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fàtlcrtus Flaccus,
bonbon. Printed toi J.Johnson,S1 Pauls a.uirli Sard ,SC3 Edw a>-cls.l'all Mull. 179G
CONTENTS,
CONTENTS of the  SECOND  FOL (J ME.
Chapter   XVI.   Page i«
A Reinforcement of frejb Troops arrives from Holland—Encampment on Mount Magdenberg, in Tempatee Creek—-Remarkable Infiance of Lunacy in a Negro—Mountains —Beautiful Views—The Sick fent to Europe.
Chapter   XVII.    Page 25. New Inftances of unprecedented Barbarity—Occurrences on Mount Magdenberg—Prices of Provifwns at Paramaribo —Defcription of a new Animal—Great Mortality amongft the Troops in Tempatee and Comewina River\
Chapter   XVIII.    Page 48. A Tyger taken in the Camp—Fatal Rencounter of a Party with the Rebels, who killed feveral of the Troops, and forced the reft back—Defcription of a Planter of Surinam —Contagious Diflempers — Suicide—Scene of primitive Nature.
Vol. II. b Chapter
CONTENTS OF
Chapter   XIX.   Page 65.
The Troops march to Barbacoeba, in the River Cottica— Frenzy Fever—Gratitude in a?i EngliJJj Sailor—Defcrip-tion of the Government of Surinam—Some Account of the Emigrant Americans during the late War—Scene of unprecedented Generqfity.
Chapter    XX.    Page 87.
A Rebel Negro defcribed—Bufo-Jighting—Sentimental Ex-preffions of the African Blacks—The Town of Gado-Saby taken by Colonel Fourgeoud — Superflition — Wonderful Expedients—Great General/hip in the Enemy.
Chapter   XXL   Page 118.
Spirited Conducl of the Rangers and Rebels—A Skirmiflo— Scene of brotherly Affeêïiott—The Troops return to Bar* bacoeba—Flan of the Field of Aclion—A Slave killed by the Oroocookoo Snake.
Chapter   XXII.   Page 137.
Alarm in the Pirica River—A Detachment marches to its Relief—Ambujcade—Wonderful EffeB from the Biting of a Bat—Scene in a Quagmire—Sketch of the Inquifition and Return of the Troops to Cormoetibo Creek.
THE   SECOND VOLUME.
Chapter   XXIII.    Page 160.
Second March to Gado*Saby—Account of a living Skeleton— Beautiful Landfcapes—The Commander in Chief falls fîck, and leaves the Camp—Some Rebels taken—Difcourfe on the Exflence of Mermaids—Heavy Rains—Difeafe—Famine—Mifery.
Chapter   XXIV.   Page 185.
Two Volunteer Companies raifed, of free Mulattoes and Negroes—Defcription of the Arrowouka Indian Nation— Colonel Fourgeoud's Regiment receives Orders to fail for Europe—Countermanded—Re-enter the Woods—Trade of the Colony—Defcription of a Cacao Eflate—Sample of Sable Heroifm. . .
Chapter   XXV.    Page 216.
Singular Method of detecting a Theft—Rencounter between the Rangers and Rebels—Amazonian AElion of a black Girl—Wonderful Sagacity in wild Bees—The Regiment receives a fécond Order to return to Europe,
Chapter   XXVI.    Page 241.
The Troops on Board—Again ordered to difembark—Great Dejeëlion—Mutiny—Infolent Conduêî of an Ozvca Negro Captain—Near two hundred Sick fent to Holland—General Defcription of the African Negroes.
CO NT EN T S.—Vol. II.
Chapter   XXVII.   page 291.
The Rape of the Sabines—Shocking Execution, and African Fortitude — Defcription of an Indigo Plantation — The Spanfo Bocko, a Puniflmient—The Troops again re-enter the Woods—The Expedition draws to a Conclufion.
Chapter XXVIII. Page 314. The Rebels fly for Protection to Cayenne—Third March to Gado-Saby—A fécond Re-infor cement of Troops arrive from Holland—Shipwreck of the Tranfport Paramaribo —March to Rio Comewina—Difmal PicJure of Diflrefs and of Mortality—The Peace of the Colony reflored.
Chapter XXIX. Page 345. Some Account of a remarkable Negro.—The Troops prepare for Europe—Defcription of a Coffee Plantation—Plan of Reform for the Increafe of Population, and univerfal Flappinefs—One ?nore Inflance of horrid Barbarity, and Example of Humanity.—The Regiment embarks.
Chapter XXX. Page 381. The Ships weigh Anchor, and put to Sea—Review of the Troops—Account of the Voyage—The Arrival in the Tex el --.Defcription of the Pampus near Amfterdam — Final Debarkation in the Town of Bois-le-Due—The Death of Colonel Fourgeoud—End of the Expedition—Short Hi/lory <ff the late Scotch Brigade—Conclufion.
NARRATIVE
OF AN
EXPEDITION   TO SURINAM.
CHAP. XVI.
A Reinforcement of frefh Troops arrives from Holland—Encampment on Mount Magdenberg, in Tempatee Creek— Remarkable Inflance of Lunacy in a Negro—Mountains —Beautiful Views—The Sick fent to Europe.
INOW once more return to the principal object of my CHAP. Journal, viz. Fourgeoud's military operations. I have j before mentioned, that a fupply of frefh troops was ex-peeled to reinforce our decayed little army ; and, on the 30th of January, 1775, the news came to Paramaribo that the tranfport fhip Maaftroom, Captain Eeg, was arrived in the river Surinam, and come to an anchor before the fortrefs Amfterdam, with Colonel Seyburgh and two divi-fions, confiding together of one hundred and twenty men, under his command, two more divifions being expected.
The following day I went down with a row-boat to welcome them; and having dined on board together, the Vol. II. B fhip
C H A p.   flup weighed anchor, and 1 failed up with them till before XV J.
u j the fortrefs Zelandia, where they moored, and were falut-ed by a few guns. Among the officers, I with pleafure recollected my old fhip-mate, poor Enfign HefTeling, whom we had left behind us on the Ilelder, according to every appearance dying of the fmall-pox, when we failed from the Texel, the 24th of December, 1772. This young man, who now joined us with rank of fécond lieutenant, had been peculiarly unfortunate fince his recovery ; for, foon after taking a pafiàge on board another fhip for Surinam, the veffel encountered a gale in the Bay of Bifcay ; when o(F Cape Finifterre, her quarter-gallery and rudder were beat away; be-fides which fhe loft her fore-maft and main-top-maft. In this dangerous condition, having the wind againft her for Lifbon, the vcfTel run with difficulty into Plymouth. From this place Mr. HefTeling took a pafTage for France, on board a fmall floop loaded with coals, with which he had no better fuccefs ; for fhe ran, through the inadvertence of the mafter, on the Cafkets, which rocks went through her bottom, and fhe foundered immediately. Before the vefTel funk, however, he had time to break open his cheft, and take out fome linen and other necenaries, with which he arrived in a crazy yaul at Breft. He now tookfhipping again for Amfterdam, onboard aDutchman; but the mafter ran the (hip a-ground, and he had nearly been once more wrecked. Neverthelefs he arrived fafe at the Texel, whence he had twice in vain attempted
to
to fet out for South America; and on this laft pafTage it blew fo violently hard, that all the boats, the fheep, the pigs, and the poultry, were warned overboard. Till this date I had been the oldeft officer in the corps, excepting only Colonel Fourgeoud.
On the arrival of the troops, our commander invited them to a dinner, which confifted of fait beef, pork, barley, and hard peafe, of which I had the honour to partake, to my no fmall amufement, when I obferved the figniflcant looks which were directed by thefe newcomers on their commander and his entertainment. In the evening we conducted them to the play-houle, where the death of Caefar, and Crifpin Doctor, were performed, the one exactly as laughable as the other. I muft however confefs, that I was better entertained the next day, when the governor gave to all a fuperb dinner and flipper, where the ftraiigers feemed to be as much furprifed with the magnificence of the feaft, as they had been the day before amazed with Colonel Fourgeoud's frugality.
Having met at this table with fome excellent pre-ferved fruits, among which was the guava, I will cm-brace an opportunity which is barren of incident to fay fomething of it. The guaba, or guava-tree, grows to about twenty-four feet high, with leaves like thofe of a plum-tree. It is light-coloured, and the wood of little confequence ; but the fruit, which is yellow, oval, and
B 2 about
about the fizc of a gold pippin, inclofes a reddifh pulp, full of fmall feeds ; the pulp is very fweet, and may be eaten raw, or made into marmalade or jelly, and then it is delicious. There are two fpecies of guava ; that which is the fweeteft has the fmalleft quantity of feeds.
On the 5th of February, the troops that were fo lately landed were fent to the upper parts of the river Come-wina to be encamped. I fpeak of the privates, for moft of the officers remained to partake of a feaft at the houfe of a Mr. Mercellus ; by whofe command (to crown the banquet) half a dozen negroes continued blowing the trumpet and French horn in the room where we dined, till the company were abfolutely deafened by difcordancy and noife.
On the 6th, the whole corps, without exception, received orders to leave Paramaribo, and to encamp at Magdenberg, a mountain near the Tempatee Creek, in the upper parts of the river Comewina, to which, as I have juft mentioned, the reinforcement was already difpatched. Having, therefore, prepared myfelf to fet out on my fourth campaign, and taken leave of my little family and friends, I repaired to the water fide, to fet out in the fame barge with Colonel Seyburgh, but who, erroneoufly fup-pofing that the troops which came with him from Holland were a diflinct corps from thofe arrived with Four-geoud in 1773, made the negroes fhove off the boat in my prefence, when I was not a itone's caft from it, and left
me
EXPEDITION   TO   SURINAM. 5 me on the beach, to my utter furprize and mortification. chap.
XVI.
I knew Fourgeoud had fwore that he fliould " dance juft  i_ -T-,,f « as much to his pipes as the youngeft enfign in the re-" giment;" and in that he was perfectly right: I therefore ftrenuoufly fupported the chief againft his antago-nift, and fetting off immediately with another boat, foon overtook him, to his aftonifhment, when we all went afhore at the plantation VofTenburgh, in the river Come-wina.   The next day we came to the eftate Arentruft, having pafTed the heavy barges that departed from Paramaribo on the 5th ; and on the 10th we made the Hope, where having fpent fo many months, I here prefent the reader with a view of that eftate, and of the eftate Cla-renbeek, where ftill our hofpital was kept. This day Colonel Fourgeoud alfo came up the river, and ilept at Wajampibo.
