the fame hour in the evening, the morning and evening guns are fired by the commanding fliip in the harbour; at the evening fignal, all the flags are inftantlv lowered on board the different veflels; their bells are fet a ringing, whilft the drums and fifes beat the tattoo through the town. The watch is then fet, and no negro of either fex is allowed to appear in the ftreets or on the river, without a proper pafs figned by his owner; without this he is taken up, and infallibly flogged the next morning. At ten at night, a band of black drums beat the burgher, or militia retreat, through the ftreets of Paramaribo. At EXPEDITION TO SURINA M. At this time the ladies begin to make their appearance, who are particularly fond of a tete-a-tete by moon-light, when they entertain with Sherbet, Sangaree*, and wine and water; befides the moft unreferved and unequivocal converfation concerning themfelves, as well as the peculiar qualifications of their hufbands, and the fituation of their female flaves, whom they propofe the acceptance of to the gentlemen they converfe with at fo much per week, according to their own eftimation. Sometimes placing half a dozen of them in a row, the lady fays, " Sir, this is a callcbafee, that is a maid, and this is not"— thus are they not only unreferved in their converfation, but alfo r>rofulb in their encomiums upon fuch gentlemen as have the honour of their inftru£tive company, and whofe perfon or figure meets with their approbation. They are alfo rigid difciplinarians, as the backs of their poor flaves, male and female, fufEcicntly tcftify. Thus every country has its cuftoms, and from thefe cuftoms exceptions arc to be made; for I have known ladies in Surinam, whofe delicacy and polite converfation would have graced the firft circles in Europe. Befides the amufements of feafting, dancing, riding, and cards, they have a fmall theatre, where the inhabitants of fafhion act plays for their own amufement, and that of their friends.. As they are elegant in their clrefs, fo they * Water, Madeira wine, nutmeg and fugar. keep 294 N A R R A T I V E OF AN CHAP, keep their houfes extremely clean. They ufe the fmcft XII. fa f. j linen, exquifiiciy wrell waihed with Caftile foap; its white-nefs can only he compared to mountain mow, and would make the beft bleached linen in Europe appear like canvafs. Their parlour floors arc always fcoured with four oranges cut through the middle, which gives the houfe an agreeable fragrance: the Negro girls taking one half in each hand, keep finging aloud while they rub the boards. Such is the town, and fuch are the inhabitants of Paramaribo* the capital of Surinam; and the character will apply to the natives of all the Dutch fettlements in the Weft Indies. But to return to my narrative. Being once more reconciled to fhoes, I vifited Colonel Wefterloo on board a Weft-India (hip, bound for Holland. This gentleman, who had relieved me at Devil's Harwar when I was ill, was now himfelf in a moft miferable condition, having loft the ufe of his limbs. In this debilitated ftatc, it was doubtful whether any thing but the air of his native country would recover him. Several officers were now under the necefiity of felling their effects to procure a fubfiitencc, not being able either to procure their pay or allowance from Fourgeoud. I felt this hard ufage the lefs, from the kindnefs I experienced from my numerous friends. On the 28th of January, as 1 was Walking in the morning by the river (idc, I faw a fifh brought afhore, that deferves to be mentioned for its fize and goodnefs, being fometimes fometimes near two hundred pounds weight *. It is here cha p. called grow-muneck, or grey friar, and is faid to be of XIL the cod genus,, to which it bears fome refemblance in fir ape and colour, the back being a dark olive brown, and the belly white; it was foon cut up into large fliccs, feveral of which I purchafed, and fent as prefents to my friends; as it was, in my opinion, even fuperior to turbot. It is an inhabitant of the fea, but is fometimes to be met with in the rivers. The negroes here are the only fiiher-men, and are regularly trained up to this profeflion by their matters, who make them pay a certain furri weekly. If they are expert and induftrious, they foon acquire money for themfelves, and fome even become ricb\ but, on the contrary, if they are indolent, and do not fulfil their weekly engagements, they are certain to be punifhed very feverely. This cuftom is alfo common to many other trades, and by perfeverance and fobriety they are actually enabled to live happily. Thus 1 have known flaves in Surinam, who have bought flaves for their own ufe. Some purchafe their freedom from their mailers, whilft others keep their money, preferring to be the flave of an indulgent mafter; being, fo long as they continue flaves, free from all duties and taxes, which, in cafe of manumiflion, they become liable to. A particular inftance of this kind was a negro blackfmith, named Jofipb, who being offered his * Dr. Fcrmyn is miftaken, when he fays this fifh weighs but forty pounds. Vol. 1. Pp4 liberty chap, liberty upon account of his long and faithful fervices, XII ^J^_; pofitively refufed it, chullng rather to be the Have of a worthy mafter. This man had feveral flaves of his own, kept a decent houfe, with handfome furniture, and fome plate; and when vifited by his humane mafter or miftrefs, entertained them with Sangaree, port or claret. 1 muff, however, acknowledge this to be a very lingular inftance; and obfeive, that although-a few live comfortably at Paramaribo, the greateft number are wretched, particularly thofe governed by a lady, who have many weals to fhow, but not the fmalleft indulgence to boaft of. Among the ilaves, thofe of the clafs called Quaderoons are in general much reflected for their affinity to Europeans ; a Quaderoon being the offspring of a white and a mulatto, and they are very numerous in this colony. Here one not only meets with the white, the black? and olive, but with " The Samboe dark, and the Mulatto brown,, " The Masfti fair *y the well-limb'd Quaderoon.'*' Thefe boys are generally placed out to fome good trade,, fuch as cabinet-makers, filverfmiths, or jewellers ; whilft the girls are employed as waiting-women, and taught the arts of fewing, knitting, and embroidery, to perfection; they are generally handfome, and take much pride in the neatnefs and elegance of their drefs. * The offspring of an European and of a £h(aderoon* To /.,'•>./,.„ f'uHU/ir.l De*?i1tl&4lk '/"/■'■'•/' .I'.'/',,///.,. Church laivi. To give the reader a more lively idea of thefe people, I fhall defcribe the figure arid drefs of a Quadcroon girl, as they ufually appear in this colony. They are moftly tall, ftraight, and gracefully formed; rather more flender than the Mulattoes, and never go naked above the waift, like the former. Their drefs commonly confifts of a fattin petticoat, covered with flowered gauze; a clofe fhort jacket, made of befl India chintz or filk, laced before, and mewing about an hand-breadth of a fine muflin fliift between the jacket and the petticoat. As for ftockings and fhoes, the flaves in this country never wear them. Their heads are adorned with a fine bunch of black hair in fhort natural ringlets; they wear a black or white beaver hat, with a feather, or a gold loop and button: their neck, arms, and ancles are ornamented with chains, bracelets, gold medals, and beads. All thefe fine women have European hufbands, to the no fmall mortification of the fair Greolians ; yet fliould it be known that an European female had an intercourfe with a flave of any denomination, fhe is for ever detefted, and the flave lofes his life without mercy.—Such are the defpotic laws of men in Dutch Guiana over the weaker fex. Eut to change the fubjecl.—The tyranny of our commander, Colonel Fourgeoud, feemed daily to increafe. Lieutenant Count Runtwick, who was to proceed for Holland with Colonel Wefterloo, being fick, was ordered to remain in Surinam, for having only faid that he had Vol. 1. Q q been been ill treated by him. As a fpecimen of his juftice, I will only obferve, that all the officers had now fubiifted a whole year upon a private foldier's allowance of fait provifions, a few weeks at Paramaribo only excepted. This accommodation coft me thirty pounds; but I have already mentioned he kept back our money, and why ihould he not our allowance alfo, it not being the part of a good foldier to inquire after trifles} On the ift of February we, however, received notice that henceforth we fliould pay nothing, provided we could fajl; but that if we could not, ten pounds yearly was to be the ne plus ultra of the exrpences for our fait beef and pork. On the 2d I received intelligence that Lieutenant Co-ion el Becquer, fcorning any longer to partake of Fourgeoud's bounty, had fuddenly given up the ghoft, by which in rotation I became poffeffed of his vacant company. This was fome compenfation for fo much trouble and fatigue. But to counterbalance this good fortune, a certain lady, whofe hufband had fhewn me extraordinary civilities, now made me an offer, which I could not with honour accept; befides, I had been fworn at Highgate. But per-fifting in my refufal of her favours and golden prefents, I at laft felt the effects of a woman's hatred and revenge. Her hufband, who had lately been fo much my friend, and whofe honour I, in this inftance, fo much rcfpected, was fuddenly perverted into a bitter enemy. I bore their frowns with relignation, confcious of my own rectitude.. lode, in not committing a trcfpafs of which too many chap. others would have made a boaft. Shortly after, how- XIL ever, this gentleman again became my friend, even more V~~~" 1 than before this affair happened, having been perfectly undeceived. On the 6th, a poor drummer of the Society brought me a prefent of fome alttgato, or more properly avogato pears and oranges, for having fupported him, he faid, in Holland againft my fervant, who had knocked him down. This trait of gratitude afforded me more pleafure than the coolnefs of my late friend had given me pain.-—The avogato pear grows on a tree above forty feet high, and not unlike a walnut-tree: the fruit, which is about the fize and colour of a large pear, vim. a pale green, is the moft exquifite, in my opinion, of any in the colony, or even in the world; the infide is yellow, and the kernel is inclofed in a foft rind like a chefnut. The pulp is fo • falubrious and nutritious, that it is often called the vegetable marrow, and is frequently eaten with pepper and fait: nor can I compare it to any thing fo well as a peach, melting in the mouth in the fame manner, not fo fweet indeed, but incomparably more delicious. The oranges in Surinam are of three different fpecies; the four, the bitter, and the fweet, all being originally imported from Spain or Portugal. The four oranges are an excellent cure for fores and running ulcers, fo common in this climate, but painful in the operation; for which reafon they are only ufed for the negroes, who it Qq 2 '* prictors; and being under great obligations to one of f-< your Mulatto flaves named Joanna, who is the daugh-4 " ter chap. u ter of the late Mr. Kruythorf, particularly for having xiii H attended me during licknefs; I in gratitude requeft of " you, who are her mafters, to let me purchafe her liberty 4i without delay: which favour fhall be ever thankfully f* acknowledged, and the money for her ranfom imme* M diatcly paid, by ** Gentlemen, Your moft obedient fervant, •"John Gabriel Stedman, ** Captain in Colonel Fourgeoud's This letter was accompanied by another from my friend Lolkens, who much cheared my profpe&s by the afturance of fuccefs. Having difpatched thefe letters to Holland, I had now the opportunity of obferving the whole procefs of a fugar-plantation ; of which I fhall endeavour to give an accurate defcription. The buildings ufually confift of an elegant dwelling-houfe for the planter, outhoufes for the overfeer and book-keeper, befides a carpenter's lodge, kitchens, ftore-houfes, and ftables, if the fugar-rnills be wrought by horfes or mules; but on the Hope thefe are not requi-lite, as the wheels move by water, ftored in canals during the fpring-tide by means of fluices, which being opened at low water pour out like a deluge, and fet the machinery in motion. A fugar-mill is built at the expence 6 of of four thoufand, nay fometimes feven or eight thou- CHAP. fand pounds. i^^-'i.' A particular defcription of its conftrudtion might be too tedious. I fhall only obferve, that the large water-wheel moves perpendicularly, and correfponds with another large wheel placed in an horizontal direction, and this again acts upon three cylinders or rollers of caft-iron, fupported underneath by a ftrong beam, fo clofe together that when the whole is in motion, they draw in and fqueeze as thin as paper whatever comes between them. In this manner the fugar-cane is bruifed, to fepa-rate the juice or liquor from the tram. Thofe mills that are wrought by cattle are conftrudted upon the fame principles, only the horfes or mules an-fwer the purpofe of the horizontal wheel, by dragging round a large lever. If the water-mills work the fafteft, and be the cheapen:, yet as they muft wait for the tides, they can only work part of the day; whereas the cattle-mills are always ready whenever the proprietor finds it convenient to ufe them. Adjoining to the mill-houfe is a large apartment, alfo built of brick, in which are fixed the coppers or large cauldrons to boil the liquid fugar. Thefe are ufually five in number; oppofite to thefe are the coolers, which are large fquare flat-bottomed wooden veflels, into which the fugar is put from the cauldrons to cool before it is put into hogfheads, which are placed near the coolers upon ftrong channeled rafters, tbat re- Vol, {. S f eeive Chap, ceive the melafTes as it drops from the fugar, and convey xiii. ^ _ J , it into a fquare ciftern placed underneath to receive it. The diftillery joins this apartment, where the drofs or fcum of the boiling fugar is converted into a kind of rum, mentioned before, and known by the name of kill-devil. Every eftate in Surinam keeps a tent-boat and feveral other craft, for the conveyance of their produce; they have alfo a covered dock, to keep them dry and repair them. The fugar eftates in this colony contain five or fix hundred acres; the parts for cultivation being divided into fquares, where pieces of cane, about one foot long, are ftuck into the ground in an oblique pofition, in rows ftraight and parallel. They ufually plant them in the rainy feafon, when the earth is well foaked and rich. The fhoots that fpring from thefe joints are about twelve or lixteen months in arriving at maturity, when they become yellow, and of the thicknefs of a German flute, and from fix to ten feet in height, and jointed, forming a very beautiful appearance, with pale green leaves like thofe of a leek, but longer and denticulated, and which hang down as the crop becomes ready for cutting. The principal bufinefs of the flaves during the growth of the canes is pulling up the weeds, which would otherwife impoverifh them. Some fugar eftates have above four hundred flaves. The expence of purchafing thefe, and erecting the build-§ . ings, ings, frequently amounts to twenty or five-and-twenty CHAP, thoufand pounds fterling, exclufive of the value of the , X"r'_f ground. But to give the reader a clearer idea of the fugar-cane* which is fuppofed to be a native of Guiana, I refer him to the annexed plate, where he may view it in the different ftages, though on a fmaller fcale than nature; A being its firft appearance above the ground ; B the cane come to half maturity; C the fame with drooping leaves, when fully ripe; D a piece cut off at one end, and broken off at the other. We fhall now examine its progrefs through the mill; here it is bruifed between the three cylinders or rollers through which it paffes twice, once it enters, and once it returns, when it is changed to trafli, and its pithy fubftance into liquid, which is conducted as extracted, through a grooved beam, from the mill to the boiling-houfe, where it is received into a kind of wooden ciftern. So very dangerous is the work of thofe negroes who attend the rollers, that fhould one of their fingers be caught between them, which frequently happens through inadvertency, the whole arm is inftantly fhattered to pieces, if not part of the body. A hatchet is generally kept ready to chop off the limb, before the working of the mill can be flopped. Another danger is, that fhould a poor flave dare to tafte that fugar which he produces by the fweat of his brow, he runs the rifle of receiving S f % fome fome hundred lafhes, or having all his teeth knocked out by the overfeer.