On the nth, we arrived at the plantation Crawaffibo, where we pafTed the night. Here the overfeer, a Mr. De Bruyn, was fo very impertinent, that, as I already had no abundance of affection for the fraternity of ovcrfeers, I gave him fuch a found beating that, with a bloody face, he fuddenly decamped from the eftate in a fmall canoe with one negro, and in this trim, at twelve o'clock at night, like Banquo the ghoft, appeared before the amazed Fourgeoud ; who thought proper to give him no other confolation than to diffnifs him with a hearty curfe.
On the 12th we arrived fafe at Magdenber_<; viz. 3 Fourgeoud,
chap.   Fourgeoud, the officers, and the barges with the privates.
xvi
Vj From the Hope, the citâtes now began to appear thinner ; and after palling Goet-Accord, about ten or twelve miles farther upwards, not a cultivated fpot was to be feen, the plantations having been all laid in allies by the rebels in J757> as I have already mentioned, a fmall place excepted, jult below Magdenberg, which is, I think, called the Jacob, and where a few negroes are kept to cut timber. The river above Goet-accord becomes very narrow, being lined on each fide with impenetrable brufh-woocl, like the river Cottica, between Devil's-Harwar and Patamaca; and the Tempatee Creek, which may be confidered as the fource of the whole river Comewina, becomes alfo much narrower. Magdenberg, which is about a hundred miles from Paramaribo, was formerly an eftate, but has now not a veftige of cultivation left, a poor old orange-tree excepted, and is at prefent neither more or lefs than a barren de folate mountain.
Here we found the furface of the earth in fome places covered with a kind of ftrata, that had the appearance of mother-of-pearl, and lay fcattercd in fmall fcales, about the fize of an Englifh iliilling. In many places of Surinam are found the marks of foffils and ores, as I have already hinted. Indeed, iron ore is common, and I have no doubt but gold and filver mines might be met with if the Dutch would be at the expence, and perfevere in making the difcovery. I have already mentioned the Marawina diamond, and white and red agate, which arc
often
often feen in the upper parts of the river Surinam. On this mountain we alfo found the air cooler and more pure, and of courfe more healthy than in any other part of the colony.
On the 17th the news reached us, that the tranfport fhip, the Maria Helena, with the remaining two divifions of one hundred and twenty men, commanded by Captain Hamel, had alfo arrived in the river Surinam on the 14th inftant. Thus the reinforcements together con lifted of two hundred and forty men, and, on the 5th day of March, they all arrived in heavy barges at Magdenberg, where I may now fay that Colonel Fonrgeoud's whole forces were aflembled. The fame day one hundred negro Ilaves alfo arrived, to carry the loads when we fhould march. One of the new negroes being miffed from on board a military barge, and marks of blood difcovered ill it, the commanding officer, a Mr. Chatteauvicvr, and
a fentinel, were both put under an arreft to be tried for murder. On the fame eventful day alfo, two of our captains fought a duel, in which one of them received a wound in his forehead.
On the 13th, a barge with provinons, coming from Paramaribo (ihocking to relate !) found the negro that was miffed on the 5th at the water's edge, lying in the bruih-wood, with his throat cut from car to ear, but ftill alive, the knife having miffed the wind-pipe. This miferable apparition of fkin and bone they took on board, and 2 brought
NARRATIVE  OF AN
brought to Magdenberg, where, by a fkilful furgeon, Mr. Knolaert, the wound was fewed up, and the man furprifingly recovered, having lain nine days in that dreadful condition without any fubfiftence or covering whatever, and weltering in his own blood, even without a bandage.   The week after I had nearly loft my own life by an accident.   Two negroes of the eftate Goet-Accord being employed hi hunting and fliliiug for Fourgeoud, one of them, named Philander, propofed to me to accompany them in the wood, where we might chance to meet with fome pingoes, or powefa; but a heavy fhower of rain coming on, when we had only walked two miles, we determined to relinquifh the project, and repair to the fmall fpot called the Jacob for fhelter, to gain which we were obliged to pafs through a deep marfh.   Having waded till up to our arm-pits, Philander, who was the fineft man without exception that I ever faw, began to fwim, as did his companion, with one hand, holding their fowling pieces above the water with the other, and defired me to follow them.   This I .tried, having nothing on but my fhfrt and trowfers ; when, after fwimming two or three ftrokes, I funk to the bottom like a (tone, with the weight of my mufquet ; but relinquifhing it, I immediately rofe to the furface, and begged that Philander would dive for it; who having fecured his own to a mangrove, brought it up without difficulty. At this moment a thundering voice called out through the thicket,
■—" Who
« who Fomma datty ? and another fooîo footo da Bonny chap.
XVI
" £/ry da dago f Who is that ? Who is there ? Fire ! fhoot ! _ m, u it is Bonny, kill the dog !"~*-and looking up, we faw the muzzles of fix mufquets prcfented upon us at a very little diftance indeed. I inftantly dived, but Philander anfwer-ing that we belonged to Magdenberg, we were permitted to come on fhore one by one at the Jacob, and found that thefe trufty negro flaves, having heard a flouncing in the water, and feeing three armed men in the mardi, took it for granted that the rebels were coming, headed by Bonny himfelf, for whom they had miftaken me, being almoft naked and fo much fun-burnt ; befides my hair, which was fhort and curly, I entirely refembled a mulatto. Being refrefhed with fome rum, and having dried oitr-felves by a good fire, we now returned back to the Magdenberg, where I congratulated myfelf on my efcape.
On the 19th, Colonel Fourgeoud being now fupplied with frefh troops, fent a whole fhip load of invalids to Holland, who failed this day ; and on February the 26th, my dear friend Heneman alfo failed for Holland, in an extremely debilitated Rate,
Among the troops which failed at the fame time with Heneman were feveral officers, not very fick, but juftly difheartened and difgufted at Fourgeoud's injuftice, in having Hopped their preferment, as I have intimated in the end of the tenth chapter ; while they now faw themselves fuperfeded by raw youths, who were at fchool
Vol. II. C at
C h A P. at the time they were ferving the colony in 1772. With this vefïl'l failed alfo the officers whom he had put under an arrcfr, the 16th December, 1774. Never was an hof-pital fhip fo ill provided with refrefhments.
On the 2id, Fourgeoud reviewed with pleafure his recruited little army, where I was forry the rangers did not appear. He now difpatched one hundred men as a patrole to reconnoitre the rfkirts of his new encampment, of which number I had the honour to be one. During this time nothing remarkable happened, except meeting with a large company of quatas, which being one of the moil remarkable fpecies of monkies in the world, from their affinity to the human race, I cannot tacitly pafs over. One evening walking with my black boy Quaco without the camp, they came down fo low to look at us, and threw fmall flicks and excrements at us, that we flopped, and I had an opportunity thoroughly to examine fhem. The quata, or quato, is very large, with an enormous tail : their arms and legs being covered over with long black hair, they make a very hideous appearance indeed ; the more fo, as the creature's face is quite naked and red, with deep funk eyes, which gives it much the appearance of an old Indian woman. It has fhort ears, and only four fingers without a thumb on its hands or fore feet, but it has five toes on the hinder feet, all of which have black nails. The extremity of its tail has a fpiral turn inwardly \ it is naked and callous, by its frequently
quently hanging to the branches of the trees; for when chap,
c XVI fo employed, it fervcs the animal as a fifth limb.   Mofl ^J-mJwlJ
wonderful is the agility of thefe monkies in fwinging from one tree to another, but 1 never faw them leap. Their throwing fhort flicks and excrements feems to be no more than a mimicking of the human actions without any purpofe, as they neither have ftrength to throw far, nor dexterity to hit their objects, and if they befoul them it is by accident only. But what appears peculiarly remarkable is, that when one is hurt by a mufket or arrow, the poor animal inflantly claps its hand on the wound, looks at the blood, and with the mofl piteous lamentations afcends to the very top of the tree, in which he is affifted by his companions ; where, hanging by the tail, he continues to bewail his fate, till by the lofs of blood he grows totally faint, and drops down dead at the feet of his adverfaries.
It is not fo extraordinary that one of this ipecies, when wounded, mould be affifted by his companions in climbing; but that they fhould have fo much knowledge in botany, as to procure vulnerary herbs, and chew and apply them to the wound, is what I cannot credit, though it is fo confidently afTerted by a late traveller : and as to the afhftance they give in pafling a river, by holding each others tails, and fwinging till the lowermoft is thrown up to the branch of a high tree, though I have a great opinion of Ulloa, who relates it, and has given a print of
C 2 it
it in a vignette; lince he does not fay he faw it himfelf,. I muft take the liberty to doubt this fact*, and even what he fays he witneffed.
I muft here mention another monkey that I law at Colonel Fourgeoud's houfe, which is in Surinam called the wanacoe, and is covered over with long black hair, like the quato ; but its limbs are iliorter and more hairy, and its face is a kind of dirty white. This monkey is the only one of the fpecies that is not fociable, being con-ftantly found alone; and fo defpicable is this folitary animal, that he is continually beaten and robbed of his food by all the others, from whom he is too lazy to efcape, though too cowardly to fight.
Of the long-haired monkies, the faccawinkee is the fmalleft ;  indeed, I may fay of all the  monkies in
* It is moft probable, that Ulloa took the account from Acofta's Hiftnry of rh« Weft Indies. This is his account, taken from a translation printed in 1604.
« They leap where they lift, winding « their tails about a branch to make it, « when they will leap farther than they " can at once i they ufe a pretty device, « tying themfelves by the tails one of * another, and by this means make as « it were a chain of many, then do they « launch themfelves forth."
Acofta does not fay he faw this himfelf j but to the following he profciTes he was an eye-witnefs. Thefe are his words—« I faw one in Carthagene, in
" the governor's houfe, fo taught, as the " things he dirl feemed incredible. They " fent him to the tavern for wine, put-" ting the pot in one hand and the money. « in the other ; they could not poflibly get " the money out of his hand before he " had his pot full of wine. If any chil-" dren met him in the ftreet, and threw <* ftones at him, he would fet his pot down " and caft ftones againft the children, till " he had aflured his way i then would " he return to carry home his pot. And, " which is more, although he were a good " bibber of wine, yet he would never. " touch it till leave was given him."
Guiana*
Guiana, if not in the world, being not much larger than c a Norway rat.
This is a beautiful little animal, with blackifh grey frizzled hair, a white face, and very bright mining eyes ; its ears are large and naked, yet they are not very perceptible, being covered by the very long and white whifkers that grow round the whole vifage of this little creature : its feet are not unlike thofe of a fquir-rel, and its tail is bufliy and annulated. So very delicate is the faccawinkee, and fo fenfible of the cold, that fcarcely one of them is brought to Europe alive, and if they are they very foon pine and die. The Dutch call them the Jhagarintee, from their being chagrined at the fmalleû: trifle. In the annexed plate, I have delineated both thofe monkies, the large quato, and the fmall faccawinkee, thus
endeavouring to correct with my pencil the deficiency of my pen.
On my return to the Magdenberg, I narrowly efcaped being cruihed to death by an enormous tree, which dropped by age juft at my feet. Thefe accidents frequently happen in the foreft; this, however, only flightly wounded two or three of our marines. During this trip we had much rain, and were obliged to crofs over a fmall creek. We cut down one of the palm-trees on the water's edge, which falling acrofs the river formed a temporary bridge.
I now paid a vifit to the miferable negro who had been found with his throat cut, and who was fo well as to
be
be able to converfe; when he declared to me, that he committed this violent action with his own hand. The fufpected officer and fentincl were, therefore, inftantly acquitted. I afked him by what reafon he had been incited to filicide? and he anfwered—« None."
u I have," faid he, " as good a mailer and miflrefs as I " could wifh, and a family of my own that I much love : iC 1 had ilept found during the whole night till about " four o'clock in the morning, when awaking I took my " knife to pick my teeth with it, and inifantaneoufly cut " my throat without knowing why ; but the moment " after repented of what I had done. I then rofe from my *' hammock and got into the canoe to waili myfelf, and " try to bind up the wound, but Hooping over the fide M and bleeding very faft, 1 turned faint and fell into the " river. I was now no more able to get on board, or to « cry for affilïnnce. However, by ftruggling, T made fhift " to get on more, where I fell down and lay helplefs, till I " was picked up by a boat going to Magdenberg ; during " all which time of nine days I had my perfect fenfes, " and faw a tamanoir or ant-bear come to fmell the pu-¥ trid blood about my neck, who, on feeing me move, « retired into the forenv'
I gave the poor man fome Bofton bifcuits which I had got from Paramaribo, a large calibafli with barley to make him fome foup, and alfo fome wine. This negro appeared to be about fixty years of age.
I now to my forrow received a letter from Mr. Ken-
3 nedy>
nedy, who was preparing to vifit Holland, requeuing that CHAP, my boy Quaco might be returned to his eftate.   I ac- t  XVI' t cordingly fent him down with a letter, offering to buy him of his mafter as foon as it fhould be in my power to pay him.
On the 2d of April, Colonel Fourgeoud ordered all the lick remaining in the colony to Magdenberg, where he had erected an hofpital and a large victualling magazine. Thus all the invalids from Clarenbeck arrived here, with furgeons, apothecaries, attendants, &c. : and here, in fact, as I faid, the air was more healthy. At this period the old gentleman was particularly ill-natured, and abufed both friend and foe without diftinction ; fwearing, that not a foul (hould be exempt from duty, provided they could but ftand on their legs. About this time a ftrong detachment was fent to the eftate Bruyinfburgh in Go-mewina7 whprp nn infurre^inn was expected, the flaves
refilling to work upon a Sunday; to which, however, they were driven by the lafti of the whip.
It was now in the midft of the rainy feafon, that Fourgeoud declared his intention of fcouring the woods; and, in confequence, gave orders for two ftrong columns to march the next day. The reafon for chu ling this feafon was, that if he could now diflodge the rebels they muft ftarve for want, which would not be the cafe in the dry months, for then the foreft abounds with fruits and roots of many kinds. This was, however, in my opinion, a falfe piece of generalfhip; if it be confidered on the
other
NARRATIVE  OF AN
other hand, the dreadful havock which the wet weather muft produce among his troops, of which he killed, I fuppofe, at the rate of twenty to one rebel negro.
Fourgeoud was himfelf of a very ftrong conftitution, having been ufed to hunting and mooting the whole of his life-time : to which he added temperance, and the daily ufe of his beloved tifan*
His drefs confifted of nothing but a waiftcoat, through one of the button-holes of which he wore his fword : on his head he wore a cotton night-cap, with a white beaver hat above it, and in his hand a cane ; but he feldom carried his mufket or his piftols. I have fecn him all in rags and bare-footed, like the meaneft foldier.
On the morning of the 3d of April, at fix o'clock, the two columns fet out upon their march, the one commanded by Colonel Seyburg, the other by Fourgeoud ; to which laft I had the honour to belong. Our poor men were now loaded like affes. They were ordered to put their fire-locks in their knapfacks, of courfe the muzzles excepted : this was to keep them from the rain, which abfolutely poured in torrents. Our courfe was fouth by eaft, up among the banks of the Tempatee Creek, where we foon came to fwamps, and were marching in the water above our knees.
During the firft day's march we met fome very pretty fquirrels, which are of feveral kinds in this country. Thofe that we faw were brown, with the belly white, the lail not fo bufliy ; nor were they, upon the whole, fo large § as
as thofe of Europe. There are alfo white fquirrels in this chap, country with red eyes, and flying fquirrels. Thefe, it is ^ well known, have no wings, but a membrane between the fore and hinder leg, being a part of their fkin, which, when they leap, expands like the wing of a bat, and by this, like a parachute, they reft upon the air, and in their flights are carried to a confiderable diftan.ee.
On the 4th of April we marched again, our courfe fouth by eaft, till two o'clock, when we changed our courfe to fouth-fouth-weft.
This day we pafTed by piles of fine timber, that were left there to rot fince 1757, when the eftates were demo-liflied by the negro flaves who were in rebellion. Among thefe were the purple - heart-tree, the iron-wood - tree, and the bourracourra, known in England by the name of Brazil.
The pruple-licaii-ucc gluwa fuuictirncs lu the height
of fourfcore feet, and thick in proportion, with a fmooth dark brown bark; the wood is of a beautiful purple colour and an agreeable fmell, and is much efteemed on account of its weight and durability.
The iron-wood-tree, fo called from the gravity and permanent quality of its timber, grows to about lixty feet in height, with a light-coloured bark. It is much Talued by the natives as well as the Europeans, on account of its hardnefs in particular (refifting even the hatchet), and for taking a mofl beautiful bright polifti. This wood finks in water.
Vol. II. ' D The
NARRATIVE  OF AN
The bourracourra, or brazil, grows to between thirty and forty feet high, but not very thick, with a reddifh bark. The heart only of this tree is valuable, after the white pithy part is cut away, though then it is much di-minifhed. This wood is as truly beautiful as it is ufe-ful, the colour being a fine crimfon, variegated with irregular and fantaflical black fpots, from which, by the
French, it is called bois de lettres. It is heavy, hard, and durable, though rather brittle, and is capable of taking the brightefc polifh; this laft is fcarce in Guiana, but the others are more plentiful, growing on the higheff. grounds ; where alfo is found ebony. The heavy trees, being fhaped into timbers for fugar-mills, arc chiefly fent to the Englifh Weft India illands, and often fold for the price of fifty guineas each piece.
The word of command being again given on the 5th, we unfiling our hammocks, then marched fouth-fouth-c-aft, and fouth by eafl, through deep and dangerous marines up to our breafts in water, and in very heavy rains; in which helplefs fituation we were fuddenly alarmed, not by a party of rebels, but by a company of large monkies, which we difcovered in the tops of the trees, knocking a kind of nuts againft the branches to break them for their contents, with the greatefl regularity, as it were keeping time alternately at every ftroke, while fome of them threw down their burthens ; and a nut falling from a confiderable height, broke the head of one of our marines. The found of breaking thefe nuts, we had mif-taken for the rebel negroes cutting wood with an axe.
In
EXPEDITION   TO   SURINAM. 19 In the evening we encamped near the Tempatee chap.
xvii
Creek ; where we made large fires, and built comfort- ^, ^ t able huts; thus this night we flept protected from the wet.    Here we found the beft water I ever tailed; and in the camp I faw two remarkable lizards, the one called the devil of the woods, and the other agama, in this country. The firft is an ugly fmall lizard of a deep brown or blackifh colour, which runs with amazing fwiftnefs up and down the trees ; it has no fcales, a large head, and it is faid to bite, which is fuppofed to be an uncommon property in a lizard.  The other is called the Mexican caméléon, which is remarkably fplendid; and, like others of the kind, is endued with the property of changing its colour; but of its nature and qualities I can fay little more, having never had the opportunity of a clofe examination.   In Surinam there is alfo a fpeeies of lizard, known by the name of'falatnandpr, which alio I never faw.
On the 6th we marched again, keeping due weft till twelve o'clock, through very heavy rain and deep water ; when we changed our courfe to the north, and pafTed over very high mountains, by many fuppofed to be pregnant with treafure.
** Rocks rich with gems, and mountains bright with mines,
" That on the high equator ridgy rife ;
** Where many a burfting ftream auriferous plays :
«' Majeftic woods of every vigorous green,
" Stage above ftage high waving o'er the hills,"
Thomsqw, D 2 The
chap.      The two high eft mountains in South America, are that xvii
_ _ , peak of the Andes called Chimborazo, which meafures 20,460 geometrical feet above the furface of the South Sea ; having, though under the line, 4000 feet of its fummit continually covered with mow. The other is that, on the Hope of which is built the city of Quito, at the heighth of 9,370 feet, and is thought to be the higheft inhabited land in South America, if not in the world.
We ftill continued marching north, on the 7th, over mountains, from which, at intervals, we had undoubtedly the molt enchanting profpects, as well from the wildnefs of the country, as the beautiful variegated verdure difplayed in fo many different fhades through this amazing foreft.   Here I faw a bird which is called a woodcock, which appears to have much of the colour of thofe in Europe, but which flew very heavily; I was however informed, that it can run with incredible fwift-nefs.   But the objects which moft attracted my attention were the arnotta-trees, a few of which we met with : of thefe I have copied one of the twigs with great exactnefs. This tree, which is alfo called the rowcow, or the orlean-tree, and by the Indians cojjbwee, may rather be ftiled a Hi rub, as it does not grow above twelve feet in height. The leaves are greener on one fuie than the other, and are divided by fibres of a reddifh brown colour, as is alfo the item ; the pods, which arc as large as a fmall hen's egg, are briftled like the outer hulk of a chefnut. At firft. they are a beautiful rofc colour, which, as they 8 ripen 9,
ripen, changes to a dark brown, when they burft open CHAP.
and difplay a rich crimfon pulp, in which are contained y__Lj
feeds that are black, like thofe of a grape. The ufe of this pulp I have already defcribed, when fpeaking of the Aborigines or Indians ; and now I prefent the reader with a view of it, though from neceffity on a fmall fcale :— A is the leaf above ; B the fame below ; C the pod before it is yet ripe; D the fame ripe, and expoling the crimfon pulp ; E the black feed covered over with part of the pulp. Here again I muft take the liberty to obferve, that the rowcow plant, exhibited by the celebrated Madam Merian, is very unlike the original that I faw ; and to my great furprize fhe fays it grows on a large tree.