—Such are the hardfhips and dangers to which the fugar-making negroes are expofed. From the above wooden ciftcrn the liquor is let into the firft copper cauldron, filtering through a grating to keep back the trafh that may have efcaped from the mill; here, having"boiled fome time, and been fcummed, it is put into the next cauldron, and fo on till in the fifth or laft it is brought to a proper thicknefs or confiftency to be admitted into the coolers: a few pounds of lime and allum are thrown into the cauldrons to make it granulate ; thus it is boiled gradually ftronger and ftronger, until it reaches the laft cauldron. When it is put into the wooden coolers the fugar is well ftirred, and fcattered equally throughout the veftels; when cold it has a frozen appearance, being candied, of a brown glazed confiftency, not unlike pieces of high polifhed walnut-tree. From the coolers it is put into the hogfheads, which, upon an average, will hold one thoufand pounds weight of fugar; there it fettles, and through the crevices and fmall holes made in the bottoms it is purged of all its liquid contents, which are called melafles, and, as I have faid, are received in an under-ground ciftcrn. This is the laft operation, after which the fugar is fit for exportation to Europe, where it is refined and eaft into loaves. i fhall only farther obferve, that the larger the grain the better the fugar, and that no foil can be more proper for its cultivation than Guiana, the richnefs of which is in- exhauftible, exhauftible, and produces upon an average three or four CHAP, hogfheads per acre. In 1771, no lefs than twenty-four ,_ thoufand hogfheads were exported to Amfterdam and Rotterdam only, which, valued at fix pounds per hogf-head, though it has fometimes fold for double, returned a fum of near one hundred and fifty thoufand pounds fterling, befides the vaft quantity of melaffes and kill-devil ; the firft computed at feven thoufand hogfheads, and fold to the North Americans for twenty-five thoufand pounds ; the fecond, which is diftillcd in Surinam, and ufed chiefly by the negroes, valued at as much more, which produces no lefs than two hundred thoufand pounds per annum *. The kill-devil is alfo drank by fome of the planters, but too much by the common foldiers and failors, and, when new, acts as a flow pernicious poifon upon an European conftitution. On the contrary, it never hurts the negroes, but is even neceffary and wholefome, efpecially in the rainy feafons, when they are fometimes indulged with a fingle dram per day by their mafters, though this cuftom is far from being general. There is no part of this falutary plant ufelefs; the chaff refufe, and leaves of the cane, being ufed for manure and fuel. All the eftates are clofely furrounded by the uncultivated fo-reft, whence the herds of wild deer often commit very great ravages, when the pieces being furrounded by * The firft fugar was refined, anno 1659. armed c hap. armed negroes, and dogs fet in to difperfe them, they are XII[' t frequently ihot. From what I have faid upon this fub-ject alone, the reader may form an idea of the riches with which this country abounds ; which, neverthelefs, did not feem to ftimulatc its enemies during the late war to attempt the pofTeffion of it: but I muft fay, I doubt whether Surinam, in the hands of any other nation than the Dutch, would not ceafe to be of its prefent confequence, the Hollanders being indifputably the rnoft patient, perfevering, induftrious people that inhabit the globe. Notwithftanding, however, the immcnfe wealth that the Weft Indies in general afford, it will ever be my opinion that the Europeans might live as comfortably, if not more healthily, without them ; the want of fugar, coffee, cotton, cacao, indigo, rum, and Brazil wood, might be amply fupplied by honey, milk, wool, Geneva, ale, Eng-lifti herbs, Britifh oak, Sec. And now once more to refume my narrative :—I have already mentioned that my flaves were employed in preparing an houfe for the reception of my beft friend, which was about fix days in completing. It confifted of a parlour, which alfo ferved for a dining-room; a bed-chamber, where I alfo flowed my baggage; a piazza or flied to fit under before the door; a fmall kitchen detached from the houfe, and a poultry-houfe, the whole fituated on a fpot by itfelf, commanding an enchanting profpecx on every fide, and furrounded with paling to keep off the cattle, cattle. My tables, {tools, and benches, being all compofed CHAP, of manicole boards, the doors and windows were guarded with ingenious wooden locks and keys, that were pre-fented me by a negro, and were the work of his own hands. My houfe being thus far finifhcd and furnifh-ed, my next care was to lay in a ftock of provifions from Paramaribo, viz. a barrel of flour, another of falted mackarel, which in this country are delicious, they are imported from North America; hams, pickled faufages, Bofton bifcuit; alfo wine, Jamaica rum, tea, fugar, a box of fpermaceti candles; alfo two charming foreign fheep and a hog, fent me by Mr. Kennedy from his eftate Vrie-dyk, befides two dozen of fine fowls and ducks prefented me by Lucretia, my Joanna's aunt; while fruit, vegetables, fifth, and venifon, flowed upon me from every quarter as ufual. On the ift of April 1774, Joanna came down the river in the Fauconberg tent-boat, rowed by eight negroes, and arrived at the Hope : I communicated to her immediately the contents of my letter to Holland, which flic received with that gratitude and modefty in her looks which fpoke more forcibly than any reply. I introduced her to her new habitation, where the plantation flaves, in token of refpect, immediately brought her prefents of ca-fada, yams, bananas, and plantains, and never two people were more completely happy. Free like the roes in the foreft, and difencumbered of every care and ceremony, we breathed the pureft ether in our walks, and refrefhed our CHAP, our limbs in the limpid ftream : health and good fpirits L_X*iI* , were now again my portion, while my partner flourilhed in youth and beauty, the envy and admiration of all the colony. Colonel Fourgeoud now intending to quit the woods,: and encamp at Magdenberg, a poft near the fource or. the Comewina, I fent a large barge with provifions, ef- corted by an officer and twenty men, to that place; and upon reviewing my remaining marines,, they did not amount to twenty men, befides a fmall detachment at Calis, near the mouth of Caflivinica Creek. Higher up the fame creek, at an eftate called Cupy, were alfo polled an officer and a few foldiers. On the morning of the 4th, I was witnefs to a very wonderful battle between two fnakes, the one about three feet long, the other no more than fourteen inches,; when, after a fevere conteft of near half an hour, during which time the many wreathings and twiftings were truly curious, the largefl gradually fhifting his gripe, at length caught the fmalleft by the head, and abfolutely fwallowed him alive. My negro boy about this time throwing out fome red-hot embers, i was furprized to fee the frogs eat them with avidity, without receiving any vifible damage from the fire, which moft probably they had miftaken for the fire-fly. I faw another frog in the fugar-mill, feafting upon a regiment of ants, which are here very numerous, licking them up with his tongue as they marched before fore him. Another of thefe animals flept every day chap. upon one of the beams of my cottage, which it regularly XIIL left every night; this was calledyombo-yombo by the negroes, from its great power in leaping: it is very fmall, almoft flat, a fine yellow, with black and fcarlet fpecks; it is frequently found in the upper ftories of houfes, where it arrives by climbing up the walls. We thought it a pretty little animal, and would allow nobody to hurt it. On the morning of the 8th, between fix and feven o'clock, whilft we were interring one of my ferjeants, we heard the report of feveral minute guns towards the river Pirica; in confequence of which, I immediately detached an officer and twelve men to give affiftance. They returned next day with an account that the rebel* had attacked the eftate of Kortenduur, where, having pillaged fome powder, the plantation flaves being armed by their mafter, had bravely beaten them back before my affiftance could be of ufe. A fmall detachment from Colonel Fourgeoud at Wana Greek arrived at the Hope on the nth, with September* the negro prifoner, who related that the rebels had fpoken to Fourgeoud, and even laughed at him, having overheard him giving his orders, viz. hot to fire on them, hut to take them alive : and that amongft thofe loft in the woods was the unlucky Schmidt, who had lately been fo unmercifully beaten, and of which he had never yet recovered. About the 13th, the fpring floods broke down the VoL* T t dncm? chap, dams, and laid our whole poll under water, except the XIIL fpot where I had pitched my cabin, which remained dry, but unfortunately by this accident the officers and men were up to the knees in water. My worthy friend Mr. Heneman, the volunteer, arrived at this time from Colonel Fourgeoud's camp at Wana Creek, with a barge full of men and ammunition ; he was now entered a lieutenant in my company: he informed us, that the remaining troops were marching for Magdcnberg in Upper Comewina, there to go into quarters. This poor young-man was much emaciated with mifery and fatigue, I therefore introduced him at his firft landing to the care of Joanna, who was a mod incomparable nurfe, and under whofe care he felt himfelf extremely happy. On the 14th, Colonel Fourgeoud with his troops being arrived at Magdenberg, the officers and privates of the Society, and the rangers to the amount of near two hun-dred men, were fent down in barges to be ftationed 011 different parts of the river Pirica. Some landed at the Hope to refrefh, and behaved fo very diforderly,as to oblige me and my officers to knock them down by half dozens, to keep the peace till they departed the fame day, after which I difpatched a tent-boat and eight oars to row the commander in chief with fome of his favourites to Paramaribo, from which place he at laft permitted the much-injured Count Rantzvick to fail for Holland. On the x6th, the great eft part of the fheep belonging to this eftate. were unfortunately poifoned by eating duncane) but mine, amonglt fome others, luckily cfcaped. 7 I am EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 323 1 am forry to fay I have not particularly examined the c 11 a p. duncane, as it is called by the negroes. All that I can XilL fay is, that it is a fhrub with a large green leaf, fome-thing like that of the Englifh dock ; it grows fponta-neoufly in low and marfhy places, and is inftaut death to whatever animal eats of its leaves; the flaves therefore fliould be obliged carefully to root it out from the grafs favannas or meadows where cattle graze, fince fheep and bullocks are faid to be remarkably fond of it, though contrary to nature, as moft animals know, it is faid, in-ftinctively how to diftinguifh their food from their poifon. But the fheep in queftion not being the natural inhabitants of Guiana, may for that reafon be admitted as an exception to this general rule. This baneful plant had inadvertently been permitted to grow in a negro's garden, to which the fheep got accefs by breaking down the fence, which occafioned this unpleafant cataftrophe. In this garden I faw feveral other roots and plants that deferve to be noticed. The yamejy, or yam, a well-known root in the Weft Indies, delights in a fat foil; this grows in Surinam fometimes to the weight of two or three fcore pounds, and an acre will produce an aftonifhing quantity *; its tafte is very agreeable, either boiled or roafted, eafy of digeftion, and very wholefome. The infide is of a whitifh colour, without it is of a deep purple approaching towards black ; its fliape is very irre- * Sometimes from ten to twenty thoufand pounds weight. T t a gular. gular. The yams are cultivated by cutting them in pieces like potatoes ; they are planted a few feet diftant from each other, and in about fix or eight months they arrive at maturity; they are known to be fit for ufe when the top or leaves begin to lofe their verdure, till then they are of a deep green colour, and creep along the ground like ivy, with ligneous moots. The yam is amongft the principal food of the flaves throughout the Weft Indies, and is alone fuflicient to fupply the want of bread; alfo being capable of preformation for almoft a year, it is often tranfported, and ufed upon long voyages, and frequently brought to England. Another fmall root I found here, known in Surinam by the name of naapjes, and which is eaten in the fame manner as the yams, but is infinitely more delicious; both the one and the other ferve here for food, as potatoes, carrots, or parfnips do in England. The maize or Indian corn, which I alfo faw in this garden, grows on high perpendicular ftalks, with long pale green leaves; the grain is of a fhining yellow colour, as large as marrow-peas, and clofely fet together, round ears that are the fize of the largefl European carrot. This grain is cultivated in great quantities in Surinam; it is not only ufed for their poultry and cattle of every fpecies, but is alfo ground into meal, of which the Creoles make excellent puddings and cakes, which are of a nourifhing quality. With this they fometimes eat the young pods of the ocro, or altbea plant, which grows upon a very fmall fhrub, flirub, with oblong leaves, and which when boiled, as CHAP* Dr. Bancroft expreffes it, are of a mucilaginous, ilimy, XIU' > and lubricativc texture, which ropy or glutinous quality, however difgufting in appearance, makes a very rich fauce when properly feafoned with Cayenne pepper. The fame" evening that proved fo fatal to the fheep, as I was walking out with my gun, as ufual, I fhot a bird called here the fubacoo ; it is a fpecies of the grey-heron, its bill and legs of a grcenifh black, and very long, the laft appearing as if jointed by large fcales of a hard and horny fubftance, and the claws on each middle toe are denticulated. This bird, though apparently the fize of a common fowl, was fo very light, that an Englifh houfe-pigepn would have eafily counterbalanced it; when dreffed we found it to have a fifhy flavour. I have for fome time been happily filent upon the fubjtct of cruelty; and forry I am, at a time when all appeared harmonious and peaceable, to be under the ne-ceflity of relating fome inftances, which I am confident muft infpire the moft unfeeling reader with horror and refentment. The firft object which attracted my companion during a vifit to a neighbouring eftate, was a beautiful Samboe girl of about eighteen, tied up by both arms to a tree, as naked as ihe came into the world, and lacerated in fuch a fhocking manner by the whips of two negro-drivers, that (lie was from her neck to her ancles-literally dyed over with blood. It was after fhe had received two hundred lafhes that I perceived her, with her headi head hanging downwards, a moft affecting fpectacle. When, turning to the overfeer, I implored that flie might be immediately unbound, lince ihe had undergone the whole of fo fevere a punifhment; but the fhort anfwer which I obtained was, that to prevent all ftrangers from interfering with his government, he had made an unalterable rule, in that cafe, always to double the punifhment, which he inftantaneoufly began to put in execution : I endeavoured to ftop him, but in vain, he declaring the delay fliould not alter his determination, but make him take vengeance with double intereft. Thus I had no other remedy b\it to run to my boat, and leave the detcftable monfter, like a beaft of prey, to enjoy his bloody feaft, till he was glutted. From that day I determined to break off all communication with overfeers, and could not refrain from bitter imprecations againft the whole relentlefs fraternity. Upon inveftigating the caufe of this matchlefs