Having croffed an arm of the Mapanee Creek in the evening, we once more returned to our camp at Magdenberg; Mr. Noot, one of our officers, and fcveral others, were fo ill, that they were carried in their hammocks upon poles by the negro Ilaves, and a great number were fo very weak that they could fcarcely fupport the weight of their emaciated bodies ; but to complain of ficknefs was to mutiny, till they dropped down almoft ready to expire. During this expedition, in which we frill perceived nothing of the enemy, I was remarkably fortunate, having neither fullered by fatigue, nor been perfecuted by extraordinary bad ufage. The fuccceding day Colonel Seyburg's column arrived, having, like tis, feen no appearance of the rebels.
On the 9th, my boy Quaco returned from Paramaribo ;
his
CHAP, his mailer, Mr. Walter Kennedy, having, to my great joy, XVII. fold him to me for the fum of five hundred Dutch florins, amounting with the expences to near fifty pounds, for which Colonel Fourgeoud very civilly gave me a bill on his agent. The payment of this faithful fervanfs ran-fom, of courfe revived my impatience for the long-wifhed moment of emancir>ation of my poor Joanna and her boy; from whofe new mailer I had not yet received any anfwer.
While we continued here, a negro brought me a beautiful butterfly, which I copied with all the correct-nefs I was m after of ; and which I faw fince in Madam Merian's collection, where it is coloured very ill. This fly was a dark blue tinged with green, and variegated with fpots like a peacock's feather, and on each wing it had a fpot of pale yellow ; the under part of the wings were a charming crimfon and purple; the body a pale red.—The caterpillar is green and yellow; it is crowned with eight horns on the head, and has two on the tail. About the fame time Captain Fredericy returned alfo from traverfing the woods. He had a corporal drowned by flipping off a tree in crofting over a creek ; which accident frequently happened, but the men were generally picked up, except this poor fellow, who funk to the bottom inftantly with all his accoutrements.
Another negro alfo brought me a regale of groe-groe, or cabbage-tree worms, as they are called in Surinam. § This
'•<"«'••«. /'«/-//>/..,/ /),<■'r-'ijjp,/', ■/..?<•/,/,.«■/,..>//■„„/.,■ Omrth Tard
This reptile is produced in a tree called the mountain- chap.
XVII
cabbage-tree, which is one of the palm fpecies.   The  ^ , worm grows to the fize and thicknefs of a man's thumb, is produced from the fpawn of a black beetle, and is extremely fat.   However difgufting to appearance, thefe worms are a delicious treat to many people, and they are regularly fold at Paramaribo.   The manner of dreffing them, is by frying them in a pan with a very little butter and fait, or fpitting them on a wooden fkewer.  In tafte they partake of all the fpices of India, as mace, cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, &x.    Several fpecies of thefe worms are produced in all the palm-trees when beginning to rot, but fome are larger than others.   They are all of a pale yellow colour, with black heads.   In the plate annexed are reprefented the above-mentioned fine butterfly, and the cabbage-tree-worm, both of the natural fize, taken from the life.   By the Indians and negroes they are called toecoema*
On the 13th, a detachment departed for La Rochelle in Patamaca, and the following day a captain was fent with a few men back to the Hope, in Comewina, to protect the eftates in that river.
On the fame day, the miferable old negro who had cut his throat on the 5th day of March, but had fince recovered, was feen by fome ilaves to enter the wood with a knife, from which he no more returned, being foon after found flabbed to death. We were afterwards informed by his mafter, that for fome time be-
VOL.IL. D4 fore.
C H A P.   fore he had attempted to do the fame almoft regularly i  from month to month.
On the 17th, the detachment returned from La Rochelle, where the troops of the Society were all fick.
Colonel Fourgeoud now treated me with the greateff. politenefs. And at his earneft requeft I prefented him, on the 20th, with various drawings, reprefenting himfelf and his troops ffruggling with the hardfhips annexed to the fervice they were fent on; and which drawings he told me were intended to fhew the Prince of Orange and the States a fpecimen of what he and his marines did undergo in the forefts of Guiana.
He now gave me leave, for fourteen days, to go to town to wifh Mr. Kennedy a profperous voyage to Europe. Availing myfelf therefore of his good humour, I left Magdenberg within one hour, and made fuch dif-patch that I came to Paramaribo on the 22d, where I found my friends and little family all well, at the houfe of Mr. de la Mare, to which they were immediately fent from that of Mr. Lolkens, who had, during my laft ab-fence, entertained them, and treated them with the greater! attention and hofpitality.
CHAP.
C H A P. XVIL
New Infiances of unprecedented Barbarity--Occurrences on Mount Magdenberg — Prices of Provifions at Paramaribo—Defcription of a new Animal—Great Mortality amongfl the Troops in Tempatee and Comewina River.
THE firft. vifit I now made was to Mr. Kennedy, to chap* bid him farewel ; I then paid five hundred florins XVIL for the black boy, for which he gave me a receipt, and Quaco was mine.   About this time I fell ill with a fever, which however lafled but a few days.   Walking out on the ift of May, I obferved a croud of people along the water-fide, before the houfe of Mr. S—lk—r, where appeared the dreadful fpectacle of a beautiful young mulatto girl, floating on her back, with her hands tied behind, her throat moft fhockingly cut, and ftabbed in the breaft with a knife in more than eight or ten different places. This was reported to have been the work of that infernal fiend, Mrs. S—lk—r, from a motive of jealoufy, fufpecting that her hufband might fall in love with this poor unfortunate female.   This monfter of a woman had before drowned a negro infant merely for crying, as I have faid ; nay, fhe was accufed of ftill greater barbarity, were greater barbarity poflible.   Arriving one Vol. II. E day
CHAP, day at her eftate to view fome negroes newly purchafecT, ^ —VJL_j her eye chanced to fall on a fine negro girl about fifteen years of age, who could not even fpeak the language of the country. Obferving her to be a remarkably fine figure, with a fweet engaging countenance, her diabolical jealoufy inftantly prompted her to burn the girl's cheeks, mouth, and forehead with a red-hot iron ; fhe alfo cut the tendon Achilles of one of her legs, thus rendering her a monfter of deformity, and a miferable object as long as flic lived : the poor victim not knowing what flie had done to deferve fo fevere a punifhment..
Some of the negroes now representing to this lady the many cruelties fhe daily inflicted, and fupplicating her to be of a milder difpofition ; it was reported that fhe inftantly knocked out the brains of a Quaderoon child, and caufed the heads of two young negroes, its relations, to be chopped off, for having endeavoured to prevent her; thefe heads, when fhe had left the eftate, were tied in filk handkerchiefs, and carried by the fur-viving relations to Paramaribo, where they were laid at the feet of the governor, with the following fpeech :
" This, your Excellency, is the head of my fon, and u this is the head of my brother, ftruck off by our mif-" trefVs command, for endeavouring to prevent her mut-" ders. We know our evidence is nothing in a ftate of " flavery ; but, if thefe bloody heads be a fuffieient *fi proof of what we fay, we only beg that fuch perni-« cious acts may be prevented in time to come ; in ac-
" knowledgment
" knowledgment of which we will all chearfully ihed 1 chap.
. XVII ** our blood for the prefervation and profperity of our  ^ _ _'
*' mafter, our miftrefs, and the colony."
To this humble and pathetic remonftrance the anfwer was, that they were all liars, and fhould, as fuch, be flogged round the ftreets of Paramaribo; and this moft iniquitous fentence was executed with the greater! feverity.
Such is the confequence of the law of the colony, that
the teftimony of a negro is never to be taken. Had any one white perfon been prefent at the above carnage, the evidence would have been good, but even then this fury would have efcaped by paying a fine of fifty pounds for each murder.—But enough—my foul finks within me while I dwell fo long upon the fubject.
On the 2d of May, being again perfectly recovered, I took leave of Joanna and her Johnny, for thus he was named after myfelf, thougii tiic i,ucmony of baptifoi could not yet be performed ; they now continued at my friend De la Mare's houfe, whilft I fet out once more for Magdenberg in a tent-boat with fix oars.
On the 3d, I called at Egmond, on my French friend Monfieur Cachelieu, and next day ftopt at Oranjebo or Ornamibo, where I was heartily entertained by my old adverfary Captain Meyland, with whom I had fought at the Wana Creek. But now this gentleman declared, that he loved me better than any man in the colony. He was juft returned from a twelve days cruize through the woods.
E 2 Among
chap. Among his men I recollected one Cordus, a gentle-lJ-vÎIj man's ^on from Hamburgh, in which character I had known him, and who had been trepanned into the Weft India Company's fervice by the crimps or filver-coopers as a common foldier. This corps, as I have already faid, is corhpofed of all nations, Chriftians, Gentiles, and even Jews ; the latter, I muft obferve, devoured pork and bacon, without fcruple or hefitation, as often as they could find it.
On this fpot, which had formerly been a plantation, but was now choked with weeds, I met with fome herbs which again I cannot pafs unnoticed, though I have no other names for them than thofe given me by the negroes, one only excepted, which is commonly known by the name of the frfiqua-hirfuta, cow-edge, or cow-itch, and called by the black people crajjy-weeree-weeree. I can only defcribe this as a kind of pea, or rather flattiïh. fmall purple bean, growing in a pod from a (lender creeping vine; thefe pods are covered with a kind of line elaftic fpicula, which, when touched, caufe an intolerable itching. This hairy coat fcraped from the pod, and .taken in a tea-fpoon with jelly, &c. has been ftrongly recommended as a vermifuge, A fort of wood was alfo {hewn me here by one of the Haves, which he called crajjy-wood; this had the fame itching effect when touched, but with refpect to its general qualities I can fay nothing further. The other fhrubs that we found were what they called confaca-weeree-weeree ; thefe grow
with
with large green leaves, which the negroes ufe for the cure of a diforder in the feet called confaca, when they can procure no limes or lemons, as I have already mentioned : this plant alfo makes an excellent fall ad, The dea-weerec-weeree is a fine wholefome herb, and very much efteemed ; but the cutty-weeree-weeree is amongfl the mofl ferious pefts in the colony, being a kind of ftrong edged grafs, which is in fome places very plentiful ; and when a man walks through it will cut his legs like a razor. Herbs in general are in this country known by the name of weeree-weeree by the negroes.