barbarity, I was credibly informed, that her only crime confifted in firmly refuting to fubmit to the loathfome embraces of her deteftable executioner. Prompted by his jealoufy and revenge, he called this the punifhment of difobedience, and fhe was thus flead alive. Not having hitherto introduced the Samboe eaft, I take this opportunity, by here reprefent-ing the miferable young woman as I found her to the attention of the fympathizing reader. A Samboe is between a mulatto and a black, being of a deep copper-coloured complexion, with dark hair, that curls curls in large ringlets. Thefe flaves, both male and female, are generally handfome, and chiefly employed as menial fervants in the planters' houfes. At my return to the Hope, I was accofted by Mr. Ebber, the overfeer of that eftate, who with a woeful countenance informed me he had juft been fined in the fum of twelve hundred florins, about one hundred guineas, for having exercifed the like cruelty on a male flave; with this difference, that the victim had died during the execution. In anfwer to his complaint, fo far from giving him confolation, I told him his diftrefs gave me inexpreflible fatisfaction. The particulars of this murder were as follow: during the time that Captain Tulling commanded here, which was a little time before I came to the Hope, it happened that a fugitive negro belonging to this eftate had been taken upon an adjoining plantation, and fent home, guarded by two armed flaves, to Mr. Ebber; which fugitive, during the time Ebber was reading the letter that accompanied him, found means to fpring afide, and again efcaped into the foreft. This incenfed the overfeer ft* much, that he inftantly took revenge upon the two poor flaves that had brought him, tying them up in the carpenter's lodge. He continued flogging them fo unmercifully, that Captain Tulling thought proper to interfere, and beg for mercy; but, as in my cafe, his interference produced the oppoftte effect : the clang of the whip, mixed with their difmal cries, were heard to continue for C H A P. for above an hour after, until one of them expired under t____fmU the cruel lafb, which put an end to the inhuman ca- taftrophe. A law-fuit was inftantly commenced againft Ebber for affaflination. He was convicted, but condemned to no other punifhment than to pay the afore-mentioned hundred guineas, which price of blood is always divided between the fifcal and the proprietor of the deceafed flave; it being a rule in Surinam, that by paying a fine of five hundred florins, not quite fifty pounds per head, any proprietor is at liberty to kill as many of his own negroes as he pleafes; but if he kills thofe of his neighbour, he is alfo to pay him lor tne lofs of his flave, the crime being firft fubftantiated, which is very difficult in this country, where no flave's evidence can be admitted. Such is the legiflature of Dutch Guiana, in regard to negroes. The above-mentioned Ebber was peculiarly tyrannical; he tormented a boy of about fourteen called Cadet ty, for the fpace of a whole year, by flogging him every day for one month; tying him down flat on his back, with his feet in the ftocks, for another; putting an iron triangle * or pot-hook round his neck for a third, which prevented him from running away among the woods, or even from ileeping, except in an upright or fitting pofture; chaining him to the landing-place, night and day, to a dog's kennel, with orders to bark at every boat or canoe that paffed for a fourth month; and fo » Thefe triangles have three long barbed fpikes, like fmall grapplings, projecting from an iron collar. on, on, varying his punifhment monthly, until the youth CHAR became infeniible, walking crooked, and almoft de- ^X["' , generated into a brute. This wretch was, however, very proud of his handfomeft flaves, and for fear of dif-figuring their ikins, he has fometimes let them off with twenty lathes, when, for their robberies and crimes, they had deferved the gallows. Such is the ftate of public and private juftice in Surinam. The wretch Ebber left the Hope upon this occafion; and his humane fucceflbr, a Mr. Elenderman, commenced his reign by flogging every flave belonging to the eftate, male and female, for having over-llcpt their time in the morning about fifteen minutes. The reader will, no doubt, imagine, that fuch cruelties were unparalleled; but this is not the cafe, they were even exceeded, and by a female too. A Mrs. S—lk—r going to her eftate in a tent-barge, a negro woman, with her fucking infant, happened to be paflengers, and were feated on the bow or fore-part of the boat. The child crying, from pain perhaps, or fome other reafon, could not be huffied; Mrs. S—lk—r, offended with the cries of this innocent little creature, ordered the mother to bring it aft, and deliver it into her hands; then, in the prefence'of the diffracted parent, fhe immediately thruft it out at one of the tilt-windows, where fhe held it under water until it was drowned, and then let it go. The fond mother, in a ftate of defperation, Vol. I. U u inftantly inftantly leapt overboard into the ftream, where floated her beloved offspring, in conjunction with which Ihe was determined to ffnifh her miferable exiftcnce. In this, however, fhe was prevented by the exertions of the negroes who rowed the boat, and was punilhul bv her miftrefs with three or four hundred lathes for her daring temerity. Colonel Fourgeoud moved on the 20th, with all his troops, from Magdenberg, in order to eftablifh his headquarters nearer the infirmary. His army being in a very fickly condition, he fixed upon the eftate called New Rofenback, fituated between the Hope and the hofpital, for his encampment. Thither 1 immediately repaired, to pay my refpects to the chief; when I faw the remainder of his miferable army landed, and received a further detail of the campaign. I have already mentioned Captain Fredericy's being wounded; one man loft by neglect, and another cut and difarmed; the captives running away, chains and all; the hero fcoffed at, and ridiculed by his fable enemies :—I mail now add, that a fick marine was left to die or recover by himfelf; and that one of the flaves, by bad ufage, had his arm broke. The captive negro woman was alfo gone, never more to return to her conqueror, confiderably increafed in fize from her connection with the troops, and likely to prefent a new recruit to her dufky monarch. Thefe were the particulars of the laft campaign. But I muft mention the the humanity of a poor flave, who, at every hazard, deferted Fourgeoud to attend the dying marine; and having performed the laft fad office of friendfhip, returned to receive his punifhment, but to his infinite furprize was pardoned. In juftice to Colonel Fourgeoud I muft fay, that upon fuch expeditions, and in fuch a climate, many of thefe accidents cannot be prevented ; and that while he killed his troops by fcores, without making captures on the enemy, he neverthelefs did the colony confiderable fervice, by difturbing, hunting, and harafling the rebels, and deftroying their fields and provifions. For, it is certain, no negro will ever return to fettle in thofe haunts from which he has been once expelled. Colonel Fourgeoud's partaking perfonally in every danger and fatigue at his age, muft make fome amends for the other faults that ftained his character, and may even ferve, in fome meafure, to eftablifh his reputation as a man of patience and fortitude. It would give me infinitely more pleafure to write nothing but in his praife; but truth, and the general benefit of mankind, requires, that whilft I difplay his good qualities I alfo point out his failings, as they may ferve to correct others, and by thefe means even his vices may be rendered ufeful. What could be more ridiculous, than paying his troops with filver at Paramaribo, where paper was juft as good ? and now, while in the rivers, giving them cards, for which they U112 could chap, could not procure a yam or a bunch of plantains, while YTTT _j ne had whole cherts of fpecie in his poffeflion ? But his object was to gain a profit of ten per cent, on the pay of the whole regiment, and for this he was juflly blamed by the corps in general. On the 2iff, feveral officers came to vifit me at the Hope, whom I entertained with a fifli dinner—amongft which were the kawiry, the tamper, and macrely-jify, all which I fhall briefly defcribe. The kawiry is a fmall fifli without fcales, the head is large, with two long antennae or whifkers projecting from the upper jaw, and is very plentiful in the rivers. The lamper is a fpecies of the lamperny that are caught in the Thames: thofe of Surinam are not large, but very fat, of a round fliape, flimy or glutinous; its colour a blueifh green with yellow fpots, except the belly, which is white; this fifli, like the falmon, frequents both the fea and the rivers. The macrely-fify refembles a mackarel, whence it has its name, only its colour is more blueifh, and not near fo> fplcndid. We were very happy, and my guelfs perfectly fatisfied with their entertainment. But on the morning of the 22d my poor Joanna, who had been our cook, was attacked with a violent fever; fhe defired to be removed to Fauconberg, there to be attended by one of her female relations, which i complied with. But on the evening of the 25th ihe was fo extremely ill, that i determined to vifit vifit her myfelf, but as privately as poflible, as Four- CHAP, geoud was to vifit me at the Hope the next day; for his U™^J fatirieal jokes upon fuch an occafion I could very well difpenfe with; and I knew the moft laudable motives were no protection againft the ungovernable rallies of his temper. However difficult the undertaking, as I had to pafs clofe to his poft, I like another Leander was determined to crofs the Hellespont; of which having informed my friend Heneman, I fet out about eleven at night in my own barge, when coming oppofite New Rofenbaqk, 1 heard » Fourgeoud's voice very diftindtly, as he walked on the beach with fome other officers, and immediately the boat was hailed by a fentinel, and ordered to come afhore. I now thought all was over; but, perfifting to the laft, I told the negroes to anfwer Killejlyn Nova, the name of an adjoining plantation, and thus got leave to proceed unmolefted. Soon after I arrived fife at Fauconberg, and found my dcarcft friend much better. But on the 26th, in the morning, miftaking the daylight for moon-fhine, I overflcpt myfelf, and knew not how to return to the Hope, as my barge and negroes could now not pafs without being well known to the Colonel. Delay was ufelefs; fo out I fet, miffing entirely to the ingenuity of my Haves, who put me afhore juft before we came in fight of the head-quarters; when one of them efcorted me through the Woods, and I arrived Vol. I. U u 3 fafe * CHAP. at the Hope. But here my barge foon followed under xni. a gvi^rd, and all my poor Haves prifoners, with an order from Fourgeoud for me to flog every one of them, as they had been apprehended without a pafs, while their excufe was that they had been out a hihing for their Majfera. Their fidelity to me upon this occafion was truly afto-nifhing, as they all declared they would have preferred being cut in pieces, rather than betray the fecrets of fo good a mafter. However, the danger was foon over, as I confirmed what they had faid, and added, that the fifh were intended to regale the hero; after which I made a donation of two gallons of rum among my fable privy-counfellors. This pafTage, however trifling, may ferve as a fample not only of European weaknefs, but of African firmnefs and refolution. Notwithftanding my preparation, ftill Colonel Fourgeoud did not vifit me on the 27th, but the next morning Joanna arrived, accompanied by a ftout black, who was her uncle, and whofe arm was decorated with a filver band, on which were engraved thefe words: "True " to the Europeans." This man, who was named Cojo, having voluntarily fought againft the rebels, before his companions, by the inhuman treatment of Mr. D. B. and his overfeer, had been forced to join them. From thefe he related to us the following remarkable ftory> having a little girl, called Tamera, by the hand:—a This " child's father," faicl he, " is one whofe name is Jolly a u Cceur, « Cceur, the firft captain belonging to Baron's men, and, " not without caufe, one of the nerceft rebels in the foreft, " which he has lately fhewn on the neighbouring eftate of * New Rofenback, where your colonel now commands. " On that eftate one Schults, a Jew, being the manager at " that time, who formerly was the manager of Faucon-*' berg, the rebels fuddenly appeared, and took pofTef-" fion of the whole plantation. Having tied the hands of « Schults, and plundered the houfe, they next began to " feafting and dancing, before they thought proper to end 11 his miferable exiftence. In this deplorable fituation now * lay the victim, only waiting Baron's fignal for death, " when his eyes chancing to catch the above captain's, Jolly te Cceur, he addreffed him nearly in the following words: « —« O Jolly Cceur, now remember Mr. Schults, who was " once your deputy-matter; remember the dainties I gave " you from my own table, when you were only a child, and " my favourite, my darling, among fo many others: rc-" member this, and now fpare my life by your powerful " intercelTion.'—The reply of Jolly Cceur was memorable: ** —I remember it perfectly well: ' But you, O tyrant, re-" collect how you ravifhed my poor mother, and flogged " my father for coming to her afliftance. Recollect, that u the fhameful act was perpetrated in my infant prefence « —Recollect this—then die by my hands, and next be " damn'd.'—Saying this, he fevered his head from his body u with a hatchet at one blow; with which having played * " at c H a F. " at bowls upon the beach, he next cut the fkin with a XIII t_jl--'„,„j " knife from his back, which he fpread over one of the Xi cannon to keep the priming dry."—Thus ended the hif-tory of Mr. Schults; when Cojo, with young Tamera, departed, and left me to go, with an increafed impatience, to receive the news, that I foon was to expect from Am-fterdam, viz. when the deferving Joanna fliould be free from the villainy of fuch pefts of human nature. On the 28th, Colonel Fourgeoud arrived about ten o'clock with one of his officers, and with the very devil painted in his countenance, which alarmed me much. I, however, inftantly introduced him to my cottage, where he no fooner faw my mate, tfcran the clovuls (like a vapour by the fun) were difpelled from his gloomy forehead : and I muft confefs, that I never faw him behave with more civility. ■ " Her heavenly form ** Angelic, but more foft and feminine, " Her graceful innocence, her every air *f Of gefture, or lealt action, over-aw'd " His malice; and with rapine fweet bereav'd €t His riercenefs of the fierce intent it brought." Milton. Having XIII. Having entertained him in the beft manner we were CHAP, able, and now related the ftory of the Hellefpont, he laughed heartily at the ftratagem, and giving us both a fhake by the hand departed to New Rofenback, in good-humour and perfectly contented.