On the 5th, I arrived at Magdenberg. Here Colonel Seyburg, and what he called his officers, feemed to form a diflincT: corps from thofe of Fourgeoud. They appeared totally deffitute of politenefs, and treated each other with the greatefl rudenefs, while their colonel was molt cordially hated i>y the wmmander m chief. This Rate of things contributed to render our fituation ftill more difagreeable : I however had at this time little reafon to complain, being for the prefent, at leaff, in the good graces of Fourgeoud, which, by a trifling accident, I had nearly again forfeited. Colonel Fourgeoud having purchafed of fome Indians a couple of mofl beautiful parrots, called here cocatoos, which were in a cage ready to be fhipped off as a prefent to her royal highnefs the princefs of Orange, 1 perfuaded Monfieur Laurant, his valet-de-chambre, to take one of them out, that I might the better examine it, but the cage-door was no fooner
opened,
opened, than it gave a fhriek, and difappeared in an in-ftant, flying over the Tempatee Creek. The poor valet Rood perfectly petrified, and could only pronounce " Voyez-vous?" whilfl I took to my heels to avoid the approaching ftorm, but flopped near enough to obferve Fourgeoud's motions through the underwood. He was no fooner informed of the dreadful accident, than he began to florm, fwear, and dance like a man totally deprived of reafon ; he next, by kicking it, killed a poor waddling duck belonging to one of our officers; and at laft actually trampled his very wig under his feet, while I Hood trembling, and the reft of the fpectators were laughing aloud. In about half an hour his pafïion began gradually to cool, and then he had recourfe to a ftratagem which actually brought the parrot back into his poffeffion. He placed the remaining captive on the top of its cage, tied by a fmall cord round ils claw; this he fet in the open air, putting a ripe banana infide, and leaving the door open, fo that any other bird except the prifoner might come at it ; the poor captive at laft becoming very hungry, made fuch a noife and fhrieking as to be heard by his mate, who returning entered the cage in quell of food, and was once more deprived of his freedom. I now ventured from my concealment, and was acquitted after a gentle reproof ; though poor Laurant, as may well be imagined, did not efcape without a thundering lecture.
The cocatoos are lefs than the parrots, and of a green colour, except the head and a few feathers in the tail,
which
which are of a pale red. This bird is crowned with a pa-najjje or bunch of feathers, and which generally lie backward, but which it erects at pleafure, when it is irritated or afraid.
I have alfo feen in Surinam a parrot of a deep Rate blue colour, though not like thofe that come from the coaft of Guinea, which are rather of a lead-grey. This parrot is faid to be very fcarce, and only inhabits the deepeft receffes of the foreft^ whence it is brought to Paramaribo by the Indians : this bird is lefs than the common parrot, but appears very ftrong and lively. The mofl: common parrots in Guiana are thofe which Marc-grave calls ajurUcura. Thefe birds are not fo large as thofe that come from Africa ; they are green, with the breaft and belly a pale yellow ; on the top of the head they have a blue fpot, and the feet are grey, with four toes like the reft of the genus, two before and two behind ; in the wings they have fome feathers of a bright blue, and fome a deep crimfon ; they are more a nuifance than a pleafure in Surinam, where, in prodigious flocks,, they perch amongft the coffee, maize, rice, &c. and commit great devastations ; and what makes them a ftill greater nuifance, their fhrieking noife is almoft infupportable. They always fly in pairs, and very fvvift, towards the eaft,, as I have obferved, meeting the fun in the morning, and toward the weft they follow it in the evening : they generally breed in remote places and lay two eggs. I brought down two of thefe parrots at a fhot when I was
at
at Sporkfgift eftate ; thefe animals not being quite dead, fcratched me moil terribly with their fliarp claws, as they are very ftrong and tenacious of life.   We had them dreffed, and they made no bad foup ; they may alfo do in a pye as rooks in England, but dreffed in any other way they are tough and difagreeable.   Thefe green parrots may be taught to fpeak, laugh, cry, bark, whiffle, or mew, but not near fo well as thofe which come from Africa.   It is faid, they are often intoxicated by the feeds of the cotton plant.   Thefe parrots are alfo fubjec"! to fits, perhaps from their choleric difpofition, yet longevity is peculiarly afcribed to them by the Indians : they have ftrong hooked bills, which aflift them in climbing and cracking very hard nuts, and they fometimes bite very feverely ; they delight in fwinging and balancing, hanging from the branches of trees, and in their wild as well as domeftic ftate ufe one of their claws as a hand to take their food.
In Surinam there are alfo fome beautiful paroquets, which are a fpecies of parrots, but fm aller though not lefs common ; the fineft of thefe is of the fize of a very fmall pigeon ; they are of a lively green on the back and tail, but the head and neck are auburn, the feathers on the laft being edged with a gold colour, which gives them the appearance of rich fcollops or fcales : the breaft is of a leaden hue, the belly lilac, the wings tipped with orange and azure, and the bill of a very dark blue ; the eyes are the colour of fire, and the feet quite black. The other i fpecies
fpecies are perfectly green, with a white bill, and a chap. crimfon fpot on the head; thefe make an agreeable chattering, but are not fo eafily domefticated as the former.
I was prcfented this evening by a foldier with a bird of a quite different kind, which he had actually caught with his hands.   This was no other than the annamoe, or Surinam partridge, and a finer creature I never faw : it was of the fize of a large duck, extremely fat, and of a dark brown colour on the back and wings, and on the top of the head, the under part of which, the breaft, the belly, and the thighs, were of a fine cream-colour, intermixed with orange feathers and very fmall tranfverfe black bars.   The body was exactly the fhape of an egg, it had no tail, the neck was long, the bill fhort, but very fharp-pointed, and a little curved ; the eyes were bright, and as black as jet ; the legs fhort, of the colour of vermilion, with three fmall toes on each foot.   This bird, it is faid, runs with amazing fwiftnefs, hiding itfelf amongfl the grafs and weeds, but flies very heavily on account of its plumpnefs, which was the caufe of its being thus overtaken by the marine.   We had it roaftcd, and indeed nothing could be more delicious. As I took a correct drawing of it, I refer the reader to the annexed plate ; where he may alfo fee the parrot of South America, as defcribed above, beiides a few curious nefts, of which I have given an account in Vol. I. p. 375, but where I had no opportunity of placing them ; and which, befides their cu-riolity, may ferve to fliew how much the public are lm-Vol. II. F pofed
pofed upon; when, in Goldfmith's Animated Nature,. VoL V. p. 253, that author afïcrts, that they are built on the banana and plantain trees, where he alfo defcribes the monkies,and numbers of large ferpents as aflembling. All this I here think it my duty to pronounce erroneous, as I confidcr it would be unpardonable in me to let fuch abfurdities pafs by unnoticed.
On the 9th, an accident had nearly befallen me, which, muft have caufed me much poignant and luffing forrow. My black boy, waffling my cotton hammock in the Tempatee Creek, was fuddenly carried to the bottom by the rapidity of the ftream, and entangled in its lathings, fa that both the one and the other disappeared ; the boy,, however, luckily extricated himfelf, though with great difficulty, and to my great joy, though more than half drowned, appeared once more on terra firma; when he
had the prefencc of mind inftantly to fink a large filh-hook, with a lead tied to a ftrong line, fome yards below the .fpot, with which he actually brought up the hammock, to our aftonifhmcnt, the ftream running fo fwift that it rolled over the ground,, and was liable to fhift its Ration every moment.
The following day, as Captain H am el was angling, his tackle got faff at the bottom of the creek, when, in diving to clear it, I itruck my ancle with fuch violence-againft a rock, that it was feveral months before it was perfectly recovered..
Thefe accidents appeared greatly to entertain Colonel Seyburg, while in return I could not help feeling a de~ 1 grce
gree of indignation at what I confidered as unhandfome behaviour ; but the moft extraordinary circumftance was, that this difguft between Seyburg and myfelf feemed to gain mc the favour of old Fourgeoud, aim oft as much as if I had deftroyed half the rebel negroes in the colony.— During all this time ftrong patroles cruized between Magdenberg, La Rochelle, and the Jew Savannah ; and on the 17th, the commander in chief marched to Pata-maca with nearly the half of his troops, leaving mc the command of thofe that remained on the mountain, for I was not able to accompany him, having by this time a dangerous mortification in my ancle.
As I had now Che profpedt of remaining fome time at Magdenberg, I difpatched Quaco to Paramaribo for pro-vifions, and orders to buy me a live goat.
Whatever may be thought of Foui oeoud's manœuvres, in not being able to bring the rebels to a pitched battle, it is very certain that he exerted himfelf and his troops to the utmoft; and that by his conftantly traverfing the upper parts of the rivers, and flouring the ikirts of the colony, he prevented many'depredations on the eftates, which was undoubtedly a very effential fervice to the inhabitants, though at a dreadful expence of blood and money.
Being now the commander in chief at this poft, the two negroes I have formerly mentioned hunting and fifhing for me, brought me almoft every day one or two plngos, which are the wild boars formerly mentioned, befides a
Vol. II. F 2 fifli
c ri a P.   fifth called ncwmara, fome of which are as large as cod, i XVI[*     and which I fhall afterwards defcribe.   With thefe dain-ties I regaled all the officers without exception, while I gave to the hofpital all the plantains, bananas, oranges, and lemons, that were occasionally fent me as prefents from the Jacob and the plantations in Upper Comewina; and never was a deputy-governor more univerfally beloved.   Patroles were alfo daily fent out to every quarter; and the environs of Magdenberg were fo completely fcoured, that no invafion from the rebels could be practicable.   Thefe precautions were the more necefTary, a3 they had formerly furprifed and taken by ftorm different military polls for the fake of ammunition and fire-arms, which are to them of the utmoft value, and their feizure of the moft pernicious confequence to the colony. Indeed fome pofts had not only been attacked and plundered of their ftores and ammunition, but were actually maffacred to a man.
Mortified that it was not in my power to take a more active part at prefent, 1 availed myfelf of this leifure, by taking drawings of every animal, reptile, or fhrub, that I thought could illuftrate my little collection of natural cu-riofities, Which I now began to form fome idea of exhibiting to the public, if it fhould be my fate ever more to return to Europe.
One of my negroes, on the 24th of this month, brought me two curious infects ; which, though I had no opportunity of drawing, I will endeavour to defcribe :—
The
The one (which feemcd to have fome fmall affinity to the CHAP.
XVII
grafshopper kind) was what is here generally called ^ Jpaanfe-jujfer, and is without exception the mofl: fingular animal I faw in the colony.   The body of this furprifing creature, though not thicker than a quill, was nolefs than feven inches and a half in length, including the tail ; it had no wings, and was mounted like a fpider on fix legs that were near fix inches long; it had four antennae projecting from its head, two being nearly five inches, and two much ihorter ; the head was fmall, the eyes large* black, and prominent, and the tail articulated like that of mofl infects : its colour was a browmifh green, and, upon the whole, it feemed a monfler.   This creature is found near the marfhy places, where its long legs appear designed to enable it to wade through the water, but not to fw im (according to Mr. Farmine's opinion) for which its feet arc not calculated, as they terminate in two fmall claws like thofe of fome beetles.   The other was a large fly, which Madam Merian, who gives a drawing of it, calls the vielleur, but which I have generally heard called the Jcare-Jleep by the Dutch.   Thefe words being extremely applicable, from the noife it makes towards the evening, which nearly refembles the found of a cymbal, or that of a razor-grinder when at his work. This remarkable fly, whole grinding noife always begins at fun-fet or fix. o'clock, is alfo called theporte-lanterne or lantern-bearer,, from the light it diffufes after that time, and which is much ftronger than that of any of the fire-fly fpecies, 8 affording
chap,   affording fufficicnt light for almoft any purpofe: thefe
XVII. .
i -w~'_f flics are above three inches long, and very thick, the body green, with four tranfparent wings variegated with little marks of all colours, particularly the under wings, on which are two large roundifh fpots not unlike thofe on the tail feathers of a peacock. Beneath the head of this infect is feen an inverted flraight trump or tube like a needle, with which it is faid to fuck its food from the flowers. With the fame infiniment it is here fuppofed to produce that difagreeable, loud, and grinding noife, which I have already noticed. But, for my own part, I fhould rather afcribe the noife to the fluttering of its tranfparent wings, as is firppofed to be the cafe with fome flies in England : a large probofcis or fnout ftriped red and yellow, and fhaped like the flrft joint of a man's finger, projects from the head, and makes one-third of the whole animal ; this protuberance is vulgarly called its lantern, and emits that furpriiing light whence it takes its fécond name. I mail only add, that it is a very How creeper, but flies with amazing velocity.
On the 26th, my boy Quaco arrived from Paramaribo with the following lift of provifions, which he had pur-chafed for me. In order to give the curious a juft idea of the prices in Surinam when things are cheaper!, I will here infert fome articles as charged to my account, with the prices in Englifh money, calculating at the rate of eleven florins to one pound flerling.
Thefe
Thefe articles were, as follow : c 2 bacon hams, 31 lbs. at 15 «i. per lb. u I fmall cag of butter» lolbs. at is.jod. per lb.
1 fmall ditto of flow , loolbs. at ^d. per lb. .1 Dutch cheefe, 11 lbs. at \od. per lb.
2 quart bottles of vinegar, at is. îod. per quart. 4 lbs. fpermaceti candles, at 31. Sd. per lb.
2 lbs. dried faufages, at is. yd. per lb. The prices of wine and fpirits I have already mentioned in the twelfth chapter.
He alfo brought me a goat with its kid to fupply me with milk, for which I paid twenty florins, or near two-pounds llerling : thefe prices are at leaf! double, and fome-treble, to what tbey ufed to be in England.
Goats are very common in all Guiana; they are not large, but very beautiful creatures, with fmall horns, and very fhort frnooth hair, moftly of a dun-colour;, they are as nimble as Rags, and are kept on all, the citâtes, where they breed fall: and give much milk; they are alfo delicious eating when killed young.
I had now the difagreeable news, that all my letters for Europe were funk on board Captain Yiffer, who was wrecked in the Texel roads among the ice. I was> alfo fincerely grieved to hear that my good friend Mr-Kennedy, with his lady and family* had taken their filial farewel of the colony, and failed for Holland. Tina, gentleman, Mr. Gordon, and a Mr. Gourluy, were the ©rdy Scutch ; a Mr. Buckland, a Mr. Townfend, and Mr.
tlalfhide*,
CHAP,   Half hide, the only Englifh ; and Captain Macneal, the
xvn • i only native of Ireland, refiding in this colony.
On the 28th, Colonel Fourgeoud returned with his command from Patamaca, much emaciated himfelf, and his men nearly exhaufted by fatigue. He had left a great number behind him in the hofpital at JLa Rochelle, but heard no account whatever of the rebels, although he varied his route every time. It was therefore pretty evident that they were routed, if latterly there had been any fettled at all : but where to find them in this unbounded foreft was the queltion. He however never de-fpaired, and feemcd as eager to difcover the haunts of the rebels as he had been formerly in fpringing a covey of partridges, or difcovering a ne ft of black badgers.
On the 29th, Mr. Matthew, one of our officers who had been out ihooting, prefented me with the Taibo, an animal that is here called the wood-rat. This creature-was the fize of a young hare, and of a reddifh brown colour, being remarkably thin, with long limbs, a roundifh head, and a tail not unlike that of a fucking-pig ; the claws were exactly like thofe of a common rat, but larger in proportion, and fo was the head, mouth, teeth, and whifkers; the ears were fhort and naked, the eyes black and prominent, with a white iris ; it is fold to run very faft : we had it dreffed, and ate it, having been told that it was very good, and fo we found it, fweet, tender, and even fat, notwithftanding its lank appearance. This
creature,
creature, on account of its fize, reminds me of another chap,
XVII
animal, known in this country by the name of crabbo- ^    ' è dago, or the crabbed dog, for its matchlefs ferocity,, as it kills and devours every thing that comes in its way, without exception, whether quadrupeds, fowls, or reptiles; and never feeming to be glutted with blood, it murders, even without being hungry, all it can vanquifh, which, on account of its courage, activity, and ftrength, are not a few, though it be not larger than a common cat.    From what I have faid, I fhould apprehend it much refembles the ichneumon, but Rill more that animal mentioned by Mr. Allemand, in the Count de Buffon; (fee Vol. IV. p. 266.) which he there calls the grifon or grey - w*eazel, though this that I mention was rather larger ; and he fays, that notwithftanding its being a native of Surinam, none of the people coming from that country could give any account of it.   If this be the fame animal, (as I doubt not, and have therefore given it the name of the crabbo-dago or grifon) I am happy to have had it in my power to give the reader fome account of it.   I mall now literally quote the Count's own words, as extracted from Mr. Allemand, which will afford the beft proof of its being the fame animal, when compared with the annexed plate, where both the wood-rat, and the crabbo-dago or grifon, are reprefented; and had I feen this account during the Count's life, I would have moft affuredly taken the liberty of informing him by a Vol. IL G letter.
CHAP, letter, of what I now, though in this unconnected method, *V,L    relate to the public.
" I received," fays Mr. Allemand, « the fmall animal " reprefented in the plate*. In the catalogue it was " called the grey-weazel, from which circumftance I de-" rived the name grifon, becaufe I knew not how it is " denominated in the country where it is found. The " whole upper part of its body is covered with deep P brown hair, having white points, which gives it a " greyifh brown colour : under the head and neck is a " bright grey, becaufe the hairs are very fhort, and the " white part is of equal length with the brown. The " muzzle, the under part of the body, and legs, are black, " which fingularly contrails with the grey colour on the " head and neck.
" The head of this animal is very large in proportion " to its body, its ears almoft form a femicircle, its eyes
are large, and its mouth is armed with ftrong grinders <6 and lharp tufks : it has fix cutting teeth in each jaw, " four of them hardly riling above the gums. Both the " fore and hind feet have five toes, with yellowifti claws ; " the tail is pretty long, and terminates in a point.
" The grifon has a greater refemblance to the weazel, « than to any other animal, but it belongs not to the <! weazel tribe ; for its body is not long enough, and its
♦ The Dutch edition, Vol. XV.
" legs
u legs are too long.   It is not mentioned by any author CHAP,
XVII
" or traveller.   I ihewed it to lèverai perfons who had « — *
" lived long in Surinam, but none of them knew it ;
*■ hence it either muft be a rare animal, even in its
" native country, or it muft live in deferts and unfre-
" quented places : the length of its body is about feven
" inches ; I have not been able to learn any thing of its
« hiftory."
To this I (hall only add my furprize.— It is true that this animal is very rare in Surinam, but it probably owes its not being defcribed by naturalifts to its extreme ferocity, which is without example, it being a very uncommon circumftance to take a crabbo-dago or grifon alive.
Our old commander and I were now infeparable friends, to whofe board being daily invited, he requefted me to
paint his portrait at full length in his bum equipage,
which was to be engraved at the expence of the town of Amfterdam, and where he thought himfelf now as great a man as the Duke of Cumberland was in England after the battle of Culloden.
Having provided a large fheet of paper, and fome China ink, I began to delineate this wonderful character in his own hut. While I was now looking full in his face, to examine the features of this firft of def-pots, and laughing aloud, to think how he and I now fat Raring at one another, the whole mountain was fud-denly ihook by a tremendous clap of thunder, while the lightning actually fcorched the Colonel's forehead ; and,
G 1 what
c H a P. vvhat is very curious, broke all the eggs under a hen XViI' j rïiat was fitting in a corner of the room where we were engaged. The hero's features being re-compofed, I proceeded, and the picture was completed in a ftiort time after, to his great fat is faction.
About this time the captive rebel, September, who was taken in the year 1773, died of a dropfy. Ever fince his capture, when his companion was Riot, this poor fellow was obliged to follow Fourgeoud like a dog through all. his expeditions ; the colonel always expecting that this negro would,, one day or other, conduct him to different haunts of the rebels—but he was miftaken. The other negro Raves, fufpecting that he had actually given fome information, attributed his dreadful death to a punifh-ment from God, for his want of fidelity to his countrymen, to whom they fuppofed he had fworn to be true.
The reader may remember, that I have Rated it in the third Chapter, a3 ari invariable article of belief among the African negroes, that whoever breaks his oath fhall die miferably in this world, and be punifhed for ever in that which is to come.
By the ad of June, the Hope in Comewina was become fo very unwholefome for want of cleanlinefs, and being kept free from inundations (as it was much neglected by the newly-arrived troops which were now Rationed there), that the commanding officer and moft of his men were rendered unfit for duty by ficknefs, and many of them already buried. To this place Colonel Fourgeoud ordered
dered down Captain Brant to take the command, with a frefli fiipply of men, and orders to fend, not to town hut to Magdenberg, all the invalids he fhould relieve. Thefe orders he gave to the above officer in fuch a brutal manner, and difpatched him fo fuddcnly, that he had not even time to pack up his cloaths; while Colonel Seyburg deprived him of his only fervant, whom he took for himfelf. This ufage fo much affected Captain Brant, that he burft into tears, and declared he did not wifh longer to fur vive fuch galling treatment : he then departed to the Hope, truly with a broken heart.
Upon his arrival he was informed that Captain Brough, the late commanding officer, was dead. This poor man had been on hard fervice in the woods, and being very corpulent, could no longer fupport the fatigues and ex-ceflive heat; he melted down very fail, and a-jmtrid fever at laft occafioned his difTolution. Captain Brant was foon followed by Colonel Seyburg to the Hope, with orders to infpect the lick.—In this interval of inaction, I lhall defcribe two fillies, which, though very different in fize and colour, equally merit particular attention.