—From all the preceding circumftances, the above Chapter may be ftiled the golden age of my Weft India expedition. Vol. L Xx CHAP, CHAP. XIV. Colonel Fourgeoud at Paramaribo—Example of Ignorance in a Surgeon—Of Virtue in a Slave—Of Ferocity in a Commander—The Troops re-enter the Woods—Account of Loango Dancing—Unco?nmon Proof of Fidelity in a Negro. TTAVING delayed his departure to the 29th of April, Colonel Fourgeoud now finally rowed down for Paramaribo, accompanied by a few of his officers, to refrefli themfelves; of which, in truth, they had great need, while an armed barge kept floating up and down the river, and while the remaining emaciated troops (which were melted down to a very fmall number, and unfit, till recruited in their conftitutions, for any further military fervice) greatly required fome reft. Juft before the chief's departure, he fent me (who now commanded the river) the following very curious in It ructions, which, as a proof of his generalfhip, 1 cannot help inferting: Amongft others, " to afk the planters if the rebels were " come to their eftates, in which cafe to attack and drive " them away ; but not to follow them, unlefs 1 was fure that I certainly fliould conquer them, and for any mif-" carriage I fliould be called to an account;" which is, in plain Englifh, that " if I attacked the enemy without " fuccefs, p fuecefs, I muft be punifhed; and if I did not attack them C " at all, I was to be called to account for neglect of duty." However judicious the other articles I had received, I could not help thinking the above fo very abfurd, that I immediately returned them back by an officer, and had the good fortune (at my requeft) to get them changed into common fenfe. How happy was I at this time in particular, who wanted for nothing, and who had fuch an agreeable partner con-ftantly near me, whofe fweet converfation was divine mulic to my cars, and whofe prefence banifhed every languor and hardship from my mind ! One day, ftraying with me through a watery favanna, I fhot a bird, which I found to be the fpur-winged water-hen of Edwards. This beautiful creature is fuppofed to be of the plover kind, with the body about the fize of a pigeon, being of a deep cinnamon colour, between red and a very rich orange; the neck and belly are perfectly black, the larger feathers of the wings of a bright yellow, and armed on each pinion with a fhort and fharp horny fpur, which it ufes for its defence, as gamecocks ufe theirs in England. It has no tail; its bill is near two inches in length; its legs are long, and, as well as the bill, are of a yellowifh green colour; its toes, efpecially the hinder ones, are of a remarkable length, and feem calculated to fupport its weight in the mud, where it is moft frequently feen, if not wading in the water to feek its food. Thefe birds, like plovers, never fwim; they have X x 2 , a fcarlet C H A P. a fcarlet creft and fmall pearls (like thofe of the Mufcovy X1^. cluck) feparating the bill from the eyes; they are always feen in pairs, and when they fly produce an agreeable whiffling from their throats. The fpur-winged water-hen, on account of its great beauty, reminded me of another fine bird I lately faw upon one of the neighbouring eftates, but which 1 had forgotten to mention : this was the Guiana curlew, here called flamingo, from its great refemblance to the famous bird of that name, feen in Canada and many parts of North and South America, and which is fuppofed to be of the crane kind, with its body as large as that of an European fwan. This bird, however, is only the fize of a fmall heron ; it has no tail, but a very long neck, and long limbs, with four toes: the head is fmall, and the bill alfo long, round, and arched. The flamingo Jays always two eggs, which, when hatched, the chickens appear black, next grey, then white, as they come nearer maturity ; and, finally, the whole bird becomes a bright fcarlet or crimfon, fome not lighter than the colour of blood. They live in fociety like the ftorks, and moftly on the banks of rivers, or near the fea, where they are feen in fuch amazing flocks, that the farads feem dyed with vermilion ; thefe birds, when young, are accounted very good eating,, and Tire fo tame, that on the plantations they are frequently feen walking and feeding among the poultry, though fifh and animal food they generally prefer. Thus //W. w. /hA/ir//,;/ /),;•%, ,~,/;.hv./. ./, cept of his invitation with contempt, in which I was followed by the French planter. When, in my turn, I cnq lired for the caufe of his refilling my requeft, and fending me fo ftrange a letter, this was the anfwer— That thirty or forty of the Ouca negroes, who were our allies by treaty, had deceived him, in doing nothing while they had been in the woods, and during the time he had been at Paramaribo: that he was in confequence determined to pufh on the war with double vigour; on which account he had not only forbidden me to go to town, but had lince ordered even all the lick officers to come up and to follow the enemy, while they had ftrength or breath remaining, not fo much as leaving one at Paramaribo to guard the colours and the regiment's cheft, which had both been left to the care of 7 a quarter- a quarter-mafter.—This, indeed, was literally the fact; but to this he might fafely, and without hurting his confcience, have added, the inveteracy of his difpoiition, with which he had determined to perfecute me and fome others to annihilation. I ought to mention, that it was not till about this time that he iifued orders to be obferved on a march, and that previous to this every thing was performed in perfect hurry and confufion, which indeed even afterwards was too frequently the cafe. Having now been near two months on the eftate Eg-mond, where I could not recover, and not being permitted to go to Paramaribo, I preferred returning back again to take the command at the Hope; where having entertained Monficur de Cachelieu in the beft manner I was able, this gentleman in the evening returned to his plantation. At the Hope I found my friend Mr. Heneman (who was now made a captain) very lick, with feveral others. All thefe, as well as myfelf, were left without a furgeon, medicines, or money ; while, as I ftated before, the many,hogfheads of wine lent from Amfterdam, together with fcores of kegs containing prefcrved vegetables, and other frefh provifions, were foreverkept invifible from the poor, emaciated, and languishing troops, for whom they had certainly been intended by that city. I indeed here made one more attempt to recover our property, but to no purpofe; money, medicines,wine, and refrefhments, were all kept back. Thus did we continue to pine and lofe ftrength, inftead of gaining it. I mean the greateft part of c n a p. of us: as for myfelf, I had the leaft caufe to complain, be-Xlv_' t ing well attended by Joanna and my fervants, who the next day all arrived from Egmond at the Hope, befides receiving prefents, which were as ufual fent me from all quarters. One additional inconvenience 1 however felt— my feet were infefted with chigoes, which I partly impute to having? during my illnefs, worn ftockings and ihoes while at the good Frenchman's eftate Egmond. Of this troublefome infect I have already made fome mention, as being extremely numerous at Devil's Harwar, but now fhall circumftantially defcribe it. The chigoe is a kind of fmall fand-flea, that gets in between the fkin and the flefh without its being felt, and generally under the nails of the toes; where, while it feeds, it keeps growing till it becomes the fize of a large pea, caufing no further pain than a difagreeable itching; in procefs of time it appears in the form of a fmall bladder, in which are depofited thoufands of eggs or nits, and which, if it breaks, produce fo many young chigoes, that in courfe of time create running ulcers, which are often of very dangerous confequence to the patient: fo much fo, indeed, that I have known a fol-dier, the foles of whofe feet were obliged to be cut away with a razor, before he could recover; and fome men have loft their limbs by amputation—nay even their lives, by having neglected in time to root out thefe abominable vermin. The moment, therefore, that one perceives a kind of itching and rednefs more than ufual about ^bout the feet, it is time to begin extracting the chigoe CHAP, that occafions it: this is clone with a fharp - pointed XIV' J needle, at which operation the black girls are extremely dexterous, taking every care not to occafion unneceffary pain, and to prevent the chigoo or bladder from breaking in the wound. The cure is to put tobacco-afties in the orifice, by which in a little time it is perfectly healed. Being at this time, as I have juft mentioned, infefted with the chigoes, Joanna with her needle picked twenty-three of thefe infects out of my left foot; which being all hatched under the nails, caufed, as may be imagined, the moft terrible torment, but which I bore without flinching, with the refolution of an African negro. Thefe are the infects called niquas by the Spaniards at Carthagena. On the 21 ft I received a letter from the commander in chief, not an anfwer to my laft, but orders to fend him up to the eftate Crawaftibo (which was at prefent his head-quarters) all the provifions, kettles, axes, Sec. that could be fpared from the Hope, as he was preparing to re-enter the woods. I accordingly difpatched them the next day : but the fupply of victuals was not great; for a whole barge, wkh beef and pork, bound for the Hope, had been ihipwrecked in the river. On the 25th Mr. Steger, the furgeon who had fo nearly poifoned me that I could not yet get the better of the effects of his ignorance, was difcharged from the regiment, as incapable of his profeflion. Still, notwithftanding-my unfettled ftate of health, as feveral officers- Vol. I. Z 2 were were going to join Fourgeoud about this time, and weak as I was, I intreated once more to be one of the party. But on the morning of the 26th, his adjutant, with another furgeon, vifiting all the troops that were in Comewina, I was deemed totally incapable of fupporting the fatigue : indeed fo much fo, that relapfing on the 29th, 1 was even glad to be fuperfeded in the command of the river by the major, Mr. Medlar, who arrived at the Hope this day for that purpofe. Neverthelefs I was condemned to linger at this place, while one month at Paramaribo might have perfectly recovered me.—I had now nothing to do but to continue my drawings, for which the above gentleman at that time offered me one hundred crowns, but my deiire was, if poflible, to complete the collection;, and when I had the ftrength, I walked round the plantation with my gun. Amongft others, I fhot, on the 3d of September, a fmall bird, called kibry-fowlo, on account of its continuing in a manner conftantly under cover. It was about the fize of a thrufh, and very much the colour of a quail, which it alfo exactly refembled in fhaper but the limbs were rather longer, and the bill was extremely Sharp-pointed. This bird is very feldom feen on the wing, but runs incredibly faft through the grafs and favannas, where it hides itfelf the inftant it is perceived. When dreffed, it was as fat as a lump of butter,, and as delicious as an European ortolan. On the nth of September, Fourgeoud at laft broke up from Crawaftibo, and, with all the able troops he could * collect collect (which were now not much more than one hundred) he again marched into the foreft after the enemy ; having previouily taken away the poft from the Jew Savannah, which he placed at the forfaken eftate Oranjebo, in the very upper parts of Rio Comewina, leaving the river Surinam to take care of itfelf. On the 19th of this month in the forenoon, a herd of wild fwine, called pingos, (more than two hundred in number) having loft their way in the foreft, came to the Hope, galloping over the plantation, when above a fcore of them were killed by the negroes, who knocked them down with their bill-hooks and axes. In Surinam the wild boars are of three fpecies; which I will embrace this opportunity to defcribe — thefe are the pingos or waree above-mentioned, the cras-pingo, and the Mexican hog, called the peccary. The pingos are about the fize of our Englifh fmall hogs; they are black, and have coarfe briftles thinly fcattered; they live in herds of fometimes above three hundred, in the thickeft parts of the foreft, and run always in a line, the one clofely following the other; when the foremoft or leader is (hot, the line is inftantly broken, and the whole herd is in confufion; for which feafon the Indians take care (if poflible) to knock their* captain on the head before the reft ; after this the others even often ftand ftill, ftupidly looking at one another, and allowing themfelves to be killed one by one, of which I have been a witnefs. They do not attack the human fpecies, nor Z z 2 make make any refiftance at all, like the European wild-boar,, when wounded, as has been by fome authors errone-oufly after ted. As for their attacking dogs, I can fay nothing about it, never having had any with me when I met them.—The cras-pingos are ferge, armed with ftrong tufks,. and their briflles ftill coarfer than the former. This large fpecies indeed are very dangerous, as well from their ftrength as their ferocity, attacking any thing that, obftru£fs them in their way, efpecially when wounded. They move in the fame manner, and in as large herds, as the former, but inhabit chiefly the more inland parts of the country. Roth thefe fpecies* when they hear the fmalleft noife in the foreft that indicates danger, flop fhort in their courfe, form in a clofe body, and gnafh their teeth, preparing themfelves for defence againft the enemy : I am of opinion that thefe are not natural to Guiana, but originally from Africa and Europe. Their flefh. is eaten with avidity by the natives* and even efteemed by the. white inhabitants^ but is in my opinion dry, hard, and unfavoury.—That fpecies which is called the peccary or Mexican-hog, is alone fuppofed to be indigenous to Guiana, and will not intermix with either the wild or domeftic hogs. This animal is particularly remarkable by having an orifice on the back* which is vulgarly miftaken for its navel, and which, being about one inch deep, contains a ftinking fetid liquor^ which fome compare to the fmell of mufk, but which is fo very difagreeable, that the inftant the animal is killed, the PE 76 the natives take care to cut away this part with a knife, CHAP: to prevent its infecting the flefh, which it would foon do, t_X1^* making it fo difgufting as not to be eatable. The length of the peccary is about three feet: it has no tail; fine limbs, fhort tufks, and yellowiih grey briftles, much refembling thofe of an Englifh hedge-hog; on the back they are very long, but on the fides and on the belly they are both fhort and very thinly fcattered. This creature has a light-coloured fpot that comes down from the fhoulder on each fide the breaft, fomething like a horfe-collar. Hogs of this fpecies are more uncommon in the low and marfhy countries than in the inland parts, where-they prefer feeding amongft the mountains and dry favannas. The peccary is eafily tamed, and in that ftate harmlefs and inoffenfive,. but not fo ftupid as is aliened' by the Count de Buffon, who fays*, they know no perfon, and have no attachment to thofe that feed them ; for Major Medlar had one at the Hope that followed him like a dog, and lhewed the greateft delight in being careftech by its mafter. I ought alfo to obferve that it is, when irritated, very vicious and mifchievous. They go in large herds as the other fpecies, produce many young at a time, and their grunting is extremely loud and difagreeable. On the morning of the 29th, we again heard the report of feveral guns toward the river Cottica, where it fince appeared the rebels were a fecond time beaten back from the CHAP, the plantation Merfeille, by the fidelity and bravery of Jjj^Lj the flaves belonging to that eftate. On the 8th of the fucceeding month, we received the news, that Colonel Fourgeoud, having difcovered and de-ftroyed fome fields belonging to the enemy (who had again kept up a diftant converfation with him) and having found the mangled remains of poor Schmidt, who had been murdered by the rebels, as 1 related above, was once more come with his troops to Magdenberg, where he encamped till the eleventh. He then re-entered the foreft, previoufly fending to the Hope the fick, and with them a young officer under an arreft, in order to be tried for not being able to undergo the fatigues as well as himfelf. In other words, having been ordered to watch two days and two nights, the youth had proved unequal to the talk, and had dropt afleep under arms, as he was fitting on the ground. The climate indeed was fuch that even without thefe trials nature was often overcome. The prefervation of Fourgeoud's vigour hitherto may, in a great meafure, be attributed to his continually drinking a medicine he called tifan, in large full bafons, which had a moft naufeous tafte, and was compofed of the jefuits bark, cream of tartar, and ftick-liquorice, boiled together, which he drank as hot as he could bear it, and to which having accuftomed his conftitution, he could not do without it. In this, however, he was followed lowed by none of the reft, as they were apprehenfive that when this ihould once ceafe to operate, (which it inuft at laft) all other medicines in time of real need would be ineffectual. As for my own part, I ftill continued to be fo exceedingly weak, that I almoft defpaired of evermore recovering; while my deprelTed fpirits, on account of Joanna's critical and almoft hopelefs fituation, greatly contributed to prevent the reftoration of my health. Thefe alarms were not diminifhed on the 21ft, when, being vifited by Mr. and Mrs. Lolkens at the Hope, this gentleman told me, that the whole eftate Fauconberg was again transferred, with its dependants, fince the death of Mr. Paflalage; that the new proprietor was a Mr. Lude of Amfterdam, with whom he had not the fmalleft intereft; and that there was in town a general report that we had both been poifoncd. This fentence was, however, greatly alleviated by the kindnefs of his lady, who infilled that my Joanna fliould accompany her to Paramaribo immediately; where, at her own houfe, fhe fliould meet with every care and attention that her fituation could require, till perfectly recovered : for this I thanked her in the beft manner I was able, and poor Joanna wept with gratitude. Having therefore conducted them as far as their eftate Killeftyn-Nova, where we dined, I took my leave of them and Joanna, and bid them all an affectionate farewell for the prefent. At my return to the Hope, my indignation was fcarcely to to be reilrained within the bounds of prudence, when 1 found myfelf upbraided by my mefs-mates for taking care of my own offspring: " Do as we do," faid they, Xi -Stedman, and never fear. If our children are flaves, "they are provided for ; and if they die, what care we, il fliould they be d—n'd in the bargain ? Therefore keep 4i your fighs in your own belly, and your money in your " pocket, my boy, that's all."