The firft, and indeed the only one of the kind I ever faw, was caught by an angler. It was about the fize of a large anchovy, and, the dorado excepted, was certainly the moft beautiful coloured fiih I ever faw. Its back and tides were divided in longitudinal bars of fine yellow and a deep blucifli black, the belly was filver, the eyes were black and gold, and the fins a glowing tranfparent vermi-6 i lion ;.
p. lion ; its fhape was not unlike that of a trout, and the ' whole was covered with fmall fcales ; it had one dorfal fin on the middle of its back, with only the veftige of another near the tail, which was forked : under its belly were five fins, two pectoral, two ventral, and one behind the anus ; the under jaw projected before the upper jaw, and made its mouth appear reverfed ; the gills were fmall. Having enquired concerning this little fifti, the only information I could obtain was from a black man, who called it dago-fifee.
The other is that fine large fifh called by the Englifh rock-cod, by the Indians baro-ketta, and new-mar a by the negroes, which I have feveral times mentioned, but not defcribed ; they are taken plentifully in all the upper parts of the rivers. This fifti is the.fize of a large cod, but covered with fcales, and by fome compared to a falmon; the back is a brown olive colour, the belly is white, the head is ftrong, with fmall eyes, of which the pupil is black and the iris grey ; the mouth is very large, and befet with one row of fliarp teeth like thofe of a pike, and, like it, this creature is extremely voracious ; the tail is obtufe and dark olive; as alfo the fins, fix in number, one dorfal, two pectoral, two ventral, and one abdominal. This fifh is extremely delicious eating, and particularly efteemed by the white inhabitants at Paramaribo, where it is very fcarce, though in the upper parts of the rivers they are taken in great abundance. I painted thefe two fifties very correctly, the dago-fjh as
l,o,ulo,,,r,,blt.c>,ul />,, In J. Johnson .)\'/'„i,h- (nurj, t.„:l
47
large as life, and the new-mara confklerably lefs. The drawings were honoured in Surinam with the epithets of mafterly performances.
Several officers who kept poultry and hogs at this period loft all the latter in the fpace of two days, being poi-foned probably by eating duncane, or fome other fatal weed that was unknown to us. And yet it has been a general obfervation, as I have faid before, that all animals know by inftincl: to diftinguifh their food from their poifon.
Mr. Seyburg now returned from the Hope in triumph, with Lieutenant Dederlin (one of Colonel Fourgeoud's officers) guarded by a fcrjeant and fix marines with fixed bayonets, for having been wanting in refpecl, as that gentleman pleafed to call it.
On the 7th, the lick officers and fokliers alfo arrived from the Hope in barges; fome of the latter, being too ill to bear removing, died on the paffage without medicines, and without afliftance. One of our furgeons died alfo this day in camp, and a number of the privates died daily. This was the confequence of having marched fo much in the wet feafon, which was judged however by our chief to be the only feafon in which he was likely to root the rebels from the foreft of Guiana.
CHAP,
CHAP. XVIII.
A fygêr taken in the Camp—Fatal Rencounter of a Party with the Rebels, who killed feveral of the Troops, and forced the reft back—Defcription of a Flanter of Surinam —Contagious Diflempers—Suicide—Scene of primitive Nature.
CHAP.   X HAVE juft mentioned that feveral officers kept poultry, xviil.    A numbers of which were now taken away every night by fome unknown marauder ; when a Captain Bolts (fuf-pecting the coali-mondi, or crabbo-dago) made a trap of an empty wine-cheft, only by fupporting the lid with a Rick fixed to a long cord, into which (having firft fecured all the other poultry) he put a couple of live fowls, the whole guarded by two negroes at fome diftance. They had not been many hours on their poft, when hearing the fowls fhriek, one negro pulled the rope, and the other ran to fecure the invader by fitting on the lid : when this proved to be actually a young tyger, who would yet have cleared his way by beating againft the box, but that it was immediately fecured by ftrong ropes, and drawn along, with the prifoner in it, to the river ; where, being held under water, he was drowned, under the moft vigorous efforts, by beating againft the cheft to effect his ef-cape.   Captain Bolts ordered the fkin to be taken off, which he kept in remembrance of fo very ftrange a ch> cumftance.
The Count de Buffon afterts, that there are no tygers
in
in America, but animals much refcmbling them, which go by that name. I fhall however defcribe them, from actual obfervation, as I found them, and leave the reader to determine whether they are tygers or not.
The fir ft and largeft is that called the jaguar of Guiana. This animal, which has by fome been reprefented as a de-fpifeable little creature, not larger than a greyhound, is, on the contrary, very fierce, ftrong, and dangerous ; fome of them meafuring, from the nofe to the root of the tail, not lefs than fix feet : and let us not forget the print of that enormous tyger's foot, feenby myfelf in the fand,near Patamaca ; though it may be allowed, that creature was of an extraordinary fize, and the find very loofe.—The jaguar is of a tawny orange colour, and the belly white ; on the back it is fpotted with longitudinal black bars ;
the fides with irregular rings, light-coloured in the center ; and all over the reft of the body, and the tail, the fpots are fmaller, and perfectly black: its fhape is in every <enfe like that of the African tyger, and being all of the cat kind, they need no particular defcription ; but their fize and ftrength being fo much greater than that little domeftic animal, they devour a flieep, or a goat, with the fame facility as a cat would kill a moufe or a rat ; nay, cows and horfes are not protected from their attacks, for thefe they frequently kill on the plantations; and though they cannot carry them off into the foreft on account of their weight, they tear and mangle them in a dreadful manner, only for the fake of the blood, with Vol. II. H which
CHAP,   which this.ferocious animal is never glutted. It has even. xvni- ,  happened that the jaguar has carried off young negro* women at work in the field, and too frequently their children.   This contemptible animal, as it is called and miffeprefented by fome authors, will beat down a wild boar with a fingle itroke of its paw, and. even feize by the throat the Rrongeft ftallion, that ever was mounted, in Guiana; while its favage nature, and thirft after blood, is fuch that it cannot be tamed : it will, on the contrary, bite the very hand that feeds it, and very often devours its own offspring; Rill this creature is not a match for the abotna-fnake, which, when it comes within its reach, has the power of crulhing it to a jelly in but few moments.
The next is the couguar, called in Surinam the red fyger.—This indeed may, with more propriety, be compared to a greyhound, for its fhape, though not for its fize ; being much larger than the dog which it refembles in make, but it is not in general fo large and heavy as the jaguar. The colour of this animal is a rerldifh brown; the breaft and belly are a dirty white, with long hair, and not fpotted; the tail an earthy colour, the extremity black ; the head is fmall, the body thin, the limbs long, with tremendous whitifh claws; the teeth are alfo very, large,.the eyes prominent, and fparkling like ftars. This creature is equally ferocious with the former.
Another, of. the fame fpecies is the tyger-cat, which is extremely beautiful.   This animal is not much larger
than
♦
than I have feen fome cats in England: it is of a yellow colour, with fmall annulated black fpots, which are white within ; the belly is a light colour ; the ears are black, with a white fpot on each ; the hair is fmooth, and the fkin is very much efteemed : the fhape like that of the tyger. The iyger-cat is a very lively animal, with its eyes emitting flafhes like lightning; but ferocious, mif-chievous, and untameable, like the reft of the kind.
In Guiana is ftill another of this fpecies, called the ja-guanetta, of a blackifh colour, with ftill blacker fpots; but of this laft I can fay very little, having never feen one ; and, indeed, the others but very feklom. Of the jaguar however, and the tyger-cat, I prefent the reader with a drawing. All thefe animals have long whifkers, like common cats ; they fometimes climb trees, but generally lie in ambufli under the verdure, whence they bound with uncommon agility on their helplefs prey Î which having murdered, they drink the blood warm, and never ceafe to tear and devour it till they are gorged ; but when no longer animated by hunger they are cowardly, and may be put to flight by a common fpaniel. Of fire alfo they are exceedingly afraid, which is the belt guard to keep them at a diftance, and as fuch, made ufe of every night by the Indians in Guiana. More than once it has been obferved, that tygers had entered our camps for want of thefe precautions, but fortunately without committing any depredations.
As I now feemed to be on a friendly intercourfe
H 2 with
XVIII.
chap,   with Colonel Fourgeoud, I one day preferred the old gentleman with a plan and bird's-eye view of all the encampment of Magdenberg, which pleafed him fo much that he fent this (as he had done the firft) to the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Brunfwick, as a fpecimen of his military manœuvres, &x. This prefent had the defired effect:; for I not only became one of his favourites, but, declaring his high eft efteem for the Scots and Engliih, he even promifed to recommend me in particular at court.   1 was fo fatisfied with this change in his behaviour, that I now took the blame of all former animofity on myfelf.   His attention, however, was fuddenly attracted by affairs of more confequence; mice, on the 14th of June, the news arrived that fome rebel huts were difcovered near the fea-Rde ; that Captain May-land had marched in queff of the enemy, with one hundred and forty men of the Society troops, and had actually difcovered them;   but in wading through a deep mardi,  had been firft attacked by the negroes, who had killed feveral of  his people (among whom his   nephew,   a   young  volunteer),  wounded more, and beaten back the whole detachment, after they had already puTed the mardi, and were mounting fait 011 the oppofite beach to ltorm the village.    From this news it was evident, that our fable foes were not to be trilled with ; and fince they were thus difcovered, orders were immediately ilfued for all the troops that were able to march to keep in readinefs, viz. Four-
geoud's
geoiufs marines, the Society regiment, and my favourite rangers, who wanted no fpur, and now could hardly be reftrained till the others were prepared. Thefe troops were to be affernbled at a certain place of rendezvous, while alfo a detachment marched to La Rochelle to give information. In confequence of thefe orders all was activity and vigour in the camp, in hopes that this decifive ftroke would end the war, and their mifery together ; and this, therefore, was the time to lead them on to a fpirited attack ; but, for reafons beft known to himfelf, our commander delayed his movement till the 20th of Auguft, which was above two months.
In the mean time the difagreeable news arrived, that Captain Brant was almoft dead with a violent illnefs at the Hope, which was at prefent the place where a number of the troops were quartered, though no better than a peft-houie, by the inundations ; and for the command at this place (as being one of his favourites) Fourgeoud now fingled me out : declaring, that I might thank my found conttitution for beftowing on me this honour. From this conduct, I plainly difcovered that all his friendfhip was entirely interefted; and I felt my refentment involuntarily rekindled againft him, for thus fending me to an inglorious death, when he had fo fair an opportunity of employing me honourably on actual fervice.
On my arrival at the Hope, my orders were to fend poor Captain Brant not down to Paramaribo, but to Magdenberg.   This young man, however, fruftrated the tyrannical
CHAP, -rannical command ; for, juRly fufpecting it, he had fet i J_, out with a tent-barge to town a few hours before I -came, where he was no fooncr carried to his lodgings -than he expired, from the effects of a burning fever, and a broken heart. No man could be more regretted than Captain Brant ; nor did Fourgeoud ever lofe a better officer, or I a fincerer friend.
This being the fécond commander dead in fo fhort a time, I quietly took for my motto —
] Iodic tibi eras mihi.