—I repeat this in their own language, to fhew how much my feeling muft have been hurt and difgufled with fimilar confolation.. The following morning, awaking by day-break in my hammock, the firft thing that I faw, when looking up, was a fnake about two yards long-, hanging with its head downwards like a rope, and ftraight above my face, from which he was not one foot diftance, while his tail was twifted round the rafters under the thatch. Obferv-ing his eyes bright as ftars, and his forked tongue in agitation, I was fo diftrefled that I fcarcely had power to avoid him, which however I-did, by running out; after which, I heard a ruftling in the dry thatch, where the negroes attempted to kill him, but in vain, he having ef-caped, and thus I cannot fay what fpecies he belonged to. Being now by myfelf, and rather ftartled by this unwelcome gueft, I fliut up my houfe, and lodged and meffed with my friends the Major, Hcneman, and Macdonald. On vifiting my boxes, I now found that great depredations had been committed by the ants, which are throughout all Guiana fo very numerous, and of fo many diffe-± rent rent fpecies, that once I had a pair of new cotton ftockings perfectly deftroyed by them in one night only. Thofe which freement the eftates are generally fmall, but very troublefome. The only way poftibly to keep them from the refined fugar, is by hanging the loaf to the ceiling on a nail, and making a ring of dry chalk around it, very thick, which crumbles down the moment the ants attempt to pafs it. I imagined that placing my fugar-boxes in the middle of a tub, and on flone, furrounded with deep water, would have kept back this formidable enemy, but to no purpofe : whole armies of the lighter fort (to my aftonifhment) marched over the furface, and but a very few of them were drowned. The main body con-ftantly fcaled the rock, and in fpite of all my efforts made their entry through the key-holes; after which, the only way to clear the garrifon is to expofe it to a hot fun, which the invaders cannot bear, and all march off in a few minutes. That the ants provide for winter, as not only Dr. Bancroft and many others, but even King Solomon, reports, is found to be an error by the moft modern inveftigation. In Surinam, indeed, there is no winter; but where there is, the ants lie dormant, during which torpid ftate they want no food. My friend Captain Van Coeverden, at this time, marching in the woods, fuffered a much worfc depredation at Paramaribo, where not the ants, but the ncgro-flaves, had broken open his boxes, and robbed him of all his beft effects, and near twenty guineas in money. Vol. L 3 A On On the 6th, a marine drowned himfelf? in one of thofe phrenzy fevers which are fo common in Guiana. About the fame time another Society foldier was fhot by order of a court-martial. Thus periflied thofe men who were fpared by the climate or the enemy. Having written to a Mr. Seifke, to enquire whether it was not in the power of the Governor and Council to relieve a gentleman's child from bondage, provided there was paid to its mafter fuch a ranfom as their wif-dom fliould judge adequate; I received for anfwer, that no money or intereft could purchafe its freedom, without the proprietor's con fent ; fince, according to law, it was juft as much a flave as if it had been born in Africa, and imported from the coaft of Guinea. This information now perfectly completed my mifery, and I at laft had re-courfe to drinking; which temporary relief, however, only caufed my fpirits to flow higher, in order to make them fink lower after its evaporation. During this conflict it happened thai I was invited with the Major to dine, at an eftate called Knoppemonbo, in the Cafavinica Creek, where a Mr. DeGraav, the proprietor, did every thing in his power to amufe me, but to no purpofe.—At laft, feeing me feated by myfelf on a fmall bridge that led to a grove of orange-trees, with a fettled gloom on my countenance, he accofted me, and taking me by the hand, to my afto-nifhment, pronounced the following words: " Sir, I am acquainted by Mr. Lolkens with the caufe « of your juft diftrefs. Heaven never left a good inten- " tion « tion unrewarded. I have now the pleafure to acquaint C IIA p. Ci you, that Mr. Lude has chofen me for his adminiftra-« tor; and that from this day I (hall pride myfelf in rnak-"ing it my bufinefs to render you any fervice with that 4 gentleman, as well as the virtuous Joanna, whofe de-" ferving character has attracted the attention of fo many " people, while your laudable conduct redounds to your " laft ing honour throughout the colony." No angel defcending from above could have brought me a more welcome meffage; and no criminal under fentence of death could have received a reprieve with greater joy. The weight of a mill-ftone was removed from my labouring breaft; and having made Mr. De Graav repeat his promife, I felt I fliould yet be happy. Soon after this I was furrounded by feveral gentlemen and ladies, to whom my friend had communicated his generous intentions. They congratulated me on my fe nihility, and on having met with fo valuable an acquaintance. All feemed to partake in the pleafure that I now felt; and the day being fpent in mirth and conviviality, I returned to the Hope, much better pleafed than \vhcn I left it, where next day the whole company was entertained by Major Medlar; nor did we feparate, or ceafc feafting up and down the river, till the 13th, when we once, more fpent the day at Knoppemonbo. Here Mr. De Graav, having bought fome new flaves, gave a holiday to all the negroes on his eftate ; and here I had the opportunity of feeing the diverfions peculiar 3 A 2, . to to that people : but of thefe I mud referve the particular account to another occafion, and for the prefent only give a fhort description of the Loango dancing, as performed by the Loango negroes, male and female, and not by any others; which confifls from firfl to laft in fuch a Jjzene of wanton and lafcivious geftures, as nothing but a heated imagination and a conftant practice could enable them to perform. Thefe dances, which are performed to the found of a drum, to which they ftrike time by clapping of hands, may properly be confidered as a kind of play or pantomime divided into fo many acts, which lafts for fome hours. But the moft remarkable is, that during this reprefentation, the actors, inftead of being fatigued, become more and more enlivened and animated, till they are bathed in fweat like poft-horfes, and their paflions wound up to fuch a degree, that nature being overcome, they are ready to drop into convuliions. However indelicate the above exhibitions may be, fafhion has rendered them no more difgufting than any other diverfions to the European and Creole ladies, who in company with the gentlemen croud about them without the leafl referve, to enjoy what they call a hearty laugh ; while fuch fcenes would change an Englifh woman's face from white to fcarlet. That cuftom and habit give a Sanction, and render familiar, in fome countries, many things which would be confidered as prepofterous in others, is an obfervation, which is more or lefs verified, in proportion to the variety 3 of of places which the traveller has vifited. An officer in the India fervice has, in a late publication, defcribed the variety of attitudes, geltures, looks, fighs, expreflions of defire, fear, hope, trepidation, and every gradation of paiTion, which is acted by the dancing-girls in the Eaft Indies; and yet, though thefe young women are exerting all their faculties for promoting wantonnefs in the beholders, to obtain a living, the whole race of Gentoo women are moft remarkable for the pureft minds of any people in the univerfe *. * Not to go fo far caftward, it is no- Emanuel Martinus, dean of Alicant, I torious that nearly hmilar to thefe dances fhall venture to infert it as it came to my are thofe which we fiad prac/tifed on hands, fince 1 doubt not but it may afford a part of this continent. They are amufement to fome of my readers, while called fandangos^ and are faid to have I hope the admiffion of it will not be been brought from Peru to Spain. As ofFenfive to others ; it being my wifh and I have been favoured with a very accu- defire to pleafe all, by bringing to light rate and curious defcription of them, ex- whatever might otherwife efcape obfer- tra£tcd from a collection of letters of vation. CHAP, XIV. E. M. I. I nunc, etveterum morum licentiam accufa, noftrorum verecundiam lauda. Nofti faltationem illam Gaditanam, ob-fecenitate fua per omne aevum famofam. At qui hodie ipfammet per omnia hu-jus urbis compita, per omnia cubicula, cum incredibili aftantium plaufu, faltari ▼ideas. Nec inter jEthiopas tantum ct obfeuros homines, fed inter honeflif-fimas fceminas, ac nobili loco natas. Saltationis modus hoc ritu peragitur. Saltant vir et foemina vel bini vel plures. Corpora ad muficos modos per omnia libidinum irritamenta verfantur. Mcm- A. fuo. brorum molliffimt flexus, clunium mo tationes, micationes femorum, falaciura infultuuin imagines, omnia dcnique tur-gentis lafciviae folertiflimo ftudio exprefTa fimulacrn. V ideas cevere virum, et cum quodam gannitu, criflare fceminam, co le-pore ac venuftate, ut incptjc profe&o ac rufticae tibi viderentur trenwbe nates Photidos Appuleianae. Interea omnia con-ftrepunt cachinnis et ronchis. Quin fpec-tatores ipfi fatyrica; atellan-^que o%x,WMg furore correpti, in ipfo fimulata; hbidinis campo, leni quodam geftu nuaique, veli-tautur ac fluctuant. On On the 14th I returned to the Hope, where I faw mv cottage unroofed by a ftorm ; but which now expecting no more to inhabit, 1 permitted to go to ruin— " The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces, &c. fhall difiblve." Be that as it may, I had paffed in it the happieft days of my whole life-time. On the 26th Colonel Fourgeoud marched once more to the Wana Creek ; but having taken the troops from the Jew Savannah, the rebels availed themfelves of their ab-fence, and not only pillaged a plantation in the river Surinam, hut burnt feveral dwellings in the Creek Cafa-vinica. From the above river they were bravely purfued by a feeble Society-detachment, which chanced to be there, but without fuccefs; two foldiers were killed, and Mr. Negle their leader, with feveral others, wounded. The major now broke up the new poft formed at Oranjebo, which he alfo difpatched after the enemy; and having ranged a whole week in the foreft, alfo returned without any manner of fuccefs. Thefe frequent mifcarriages evince how difficult it is for European troops to carry on a war in the forefts of South America. The 30th of this month being the anniverfary of St. Andrew, and now finding myfelf in excellent fpirits, I roafted a whole fheep, with which I entertained all the officers on the Hope, as well as with a couple of gallons of good Jamaica rum in punch, which we drank to the healths of all our friends on the old continent. This feftivity 1 2 repeated X HAP XIV. c—v-J repeated on December the 4th, on receiving the tidings that my Joanna was delivered of a ftrong and beautiful boy. That very morning I difpatched another letter to Mr. Lude at Arnfterdam, to obtain her manumiflion, couched much in the fame terms as that which I had written to his predecefTor Mr. Paffalage, only praying for dilpatch, as I was now uncertain how much longer the expedition was to laft; in which rcqueft I was again feconded by my new friend Mr. De Graav, as I had been before by Mr. Lolkens ; after which I entertained the fick with a dozen of old Rhcniih, received from the former gentleman, which had been in his cellar from one thoufand feven hundred and twenty-fix. Walking round the plantation the morning of the 10th with my gun, I found the whole of the flaves on the citato in a mutiny, on account of the cruel ufage inflicted by the managers : happily for ail parties the interference of the military foon ended this matter to mutual fatisfaction. Thefe frequent difturbances, which ] have at different times mentioned, plainly indicate the inclination of the negroes to break out in an open rebellion ; and this would certainly have been more often attempted, had they not been awed by the troops. The fame morning I brought home two birds, the one called foreman, the other a fpecies of grafs-fnipe. The foreman, or bana-quazv, is a mining black bird, as large as a pullet, with grey legs, and a bill of a dark, brown colour; it is very good eating, and eafily difcovered in the trees (where it perches chap, perches on the higher* branches) by its note repeating XIV* . diftinctly the word hanaquaw, hanaquaw, at the approach of any perfon in the foreft; which has alfo occafioned the name of foreman, and which fignifies, in the negro language of Surinam, a tale-bearer or a fpy; on this account the rebels in particular have an invincible hatred againft it. The grafs-fnipe is fomething lefs than a woodcock, of a beautiful filver-grey colour, and in fhape much like the fnipes of Europe. This bird is moftly found in the wet favannahs; it is very plump, and exquilitely delicate food. On the nth the eftate RecTwyk in Pirica was attacked, but the enemy was beaten back by the military. Colonel Fourgeoud being now again arrived at Mag-denberg, and I at laft, being perfectly recovered, after feven months illnefs, I ventured to propofe, by another letter to the commander, that I might accompany him on his future excurfions in the woods, or go for fome time to Paramaribo; but neither the one or the other requeft was yet granted. In this fituation I wrote a letter to town, to inform my poor friend that I was well, with which I went to the river fide to look out for a boat, and towards noon hailed the tent-barge belonging to Fauconberg, which was rowing with the overfeer to Paramaribo. This was, unfortunately, a new fuperin-tendant; and not knowing me, he refufed to come afhore for the meflage. However, feeing the negroes reft upon their their oars, I took the letter in my teeth, and leaped in- c H a p.. ftantly into the river to diipatch it, knowing they would ^J^ti^ put me again on lerra-jirma. Having thus fwam with the ftream, in my lhirt and trowfers, till I came within two oars length, of the boat, 1 held up the letter in my hand, and called out, " Who the devil are you, that re-*' fufe to take on board a piece of paper r" When, being anfwered in French, " Je fuis Jean Bearnee, payfan de " Guafcogne, a votre fervice," I had the mortification to fee them pull away without a poflibility of overtaking them, or returning. In this diftrefs 1 had now nothing left but to perifh, it being impoilible to fwim againft the ftream, efpecially as 1 was incumbered with my clothes. I ltruggled, however, hut funk twice to the. bottom in the attempt; and muft inevitably have been drowned, had I not caught hold, of a projecting paleing that was erected in the river for the purpofe of catching fifli- To this I remained flicking faft; when;, a-Dutch carpenter, who ob-ferved me from the top of the fugar-mill, called out, that the Englifh captain was trying to kill himfelf. On this news a dozen flout negroes immediately leapt into the river, and having dragged me fafe afhore (under the direction of my good friend Medlar, who was inclined to believe the report) lifted me upon their moulders to carry me home. The difappointment, the danger* the anger, vexation, and ihame (for there was no contradicting them) had by this, time wound up my paftions to fuch a height, and made fuch an impreflion on my fpirits, that I became perfectly Vol. I. 3 R mad* CHAP, mad, and had almoft perpetrated the act of which I was X-1V' , accufed; lince, on crofting over a fmall bridge, I actually gave a fudden twift, and, from their fhoulders, threw myfelf with a jerk headlong over the baluftrades once more into the water. Here a fecond time I was picked rip by the negroes; and now the fufpicion being confirmed that I intended fuicide, I was put to my hammock, with two fentinels appointed to guard me during the night, while feveral of my friends were fhedding tears around me. Having, however, drank fome mulled wine, I enjoyed a found nap till morning; when appearing calm and perfectly compofed, my words, to my great joy, began to gain credit, and the apprehenfions of my companions were difpellcd. — Such was the danger to which I was expofed by the unkind and inhofpitable behaviour of this Frenchman, who nearly obliterated the -memory of this tranfaction by his many fucceeding in-ftances of unprecedented brfitality. The following day, however, by one of my negroes and a fmall canoe, I fent my letter to Paramaribo. Seeing now about noon a melaffes-boat at anchor before the Hope, in which was broiling in the fun an Englifh foldier and two negroes, I made the firft come afhore, and entertained the poor fellow with a bowl of punch and a good meal of eggs and bacon, to his great furprize, he not having expected this kindnefs, or to be accofted in his own country language at this place. What were this man's grateful acknowledgments, whofe name was Charles Macdonald, will be feen in the fequel of my work. A melafles- A mclaffes-boat is a barge rowed by two oars, which CHAP. XLV fetches this commodity in large hogfheads from the fugar , ' f plantations, and delivers it on board the Englifh-American veffels for exportation, to be diftilled into rum in the iflands; for which they pay the Dutch, on an average, three guineas per hogfhead. On the 16th another officer arrived from our hero under an arreft (the firft was a Mr. Geelguin, and this was a Mr. Neys), for the crime of contending with the free negro Goafary for a bunch of plantains. Both thefe young men were afterwards fent to Europe by Fourgeoud, in expectation that they would be broke by a court-martial; but, after a very fhort confinement, they were honourably acquitted, to the joy of the whole corps, and the mortification of this hectoring Swifs. Such was the inveteracy of this old gentleman, who had not the fmalleft confideration for the foibles of youth ; and who eonftantly faw the mote in the eye of his neighbour, overlooking the beam that appeared fo anifnicuouily in his own. As I have been fpeaking of plantains, I fhall take this occafion to give fome account of a production, which,, in fact, I ought to have defcribed long before. This is rather a plant than a tree, as the trunk has neither wood nor bark,t)Ut confifts of a ftameu enwrapped by green vafcular hufks, fuccecding each other in the manner of an onion, and above ten inches in diameter. Thefe hulks rife alternately about fourteen feet diftance from the ground, and form not in branches, but in leaves, that 3B 2 fpread *C H A P. fpread like an umbrella, about twelve or fourteen in hum* i ')er> $ as to cover the talleft perfon. They are of a fhining fea-green till they fade, raid hang down in tatters, as their places are fupplied by the young ones. From the centre of all this there grows a ftrong ftalk, about three feet long, and bending downwards by the weight of a purple lpatha, fomething like a CalPs heart; and on this ftalk grows the fruit called plantains, in the fhape of cucumbers, and above one hundred in number, which is ufually called a bunch. Each tree, or plant, bears but one of thefe bunches at a time. When it is cut down, it is fpeedily fupplied hy the young ftioots, which fpring from its bulbous root, and which in the fpace of ten months time are ready to undergo the fame operation. It requires a rich nourishing foil to make it profper, without which it never arrives at proper maturity. This fruit being diverted of its tegument when green, has in the in-ilde a pale yellow farinaceous fubftance, and fupplies (as I have already intimated) the want of bread, when either boiled or roafted : it has an agreeable tafte, and is very wholefome; when the fhell becomes yellow the in-fide is foft, and then may be eaten raw, having much the tafte of a very ripe pear; but when arrived at that degree 0-f maturity it is only ufed by way of d effort. Another fpecies refembling this, is the banana, which only differs from the plantain, in its fruit being lefs, and more oval, and this fpecies is never eaten till it is yellow and fully ripe. The former is moft ufeful in point of food; /.imdvn,/'„/'/i.,-/,,,l It.-t-rrij,,!, / by fuch a-fituation, prevented from deftroying them, lince the branches or twigs from which they depend, though-ftrong enough to fupport the nefts, and what is in them, are too weak to bear the load of more weighty invaders; and, for greater fecurity, I may add, they are moftly built depending over water.—(See the nefts in Plate XLV.) The other bird which I fhot in returning home, was the Surinam falcon or hawk. Its fize and fhape was like thofe of the fame fpecies in England: its colour light brown, variegated on the breaft and tail with fpecks of red, black, and yellow ; its tongue was cloven, its eyes remarkably bright, its legs a citron colour, and its talons armed with long and fharp-pointed claws. This bird is exceedingly ingly deftructive to the plantations, committing great C ravages amongft the poultry, 8cc. But I muft once more return to the operations of our commander in chief, who having refted a few days at Magdenberg, again marched, on Ghriftmas-day, with the remaining handful of his men, to the Jew Savannah, whence he returned (having feen nothing) back to Magdenberg, with the new title of being himfelf the wandering Jew. This did not prevent me and Major Medlar from renewing our folicitations to accompany him in his expeditions; but we were ftill prevented by his going to town, where about this time a frefh fupply of troops was hourly expected to arrive from Europe. At laft, howrever, he gave me leave to follow him, with fome other officers who were actually in want, at a time when fifteen hogfheads of fine claret, and fifteen thoufand florins in fpecie, were waiting his commands at Paramaribo. Vol. I. CHAP, xv. V.--V mt C H A P. XV. Defer iption of the Indians, Aborigines of Guiana—Their Food—Arms—Ornaments—Employments—Dherfwns—* Pajfwns—Religion—Marriages—Funerals, &c.—Of the Caribbee Indians in particular—Their Trade with the Europeans. chap. (~\ N tne l8tk °f January 1774? * at *au: bid farewell to the Hope, of which I am convinced the reader by this time is as tired as i have been. Thence rowing down, I ilept at the eftate Arentluft, and next day dined at the beautiful plantation Catwyk. In this place I had nearly ended all my travels ; for Mr. Goetzce, the owner, having lent me one of his horfes to ride round the eftate, the animal and I both at once difappeared : a wooden bridge over which we pafled being rotten, the part under us gave way, and we dropped through into the canal. With much exertion however (being alone) I got afhore, and having run to call fome negroes, the horfe, which ftuck in the mud, was (though with great difficulty) extricated.. In the evening I rowed to Paramaribo with the ebb tide, which gave me an opportunity of feeing the mangroves that line the banks of the river Surinam full of oyfters, ftuck in the branches like fruit, from the water's edge up to high-water mark. Thefe oyfters attaching themfelves EXPEDITION TO SURINA M. 379 themfelves to trees as they do to rocks, has given rife to Chat. XV the vulgar error that they grow, or vegetate like fruit; ,_ J , but it is not more extraordinary that they ihould ftick on any one fubftance than on another, for many fpecies of fliell-iifh are as commonly found to adhere to {hips* bottoms as to rocks. Thefe oyfters, which at fome diftance look like muflirooms, are, indeed, very fmall and trifling; for one hundred are not comparable to one dozen that come from Colchefter. In Surinam are alfo a kind of mufcles, but thefe are fo fmall and in lipid, that they are fcarcely worthy of mention. The day after my arrival I vifited the governor: as alfo Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Lolkens, Mrs. De Melley, &,c. who all congratulated me on my acquaintance with Mr. De Graav, and highly honoured me, and approved of what I had done for my Mulatto and her infant. On the 22d, our few remaining troops being moftly at Paramaribo, a Mr. Van Eys gave an entertainment to the whole corps. On the 25th a great number of Indians, or natives, arrived at Paramaribo; which afforded me an opportunity of feeing and defcribing this people, who are the aborigines of the country. Thefe Indians, who appear the happicft creatures under the fun, are divided into many cafts or tribes, fuch as the Caribbees, Arrowouks, Accawaus, Taiiras, and Worrows, Piannacotaus; 3 C a befides befides which, there are many others whofe manners are unknown to us. All thefe tribes of Indians are in general of a copper-colour; while the negroes of Africa, that live under the fame degree of latitude, are perfectly black. This, however inconceivable it may appear, is eafily accounted for, when one confiders, firft, that the American Indians in Guiana are conftantly refrefhed by the cooling fea breeze, or eafterly wind, that blows between the tropics; and that thofe who dwell in Terra-Firm a and Peru, on the Weft coaft, enjoy that fame eafterly breeze, ftill kept cool by the great chain of inland mountains over which it paffes, and which have their fummits perpetually covered with fnow. While the inhabitants of Africa, fouth of the river Senegal, get the fame eaft wind rather heated than cooled, by the prodigious quantity of inland, hot, fandy deferts over which it paffes. Thefe are the moft probable reafons why the Americans are of a copper-colour or red, and the inhabitants of Africa, called Negroes, are black, viz. the one being more burnt by the fun than the other, and not becaufe they are two diftinct. races of people: fince no perfon who examines and reflects, can avoid feeing that there is but one race of people on the earth, who differ from each other only according to the foil and the climate in which they live. I am further of opinion, that thefe aborigines, or Indian natives, will appear to have ftill lefs title to be called a diftinct. people from thofe of the old continent, when we confider the proximity of Ruflia to North America, whence Lvndoit,ri,t>Ii. which are leaves that diverge immediately from the root, and are no lefs than twenty or twenty-four feet in length, and from two to three in breadth, and this will for years effectually exclude all inclemencies of weather. Their furniture is very fimplc, but fufficient for their wants, confifting of a few black earthen pots of their own making; a few callebafhes or gourds; a few bafkets, called pagala; a flone to grind, called matt a, and another to bake their caffava bread ; a fan to blow the fire ; a wooden ftool or mu/ee; a fieve they call manary; aprefs tofqueeze the wet caffava, called matappy; and a cotton hammock or net for them to fleep in. Befides Befides thefe, fince their interccuirfe with the Eu- chap. ropeans, many of them are furnifhed with a hatchet xv" and a knife, which laft, like a dagger, the Indians always wear by their fide. But I muft not forget that every Indian family is provided with a large boat or canoe to carry all that they poffefs when they travel by water, which is not unfrequent. The only vegetables cultivated by thefe people are the yams, plantains, and bananas, already defcribed, and particularly caffava and manioc. This laft is a fhrub, which grows about three feet high, of a grey colour, and knotted; the leaves are digitated and large, and fupported by cinnamon-coloured foot-ftalks. Of this fhrub there are two fpecies, diftinguifhed by the appellation of the fweet and the bitter caffava, of which the roots alone are for ufe. Thefe are foft and farinaceous; and in colour, fize, and fliape, much refemhle European parfnips. The fweet caffava, roafted in hot afhes, like the green plantains, and eaten with butter, is an agreeable and healthy food, tailing much like the chefnut. But the bitter caffava, which when raw is the moft fatal poifon both to man and beaft, is (however ftrange it may feem) when prepared by fire, not only a very fafe food, but the moft natural bread of the Indians in this country, as well as of feveral Europeans and negroes. The manner in which the Indians prepare it is firft by grinding or grating thefe roots on the matta or rough ftone; after CHAP, after which they put it in a prefs, to feparate the juice* _xv' , from the meal. This prefs is a kind of long tube, made of zvarimbo or reeds; which being hung to a tree, and fdled with ground caffava, a heavy {tone or log of wood is fixed to the bottom, the weight of which gradually lengthens the tube, which is compreffed in proportion, and the liquid fubftance is fqueezed through the plated reeds. This done, the meal is baked on a hot itone in thin round cakes, until it becomes brown and crifp, and then it is a whole* fome food, that will keep good for half a year; yet I muft acknowledge that the tafte, which by that procefs becomes fweetifh, is at the fame time extremely infipid. The extracted water of this root, if not. carefully prevented by the ilaves, is fometimes drunk by cattle and poultry on the eftates, whom }it inftantly kills with convuhlve tortures and fw'elling ; yet tins very liquid, if boiled with pepper, butcher's meat, &c. is frequently made ufe of for foup. None fliould ufe the caffava root for food but fuch as are perfectly acquainted with it: many people having been poifoned, to my knowledge, by uling the one fpecies for the other; the d induction between the two confiiting chiefly in a tough ligneous fibre or cord running through the heart of the fweet or innocent caffava root, which the fatal or bitter has not. The acajou nuts are alfo ufed by the Indians; and they often biing them to Paramaribo, where they are called inginotto. The kernels of thefe nuts are in fize and lhape very like lambs lambs kidneys, and are exceedingly delicate. They grow very far inland upon high trees, which having never feen, I cannot defcribe. The other food of the Indian confifls of fea and land turtle, and cribs, called feereeca, which laft are feen in great quantities in the mud all along the coaft of Guiana at" low water. Of thefe they are extremely fond, as alfo of the river lobflers called farafara, which are here in great abundance. But nothing pleafes them fo much as the iguana or wayamacea lizards, that I have already defcribed : every thing they eat is fo highly feafoned with Cayenne pepper, that the mere tailing of their food excoriates the mouth of an European. They ufe little or no fait, but barbacue their game and fifh in the fmoke, which equally preferves it from putrefaction ; and if an Indian has neglected to provide food by hunting or fifh ing, his hunger is affwaged by eating the feeds of the green-heart or the eta tree, or of iimilar productions of the foreft. Their drink confifls of various fluids, fuch as the juice of the coumoo fruit. The coumoo tree is one of the fmalleft o,f the palm kind. Its feed grows in bunches of purple blue berries, refembling grapes, the pulp of which thinly adheres to a round hard ftone, about the fize of a piitol bullet. Thefe berries are dif-folved and macerat. d in haling water; which beverage,, when mixed with fugar and cinnamon, is frequently ufed by the fair inhabitants; it taltes very much like coo-3 colate* CHA P. colatc. A drink they call piworree is a compofition of XV. ' ,,i the caffava bread, chewed by the females, and fermented with water, when it has fomething of the tafte of ale, and will intoxicate. It appears at firft very extraordinary, that what has been within the teeth, mixed with the fa-liva, and fpit from the mouths of others, fliould be drank without loathing by the people of any country : but thofe who have read Cook's Voyages will find that this practice was fo common in the iilands he difcovered, that had he not complied with it, his refufal might have fatally offended the inhabitants. His officers, indeed, did not think it fo neceflary for them to comply, and therefore excvifcd themfelves from the difgufting draught. A beverage nearly of the fame kind they compofc from the maize, or Indian corn, which is firft ground and baked into bread, after which it is crumbled and macerated with water till it ferments like the former, and this they call cbiacoar. Another drink called cqflirce is alfo much ufed by thefe Indians, being a compofition of yams, caffava, four oranges, and fugar or treacle, well macerated, and fermented with water. I fhall only add, that all thefe beverages are inebriating, if ufed beyond moderation, which is frequently the cafe with both males and females among the copper-coloured generation I am fpeaking of. This is the only time when they are unruly, and when quarrels arife among themfelves. In pronunciation the language of the Indians in general much refembles the Italian, their words being fonorous and 311 I EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 393 and harmonious, moftly terminating with a vowel, as char XV may be obferved by the few fpecimens above. They ^ \ ' , have no calculation of time, a firing with fome knots being the only calendar they are acquainted with. Their mufical inflruments conflft of a kind of flute called too-too, and made of a {ingle piece of thick reed, on which they make a found no better than the lowing of an ox, without either meafure or variety.—Another inftru-ment is alfo ufed by them to blow upon, called quarta (by Ovid a firinx\ by fome poets Pan's chaunter) and confifls of reeds of different lengths, that are joined together like the pipes of an organ, but even at the top, which they hold with both hands to the lips, and which, by fhifting from fide to fide, produces a warbling of clear but difcordant founds, agreeable to none but themfelves; nor have I feen a better representation of the god Pan playing on his chaunter, than a naked Indian among the verdant foliage playing upon one of thofe reedy pipes. They alfo make flutes of the bones of their enemies, of which I have one now in my poffeflion. Their dancing, if fuch it may be called, confifls in flamping on the ground, balancing on one foot, and flaggering round in different attitudes for many hours, as if intoxicated. The Indians are a very fociable people among themfelves, and frequently meet together in a large wigwam or carbet that is in every hamlet for the purpofe, where, if they do not play or dance, they amufe each other with fictitious flories, generally concern ing ghofls, witches, Vol. I. 3 E or CHAP, or dreams, during which they frequently burft out into xv V i immoderate fits of laughter. They greatly delight in bathing, which they do twice at leaft every day, men, women, boys, and girls, promifcuoufly together. They1 are all excellent fwimmers without exception. Among thefe parties not the fmalleft indecency is committed, in either words or actions. The employments of the men are, as I have ftated, but very few, and, indeed, may be comprized in two words, hunting and fi (fling: at both of thefe exercifes they are? indifputably more expert than any other nation whatever. For the firft they are provided with hows and arrows of their own manufacturing, the arrows being of different kinds for different purpofes. The Indian bows are all made of the hardeft and toughed kind of wood, about five or fix feet in length, and wonderfully well polifhed; and this is effected by means of a ftone. In the middle they are wound round with cotton, and ftrung with chords made of filk-grafs. The arrows are generally about four feet long, made of a very ftraight and ftrong kind of reed, to the end of which is fixed a thin twig about one foot long, to balance them ; this is armed with a point made of fteel or of fifii-bonc, generally barbed. Some of the Indian arrows are pointed like a lance, others are doubly and trebly barbed, and fo contrived as to (tick in the wound when the reedy part is pulled back. Thefe are ufed moftly for game and fifh; for though they be not mortal, they they encumber the firft, and being buoyant bring the latter to the furface, till both are taken. Thefe arrows, like all others, are ftuck with feathers fix or feven inches long. Some arrows have blunted heads inftead of points, about the fize of a large chefnut, like what our anceftors called hols; with thefe they do not kill, but ftun the macaws, parrots, and fmall monkeys, fo that they can take them with their hands, foon after which they recover, and are fent alive to Paramaribo. Some of the arrows for killing fifh have the appearance of a trident, three and fometimes five barbed flicks being fixed to the reed inftead of one, which enables them to fhoot fifh even at random. A few of the above arrows are frequently dipped in the woorara poifon*, which is in-ftantaneoufly fatal: but when intent on certain de-ftruclion, this people make ufe of another kind of arrow that is not above ten or twelve inches long, extremely thin, and made of the hard fplinters of the palm-tree bark, having, inftead of feathers, one end wound round with a tuft of raw cotton, fo as to fill up a hollow tube made of reed near fix feet in length, through which they blow them with their breath. Thefe little implements of death will carry to the diftance of forty paces, and with fo much certainty, that the intended * The bark of a tree fo called, mixed refer the reader to Dr. Bancroft, and the with others j but for a very particular de- repeated experiments which that gcntle- fcription of this acute poifon, viz. of its man has made to afcertain its inftant fa- compofition, and of its dire effects, I tality. Vol. I. 3 E 2 victims victims never efcape, the points being clipped in the woorara poifon. As an inftance of the dreadful effects of this poifon, I fhall only mention a negro woman, who, during the late rebellion in Berbice, being nightly wounded by a poifoned arrow, not only almoft inftantly expired, but her fucking infant, though not touched by the arrow, loft its life by tafting her milk. Their manner of catching fiih is much the fame as I have defcribed at the Hope, by inclofing the entry of fmall creeks or fhoal water with a paleing, fhooting them with their trident arrows, or poifoning the water by throwing in it the roots of biaree** in Surinam called tringee-woodo or konamec, by which the fifti become ftupified, and are taken by the hand, while they float on fhe furface of the water; as boys in England, who by mixing the dotulus Indicus, or "drugs of fimilar effecl, with baits Which the fifh will take,' find them foon after rife to the furface, whence, if they are not fpeedily taken, they will recover and efcape, the drugs only ftupifying them for a while. Thefe are the only occupations of the men, except making their furniture, ornaments, and arms. I muft hot forget that every Indian carries a club,, which they call apootoo, for their defence. Thefe clubs are made of the heavieft wood in the foreft; they are * This tree is much fought after by the Indians, who fend quantities of it to Paramaribo and the plantations. .... a \a about about eighteen inches long, flat at both ends, and fquare, chap. but heavier at the one end than the other. In the mid- 1_X_* . die they are t-hinner, and are wound about with ftrong cotton threads, fo as to be grafped, having a loop to fecure them round the wrift, as the fword-taftels are ufed by fome cavalry. One blow with this club, in which is frequently fixed a lharp ftone, fcatters the brains They are ufed by the Guiana Indians like the tomahawk by the Cherokees, on which, befides other hieroglyphical figures, they often carve the number of perfons they have flain in battle. The manner of fixing the ftone in the club or apootoo is by flicking it in the tree while it is yet growing, where it foon becomes fo faft that it cannot be forced out; after which the wood is cut, and fhaped according to fancy. The women are occupied in planting caffava, plantains, and other roots, befides yams, 8c c. in drefling the victuals, and in making earthen pots, bracelets, bafkets, or cotton hammocks. Their beft bafkets are called pagala, and are formed of a double matting of rufhes called warimbo, fome white, fome brown, between which is a feparation of tas, or trooly-leavcs,. to keep out the wet. The covering is ufually larger and deeper than the bafket itfelf, which it altogether envelopes, and thus makes it ftronger; the whole reft-ing on two crofs pieces of wood fixed to the bottom.. Their hammocks are woven, which muft require a confiderable portion of time and trouble, being done thread thread after thread, traverfing the warp in the manner that.a hole is darned in a ftocking ; after which they arc ftained with the juices of trees according to fancy. The Indian girls arrive at the time of puberty before twelve years old, indeed commonly much fooner, at which time they are married. The ceremony confifls limply in the young .man's offering a quantity of game and fifh of his own catching, which, if fhe accepts, he next propofes the queftion, " Will you be my wife ?" If fhe anfwers in the affirmative, the matter is fettled, and the nuptials celebrated in a drunken feaft, when a houfe and furniture is provided for the young couple. Their women are delivered without any aiiiftance, and with fo little inconvenience or fuffering, that they feem exempt from the curfe of Eve. They go about the menial fer-vices for their hufbands the day after their delivery; then, however ridiculous and incredible it may appear, it is an abfolute fa6t, that every one of thefe gentlemen lie in their hammocks for above a month, groaning and grunting as if they had been themfelves in labour, during which time all the women muft attend them with extraordinary care and the beft food. This the Indian calls enjoying himfelf, and refting from his labour. Moft of thefe people efteeraing a flat forehead a mark of beauty, they comprefs the heads of their children, it is-faid, immediately after their birth, like the Chadaws of North America. No Indian wife eats with her hufband, but ferves him as as a flave : for this reafon they can take hut very little care of their infants, which, neverthelefs, are always healthy and undeformech When they travel, they carry them in fmall hammocks flung over one fhoulder, in which fits the child, haying one leg before and the other behind the mother. For an emetic they ufe the juice of tobaccoy which they feldom fmoke. When the Indians are dying, either from ficknefs or old age, the latter of. which is molt frequently the caufe, the devil or Tawaboo is at midnight exorcifed by the pen or prieft, by means of rattling a calibafh filled with fmall ftones, peas, and beads, accompanied by a long fpeech; This office is hereditary, and by thefe pretended divines no animal food, as I have before faid, is publicly tafted, and yet on the whole they live better than all the others. When an Indian is dead, being fnlf warned and anointed, he is buried naked, in a new cotton bag, in a fitting attitude, his head refting on the palms of his hands, his elbows on his knees, and all his implements of war and hunting by his fide; during which time his relations and neighbours rend the air by their dif-mallamentations; but foon after, by a general drunken riot, they drown their forrows till the following year. This practice, by the way, bearsfome affinity to Dr. SmolletV defcription of a burial in the Highlands of Scotland. At the expiration of the year, the body, being rotten, is dug up, and the bones diflributed to all the friends and acquaintance, . during which ceremony the former rites i: are are repeated for the laft time, and the whole neighbourhood look out for another fettlement. Some tribes of Indians, having put their deceafed friends in the above pofture, place them naked for a few days under water, where the bones being picked clean by the piree and other fifli, the fkeleton is dried in the fun, and hung up to the ceiling of their houfes or wigwams ; and this is done as the ftrongeft inftance of their great regard for their departed friend. When thefe Indians travel by land, their canoe, which is made of a large tree hollowed by means of fire, is always carried along with them to tranfport their luggage acrofs fwamps, creeks, and rivers ; it is, like themfelves, all over befmeared with arnotta. If they travel in the rivers, they generally paddle againft the tide, to have a better opportunity of fhooting fuch game as they fee in the trees or on the banks; whereas, if they went with the current, the rapidity of the ftream would often make them run paft it. When travelling on the coaft, it frequently happens that thefe canoes fhip a fea which fills them, but no fuch thing as a fhipwreck is heard of: both fexes immediately leaping over-board ; then with one hand they hang by the canoe, with the other, and by means of calibafhes, they throw out the water. Notwithftanding the Guiana Indians are upon the whole a peaceable people, they fometimes go to war among themfelves, purely for the fake of capturing pri-foners, to which they are too much encouraged by the § Chriftians, Chriftians, who receive them in exchange for other commodities, and make them flaves, which is too frequently practifed. But thefe kind of flaves are only for fhew and parade, as they abfolutely refufe to work, and if at all ill-treated, or efpecially if beaten, they pine and languifh like caged turtles, even refufing food, till by affliction and want they are exhaufted, and finally expire. The Indians always fight their battles by midnight: indeed their contefts refemble more a fiege than a battle, as thefe broils confift only in furrounding the hamlets of their enemies while they are afleep, making prisoners of the women, boys, and girls, while they flioot the men with poifoned arrows, or with their clubs or apootoos divide their fculls when they come to clofe quarters; they alfo fcalp their male prifoners, bring home their hair, and even their bones, as trophies of war, and prefents to their wives, unlefs they intend to fell them to the Europeans at Paramaribo. In their open rencounters, which happen very feldom, the bows and barbed arrows are their principal weapons of offence; with thefe they often kill at the diftance of fixty paces; nay, the fwifteft bird in its flight, provided it has the magnitude of a crow, feldom efcapes them. In truth, fuch is the fkill of thefe people at thefe manly exercifes, that the beft archers at Greffy, Poictiers, and Agincourt, muft have yielded to their fuperiority. Vol. I. Now CHAP. Now with full force the yielding bow he bends, XV ' . Drawn to an arch, and joins the doubling ends \ Clofe to his bread he drains the nerve below, 'Till the barb'd point approach the circling bow. Th' impatient weapon whizzes on the wing, Sounds the tough bow, and twangs the quivering ftring. Poph's Iloirer, I fhall only add farther on this fubjecl:, that when thefe Indians go to war they chufe one general commander, whom they diftinguifh by the title of UilL The trade or traffic which the Indians of Guiana carry on with the Dutch confllls chiefly in flaves, earthen jars, canoes, hammocks, bafkets, Brazil-wood, hiaree-roots, macaws, parrots, monkeys, balfam capivi, arracocerra, caraba or crab oil, and arnotta, for which they receive inA return checquered cloth, fire-arms, gun-powder, hatchets, knives, fciffars, different coloured beads, looking-glaffes, fifh-hooks, combs, needles, pins, 8cc. The balfam capivi exudes from the bark of »a thick tree that grows far inland, with large pointed leaves, bearing a fruit like a cucumber. This gum is yellow, hard, and tranfparent, refembling amber; when melted, it has an agreeable fmc 11: its ufes arc for varnifh, and to flop diuretic complaints, &c. The gum called arracocerra exudes from an inland tree alio ; it is yellow as the former, but tenacious and foft; it has a moft fragrant fmell, and is held in great efteem by the Europeans as well as In-9 dians, / dians, on account of its efficacy in curing wounds, and many other complaints. The car aba or crab oil is made by bruifing, macerating, and boiling the kernels that grow on the crab-tree in brown angular nuts, much about the fize of a large chefnut; this oil, which is bitter, befides anointing the Indians, is ufed for many purpofes by the Europeans. The tree grows to near fifty feet high, with leaves refembling thofe of the laurel; but as I neither have feen this nor the two former growing, to my knowledge, I can fay nothing more concerning them. The mawna tree is high, ftraight, and light brown coloured ; its leaves are oval; its nuts refembling nutmegs, but without either tafte or flavour. The gum exuding from its trunk by incifions in the bark is dif-folved by the Indians in water, and, as I have faid, mixed with arnotra to anoint them. The caftor or palma-chrijii buih, by botanifts called the ricinus, is a fhrub about four feet high, jointed, being covered with large digitated leaves on long foot-ftalks, viz. both the ftem and the branches. This fhrub confifls of the red and the white, and produces triangular nuts inclofed in a green hufk, which, when ripe, turns to brown, and falls off. From thefe nuts is expreffcd the caftor oil; in Surinam it is called carrapat oil\ it is very like that made of olives, and, as I have mentioned before, is much ufed by the Indians to paint themfelves with. Among all the Indian nations, the Caribs are the moft numerous, active, and brave. Thefe refide in gtfiat mini- 3 F a bers c h a P. bers near the Spanifh fettlements, which they often ha- V IT _ ' rafs, in immortal revenge for the inhuman cruelties inflicted on their forefathers at Mexico and Peru. They are commanded by a captain,, and affemble by the blowing of a conch or fea-fhell ; they have alfo frequent battles with neighbouring Indians; but what difgraces them above all others in Terra Firma is, that however unnatural it may feem, and however much it ha3 been contradicted, they are anthropophagi or cannibals; at leaft they moft certainly feaft on their enemies, whofe flefh they tear and devour with the avidity of wolves^ though this is generally fuppofed to be more from a fpirit of revenge than from any depravity in their tafte. The Accawaw Indians are few in number, and live farther diftant from the fea than the former. Though like thefe they live in friendfhip with the Dutch, they are both treacherous in adminiftering flow poifon concealed under their nails, and very diftruftful, as they palifade the ground round their hamlets with poifoned fpikes. The Worrow Indians,, if not the moft cruel, are the moft defpicable of any in Guiana. Thefe are fettled' along the coaft from the river Oronoque to Surinam p they are dark-coloured and extremely ugly; though ftrong they are pufillanimous,, and withal fo very lazy and indolent, that their poverty will fcarcely afford them? a covering to hide their nakednefs, which they often fupply by the web-like bark of the palm-tree. They often go quite naked, and are ftinkingly dirty; from then: their iluggifh inactivity they are reduced to live moftly upon crabs and water. If it fliould feem ftrange to have called thefe people happy, let it be recollected that their wifhes are confined to their enjoyments, and that no Indian was ever heard to complain that he was unhappy. The Taiiras are fettled alfo on the fea-coaft between Surinam and the river Amazon. Thefe are exceedingly numerous, being computed, in this fettlement alone, to amount to near twenty thoufand : they are a very peace* able but indolent people,, and in many particulars refem-ble the Worrows* The Piannacotaus live very far inland, and are enemies to the Europeans, with whom they refufe all connection, or dealings whatever: of this trihe the only thing that I can fay farther is, that they would murder all the Chrif-tians in Guiana, if they had an opportunity. The only Indian nation within my knowledge now remaining to be mentioned are the Arrowouks, my favourites; — but as this Chapter is already fwelled to a confiderable length,, I muft defer them to another opportunity.--Thus for the prefent do I take my leave of this happy people, who with the diftindions of rank or land (the caufes of contention in more enlightened ftates) are unacquainted; who know no evil but pain and want, with which they are very feldom afflicted in this ever-verdant, this ever-blooming climate ; who, while their wifhes are fo very limited,, polfcfs CHAP. poffefs all that they defire in this world : and who, while xv- they expect a future ftate, never give their minds the fmalleft uneafinefs, but die in peace; nay, who feldom think upon to-morrow. But while I allow them this fpecies of negative happinefs, let it not be underftood that to the contented European I have held up their condition as an object of envy. For a better idea of their furniture, ornaments, and arms, I refer the curious to the annexed plate, where N° i. is an Indian coriala or canoe, which is generally made of one tree. 1. Paddles in place of oars. 3. A fieve called manary. 4. An Indian fan, or way-way. 5. A ftool called mulee. 6. A pagala or baiket. 7. A matappy or caffava prefs. 8. An Indian bow. 9. Arrows for (hooting fifh. 10. A blunted arrow for birds. it. Common arrows barbed. 12. Small poifoned arrows. 13. The pipe or tube to blow them. 14. A crown of various feathers. 15. An apron called queiou. 16. An Indian earthen pot. 17. An apootoo or Indian club. N* 18. N° 18, An Indian cotton hammock, 19. A fa(h of tigers or wild boars teeth. 20. A magic fliell or gourd. 21. An Indian flute called too-too. 22. A flute made of the human bone of an enemy. 23. An Indian flute or fyrinx called quarta* 24. A flone to grind caffava, called matta. For a fuller botanical defcription than either my knowledge or my limits will allow, I refer the reader to the ingenious Dr. Bancroft, whofe merit in this particular is perhaps known by few, but who claims every attention from having lived fo long in Demerary; and to whom the thanks of the world in general are due, for his ingenious « Letters to Dr. Pitcairn, F. R. C. P. &x." publifhed in 1766. end of the first volume. I N D E X TO THE F I R s T V O L U M E. A. Bafkeeta - p. 273 Conftable rocks - p. 14 Aboma fnake p. 176 Bee, infect 187 Commewina river - 36 Accrwaw Indians 404 Bitter orange 299 Cottica river - 36 Acajou-nuts 39° Birds, mufical - - 245 Cooteye fifli - 134 Adjora-porcupine 223 Boucow town - - 81 Cotton tree - 212 Agame-bird - - 262 Boofly-calcoo - - 244 Cock-roche - 194 Agoma-fhrub - - 307 Blue and yellow macaw 198 Cocoa-nut tree - - 234 Ai, floth - - - i53 Blatta-beetle - - 194 Cocareeta tree - - 246 Alligator - - 144 Braam's Point 38 Coemma-coemma fifli 250 Akhea-plant 324 Brocoli - - 3°7 Confacca, ground itch 271 Amfterdam, fort J33 Brick manufactory 3°9 Corn, Indian - 324 Amazon macaw T98 Bullocks 121 Coemoe tree " 39* Ants, fmall - 360 Butterfly (azure) 278 Crocodile - H5 Animals, foreign 210 Cras pingoes - 356 Argonauta 11 c. Cherries - 307 Armadillo 222 Calapee turtle - - 12* Cuppy tree - 292 Arracocerra gum 402 Carett turtle - - 12* Curetta - 274 Avoira nuts - - 22 Carribbean wren 119 Curlew (red) - 340 Avogato pear - - 299 Capafee, animal 222 China apple - - 348 Aubergines 307 Camee-camee bird - 262 Chigoe, infect - 352 Cafava (fweet) - - 389 B. -(bitter) - - 3^9 d. Caraba oil 403 Devil's IQands - 19 Bajew, flag - 308 Caftor bufli 4^3 Devil's Harwar - 156 Banana 372 Caribbee Indians 403 Diamond (Marawina) 37 Balfam capaivi - - 402 Cayman 144 Dolphin, or dorado - 9 Baboon knifee - 274 Cryilal 7S Doves (turtle) - 305 Vol, I. SO • Dog, Dog, floth p. 14 Dry gripes - 120 Duck?, tame - - 123 Duncane poifon Dwarf pigeon - 304 E. Euripicc iflands - 14 Emu, bird " 244 Eta tree " 139 Exoccetus volitans - 13 Electrical eel - 124 F. Falcon (Surinam) " 376 Flying fifh - 13 Flycatcher, bird - Il8 Flying heart, beetle 275* Fire-fly - 14i Fowls (common) - 122 Flamingo " 340 Fire-ants - 9i Frog (tree) - 225 . G. Guiana - 3°* Gnats ' 2J Ground itch - 271 Grow munik filh " 295 Grafs fniue - 3^8 Green turtle - 12* Geefe - - 123 H. Hanquaw bird - 367 Hawk - - 376 Hog (common) - p. 122 - (hedge) - - 224 -(Mexican) - - 356 Florfe - - 210 Horfe fiy - - 275* Hiaree tree - 396 Heron (grey) - - 325 --(fpotted) - 141 Honey - - 187 Hog - - 122 I. Jackee fifli - - 124 Iguana lizard - - 147 Inginotto - - 390 Indians (American) 379 -— Carribbee - 403 --Accawaw - 404 -— Warrow - 404 -Taiiras - 405 --Piannacotaw 405 -Arrowauka 189 Indian wheat - 324 K. Kaweerce fifli - - 332 Kisfhee-kisfhee - 166 Kibry fowlo - - 354 Kill-devil - - 96 L. Lamantyn - - 225 Lamper fifli - - 332 Lawna tree - - 385 Lemons - - 348 --fweet - >- 348 -* Lizard (Lcguana) p. 147 -' Sapagala - 308 Lipee bana bird '375 Lice, common - 11 --■ pattat - 15 --ferapat - - 15 Lota, difeafe - 274 Lolo-logo fifli - 375 M. Marawina river - - 13* -1-diamond 37 Mawkers, gnats - 25 Mangrove trees - 140 ---- white 140 Marcufa tree - 160 Macaw (blue and yellow) - - - 198 -Amazon - 199 Manicole tree - 231 Mattakee roots - 247 Maripa tree - 247 Maize, Indian corn - 324 Mackreelce fifh - 332 Matuaree fifli - 375 Manioc root - 389 --bitter - 389 Mawna tree - 403 Marrobonfo-bees - 342 Meecoo monkey - 166 Mineral water - 276* --- mountain 276* Mocco mocco tree 151 Monkee monkee - 167 --meecoo - 166 — — kisfheckisfhee 166 Monkey INDEX. Monkey. (Ourang Ou- tang) - - p. 166 Mompeira gnat - - 309 Mufquetoes - - 23 Mulatto - - - 86 Mufcles, fifh - - 379 Mot creek - - 39 Mexican hog - - 356 N. Narwhal - - -11* Nautilus - - 11 Naapjes, a root - 324 Negroes - - 200,356 —— different nations - - 207 Nebees, natural ropes 231 North Capper Whale 584 Nefts (curious bird) - 376 Newmara fifli - 46 O. Occro fhrub - - 3-24 Oyfters - - - 378 Otters - - - 168 Ourang Outang - - 166 Oroocoocoo fnake - 132 Orange tree - - 348 ■ bitter - - 299 --f0Lir - - 299 Oxen - - - iti P. Parafalla tree - - 231 Paramaribo town - 285 Palmachrifty - - 403 Pacca, animal - p. 403 Palm-tree (avoira) - 22 - cocoa nut 234 coemoe - 391 ■ cororeeta - 246 -manicole - 231 -maripa - 247 Pattat lice - - - 15 Petrel, ftorm bird - 7 Pery, fifli - - - 149 Peacock pheafant - 261 Pipa frog - "259 Pine-apple - - 214 --wild - 266 Pigeon (ring-tailed) 304 -dwarf - - 304 Pingoes,wiId boar - 355 ---crafty - - 356 Pecary - - - 356 Piannacotaw Indians 405 Porcupine - - 223 Powefe bird - - 261 Pomegranates - - 212 Plantation (cotton) - 212 - fugar - 314 Plover, bird - - 218 Plantains - - - 371 Prickly heat - . - 95 Putrid fever - - 120 Quaderoon - - 296 Queequee fifli - - 149 Quifqueedee bird - 304 Quail - - - - 354 3 G 2 R. Racafiry gum - * 402 Rattans - - - 388 Rhinoceros beetle, p. 276 Ringtaded pigeon - 004 Ricinus fhrub - - 403 Ring worm, difeafe - 196 Ronsc Pifcatrix - - 124 River Surinam - - 35 -■ Comewina - 36 --Cottica - - 36 .- Serameka - 35 - Coppename - 35 - Marrawina - 13* s. Saw-fifli - - 11* Sapagala lizard - - 308 Sabacoo bird - 325 Samboe - 326 Sarra-farra lobfters - 39i Seereeca crabs - - 391 Sea fwallow 7 — unicorn - 11* — turtle - Silk grafs - 273 Somelfdyk fort - 302 Sour orange - 299 Sword-fifli - 11* Surinam river - 35 Sun tbwlo - 118 Swine - 122 Sugar-cane - 314 Surinam, colony - 34 Sweet orange - 343 Storm-bird . - 7 Serapat INDEX. Serapat lice - p. 15 Torporific eel - p. 124 Warimbo reed - P- 274 Shaddock 22 Toucan, bird 117 Wana tree - 291 Sheep - 1 22 Toreman bird - 367 Wayamaka lizard - !47 Stag (bajcv/) - 308 Toad - - 259 Warrow Indians - 404 i- wirrebocerra 309 Tu ikies - - - 123 Water worm - 38 Spur-winged water- Tuyew bird 245 ---withy ' - 267 hen - - - 339 Turtle doves 30S ---hen - 339 Snipe (grafs) 368 ---fea I 2* Wild turkey - 244 Snake (aboma) - - 170 Troolies, plant - - 388 --aloes - 274 - water 143 U. Wirrebocerra ftag - 309 Sloth (flicep) - - 14 Woorara poifon - 395 - dog 14 Unicorn (fea) 11* Wieringe ifland - 6 T. Unan floth T53 Worms (bufh) - - 283 Tamarind tree - 93 Y. Tavous, animal 168 Vreedcnburgh fort - 270 Yams, a root - 323 Tapoeripa 38.5 w. Yombo-yombo fr 321 Tas rattans 388 Z. Taiiras Indians 405 Wafly-wafTy bees 187 Texel Ifland 5 Warrappa fifli - - 250 Zealandia fort - 39 Tiger bird 141 Direclicns Directions for placing the "Plates. Vol. I, FRONTISPIECE - - to face Title. Plate r. yTAP of Guiana, &c. — facing Page i -- ii. At A The Llarangus Volans, and Dolphin or Dorado — — — 10 - in. View of the Conftable Rocks, and the Saw Fifh 12* ■- IV. A Female Mcgro Slave hi Chains — 15 - v. The Fruit called Avoiar, and Shaddock Apple 22 ■. ti 1 vi. Map of Surinam — — — 30* - vii. A Coromantyn free Negro or Ranger armed — 80 - viii. A Female Mulatto — — — 88 - ix. Sprig of the Tamarind Tree — £)i -- x. A View of the Eftate Alkmaar, and Tent Boat 93 1--- xi. A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows no - xii. The Towcan and the Flycatcher — — 118 .-• xiii. A private Marine of Col. Fourgeoud's Corps 132 - xi v. View and Plan of the Fortrefs called Amfterdam 134 — xv. The Leguana Lizard, and Alligator — 144 --- xvi. The Ai and Unan Sloth -— — 153 - xvii. View of Devil's Harwar, and the armed Barges 157 — xviii. The Mecoo and Kisfhee Kisfhee Monkeys — 166 ——- xix. The Skinning the Aboma Snake, fhot by Capt. Stedman — — —- 174 xx. Order Direct ens fir placing the Plates,—Vol. I. Plate xx. Order of March through the Woods of Surinam facing Page 186 - xxr. The Blue and Yellow, and the Amazon Macaw 198 - xxir. Groupe of Negroes imported to be fold for Slaves 200 -- xxiii. Sprig of the Cotton Tree — — 214 ■ xxiv. The Armadilla and Porcupine of Guiana — 224 - xxv. The Skulls of Lieut. Lepper and his Companions — — — — — 227 — xxvi. The Manicole and the Cocoa-nut Tree — 236 - xxvii. The Agamy and Powefe, 01 wild Turkey — 262 *-xxviii. The Poll Vreedenburgh, and Encampments at Wana Creek , — — —-270 --- xxix. Azure blue Buttterfly of South America •—• 278 . xxx. View of Paramaribo and the Shipping — 286 ■-■ xxxr. Plan of the Town of Paramaribo — — 288 .- xxxii. A Female Quaderoon — — — 296 — xxxiii. The Bayew and Wirrebocerra Stags of Guiana 308 -xxxiv. The Sugar-cane in its four different Stages — 314 .. xxxv. Flagellation of a female Samboe Slave •— 326 ■ xxxvi. The fpur-wing'd Water Hen, and Curlew — 340 —-xxxvii. The Pingo and Pecary wild Boar of Guiana — 356 .-xxxviii. The Plantain Tree, and the Banana — —- 372 > xxxix. Indian Family of the Charribbee Nation — 380 ■ ■ . ■ xu Arms, Ornaments, &c. of the Indians — 406 - ERRATA. VOL. I. Page 17, line 2, for nalcednefs, - - - - ready being naked. — — 9, — Rynodorp, Rynsdorph. 15*, — 27, — Sorapat, - — Serapat. 35, — 3» — Oyapoa, - - - - — Oyapocko. 17% — 27, — Zelandia, - — Zealandia. 4«> — 19, — .Seherponhayzoen, - — Scherpcnhuyfen. 6i, — 12, — Manfancy, - - - — Man Sanny. 61, — 19, — Quacoo, - - - — Quaco. 78, — 7, — Mr. N. - - - - — Mr. H. 81, — 10, —1 Boucon, - - - — Boucou. — 12, — gilded flags, - - — gilding and flags. 96, — 109, — 13, — Da cay facy, - - — Da boy facy. 112, — 4, — claps of thunder — clap of thunder. IJ3> — 11, —1 day feafon, - - .. dry feafon. 116, — 3, — Nepfeti, - - — Nepveu. — 11, — Mr. Klynhams, -—Mr. Klcynhans. 136, — 28, — Fort Slanfwclveren, — Poft Slanfwelvarcn. 141, — 18, — heavy feathers, — hoary feathers. 169, — 14, — Mr. Owen, - - - — Mr. Ower. — —. 16, — Eftate Alica, — Alida eftate. 183, — 28, — Mr. Cubanns, - - — Mr. de Cabanus, 188, _ —- Soribo. 190, — 28, — Bellaiz, - - - • ■ — Bellair. 191, — 1, — Charcnbcck, - - - — Clarenbeelc. 194, — 17, — Cakreluce, - - • —. Cackerlakke. *97> —1 25, — Henaman, - - - - — Hencman. 212, — i, — Dr. Riflam - - - -« Dr. KifTam. 219, 10, — when the tide ebbed, - —1 with the ebb tide. 225, 246, — 3, — Mr. Ruback, - - - • — Mr. Rulagh. — 28, — }'"ufee, .. - - - - — Fuzz. 247, — 262, — 12, —i Cani-cani, - - - — Camy-camy. 266, — 27, — from, - - - by. 276*, — 24, —■ diuretic complaint, — a diarrhoea. 289, — 4, — is a clock, - - - - — is a bell. 296, — jo, — Weals, - - - -3, — Comewina, - - - — Wales. 3°3> — — Marawina. 309, — 7, — efcaplng, _ - - - — leaping. 37°, — 22, — Englifh foldier, —- Englifh failor. 389, — 10, — and Manioc, - - — or Manioc. 395, — — bolts.