But I was happily miftaken, and continued Rill as well as ever I was in my life, following the advice of old Caramaca, and bathing twice a day in the river ; while I defpifed fhoes and ftockings, as ufelefs and unneceffary lumber.
On the 20th of June, a few days after my arrival, I had the honour to receive a vifit from the governor, Mr. Nep-veu, on his return from his eftate Appecappe to Paramaribo, with whom I condoled on the lofs of his lady, who had died very lately ; I alfo received daily vifits from lèverai planters, who complimented me with refreshments from their plantations : and here I had an excellent opportunity of acquainting myfelf with the cuftoms and manner of livine of thefe Weft-India nabobs.
A planter in Surinam, when he lives on his eftate, (which is but feldom, as they moftly prefer the fociety of Paramaribo) gets out of his hammock with the § riling
fifing fun, viz. about fix o'clock in the morning, when- CHAP,
he makes his appearance under the piazza of his houfe ; \___„i,
where his coffee is ready waiting for him, which he generally takes with his pipe, inftead of toaft and butter; and there he is attended by half a dozen of the fineft young Raves, both male and female, of the plantation, to ferve him;-at: this fancium-fanBorum he is next accofted by his overfeer, who regularly every morning attends at his levee, and having made his-bows at feveral yards diftance, with the moft profound refpect informs his Greatnefs what work was done the-day before;, what negroes deferted, died, fell fick, recovered, were bought or born; and, above all things*, which of them neglected their work, affected fieknefs, or had been drunk or abfent, &:c. ; the prifoners arc generally prefent, being fecured by the negro-driversy, and inftantly tied up to the beams of the piazza, or a tree, without fo much as being heard in their own, defence ; when the flogging begins, with men, w men, or children, without exception.    The inftruments of torture on thefe occafions are long hempen whips, that cut round at every lafh, and crack like piftol-fhot; during which they alternately repeat,   Dankee, maffera" (Thank you, mafter).   In the mean time he ftalks up and down with his overfeer, affecting not fo much as. to hear their cries, till they are fufficiently mangled, when they are untied, and ordered to return to their work, without fo much as a drefïïng. This ceremony being over, the dreffy negro (a black ,
furgeon)
CHAP, furgeon) cornes to make his report ; who being difmiffed xviii.^ witll a nearty curfe> for allozving any Raves to be lick, next makes her appearance a fuperannuatcd matron, with all the young negro children of the eftate, over whom fhe is govcrnefs ; thefe, being clean walhcd in the river, clap their hands, and cheer in chorus, when they are fent away to breakfaft on a large platter of rice and plantains; and the levee ends with a low bow from the overfeer, as it begun.
His worfhip now faunters out in his morning drefs, which confifts of a pair of the fineft Holland trowfers, white filk Rockings, and red or yellow Morocco flippers; the neck of his fhirt open, and nothing over it, a loofe flowing night-gown of the fineft India chintz excepted. On his head is a cotton night-cap, as thin as a cobweb, and over that an enormous beaver hat, that protects his meagre vifage from the fun, which is already the colour of mahogany, while his whole carcafe fcldom weighs above eight or ten ftone, being generally exhaufted by the climate and diffipation. To give a more complete idea of this fine gentleman, I in the annexed plate prefent him to the reader with a pipe in his mouth, which almoft every where accompanies him, and receiving a glafs of Madeira wine and water, from a female quaderoon Have, to refrefh him during his walk.
Having loitered about his eftate, or fometimes ridden on horfeback to his fields, to view his increafing flores, he returns about eight o'clock, when, if he goes abroad, he dreffes, but if not, remains juft as he is. Should the 8 • firft
I./■//,/, il .ftiMijchctt />tr.i-i);lf>\ ./ JHHMH ,.r.' Pmttf (hiin-fi ),ir,/
firft take place, having only exchanged his trowfers for a pair of thin linen or filk breeches, he fits down, and holding out one foot after the other, like a horfe going to be fhod, a negro boy puts on his ftockings and lhoes, which he alfo buckles, while another dreffes his hair, his wig, or (haves his chin, and a third is fanning him to keep oft" the mufquitoes. Having now fhifted, he puts on a thin coat and waiftcoat, all white; when, under an umbrella, carried by a black boy, he is conducted to his barge, which is in waiting for him with Rx or eight oars, well provided with fruit, wine, water, and tobacco, by his overfeer, who no fooner has feen him depart, than he refumes the command with all the ufual infolence of oftice. But fliould this prince not mean to ftir from his eftate, he goes to breakfaft about ten o'clock, for which a table is fpread in the large hall, f)rovided with a bacon ham, hung-beef, fowls, or pigeons broiled ; plantains and fvveet caffavas roafted ; bread, butter, cheefe, See. with which he drinks ftrong beer, and a glafs of Madeira, Rhenifh, or Mozell wine, while the cringing overfeer fits at the farther end, keeping his proper diftance, botli being ferved by the moft beautiful Raves that can be felected ;—and this is called breaking the poor gentleman's fait.
After this he takes a book, plays at chefs or billiards, entertains himfelf with mufic, &x. till the heat of the day forces him to return into his cotton hammock to enjoy his meridian nap, which he could no more difpenfe with than a Spaniard with his Jiejla9 and in which he rocks to and
VoL.'Ih I fro,
fro, like a performer on the flack-rope, till he falls afleep, without either bed or covering; and during which time he is fanned by a couple of his black attendants, to keep him cool, &c.
About three o'clock he awakes by natural inftind"f, when having wafhed and perfumed himfelf, he fits down to dinner, attended as at breakfaft by his deputy-governor and fable pages, where nothing is wanting that the world can.afford, in a weft em climate, of meat, fowls, venifon, fifth, vegetables, fruits, Sec. and the moR exquifite wines are often fquandered in profufion ; after this a cup of Rrong coffee and a liqueur finifhthe repaft. At fix o'clock he is again waited on.by his overfeer, attended as in the morning by negro-drivers and prifoners* when the flogging once more having continued for fome time, and the neceffary orders being given for the next day's work, the affembly is difmiffed, and the evening fpent with .weak punch, .fangaree, cards and tobacco.— His worfhip generally begins to yawn about ten or eleven o'clock, when he withdraws, and is undreffed by his footy pages. He then retires, to reft, where he paffes the night in the arms of one or other of his fable fultanas (for he always keeps a feragiio) till about fix in the morning,, when he again repairs to his piazza walk, where his pipe and coffee are waiting for him ; and where, with the rif-ing fun, he begins his round of diflipation, like a petty monarch, as capricious as he is defpotic and defpifeable. Such abfolute power indeed; cannot fail to be peculiarly 2 delightful
delightful to a man, who, in all probability, was in his own country, Europe, a — nothing.
But, in this colony, this is too frequently the cafe, where plantations are fold upon credit, and left (by the abfent proprietor) to the appraifers, who, by felling cheap, have generally an underftanding with the buyer.
Thefe are the planters who are the peft of the colony ; fuch as the fine gentleman juft defcribed, who, while he lives at the above rate, pays nobody, under pretence of bad crops, mortality amongft the Raves, 8cc. but like an upftart rafcal maffacres the negroes by double labour, ruins and pillages the eftate of all its productions, which he clandeftinely fells for ready money, makes a purfe, and runs away. Exceptions, however, take place in every circumftance of life; and I have known many planters in Surinam as good men as I ever would defire to be acquainted with, which I have already mentioned.
As for the ladies, they indulge themfelves juft as much, by giving way to their unbounded paflions, and efpecially to the moft relentlefs barbarity. But while I can bear witnefs to the exalted virtues of fuch a woman as Mrs. Elizabeth Danforth, now Mrs. Godfrey, and a few more whofe characters fhine with treble luftre, I fhall draw a veil over all the imperfections, too common to their fex in this climate. Before I drop this fubject, however, I muft atteft, that hofpitality is in no country practifed with greater cordiality or with lefs ceremony, a ftranger being every where at home, and finding his table and his bed
I 2 at
aj whatever eitate ncceffity or choice mayoccafion him to vifit. This is the more to be regarded, as no inns are to be met with in the neighbourhood of any of the Surinam rivers,
■rat Vf* j I* if i\f\'    *rfv'x'i'-   «'Arr*i 'fr "J^Tfc «rte ^^rvï+f-t*   r-t c-fktiw
To vary the fubjeet a little, I will now defcribe three kinds of fifh, with which 1 occafionally entertained my friends.   The fun-fijh, the fnake Ji/h, and the fpotted-cat* The firft frequents both the fait and frefh water, like the falmon : it is about eighteen or twenty inches long, fliaped not unlike a kite ; and being covered over with fcales of a golden colour, when it fwims in clear water darts forth very bright beams, from which it has derived its name of the fun-fift.   The fnake-fjh takes its name from its refemblance to that reptile: this is a black eel with a white belly, it is not large, and is very common in all the rivers.   The fpotted-cat is called fo from its tabby colour, and Jong whifkers : this fifh is formed not unlike a pike, with very fharp teeth ; it has no fcales, it is extremely fat, weighing fometimes above feventy pounds, but its flefh is yellow, and not efteemed the moft delicate food : however, here excellent fiih is feldom wanting, fuch as the new-mara, pajfejj'ee, warappa, jackee, and many others already noticed.   The Hope, with all this, was now truly a molt fhocking place of refidence: here I much regretted my former cottage, and fweet companion, the one in ruins, the other at Paramaribo ; while, at prefent, not a man was to be feen without an ague or fever, or fome other wafting complaint.   The dyfentery X alfo
alfo began to make its appearance; and to add to our CHAP, diftrefs, we had neither furgeon, medicines, nor fo much J^illju as a light, and very little bread left.   I was moved with the fituation of .the troops, and again diftributed all my bifcuits, lemons, oranges, fngar, wine, ducks and fowls,, amongft the unhappy fuffcrers, with a few fpcrmaceti candles.
On the 23d I fent up to the hofpital at Magdenberg two Rck officers, Orleigh and Franccn, with all the privates that could bear to be tranfported ; and, at the fame time, I. repeated my humble entreaties to be foon relieved from fo very difagreeable a fituation (for the confinement to which there was not the leaft neceffity), and requeRed to be one of the party to march againft the rebels, but to no purpofe; while the accounts came from below that a frefti neft of negroes were difcovered, even clofe to Paramaribo, and the news came from above that the troops there were daily dying away ; amongft others, , on the 22d, expired a Captain Seyburg, brother to the Colonel. This was actually the third captain who died within the fpace of one month.
On the 26th two fine young officers arrived, unfit for ferviceby ruptures, occafioned by the flippery ftate of the ground in the rainy feafon.
This evening one of our marines named Spanknevel, > was miffing, and was not found till the 29th, when he was difcovered fufpended by a nebee to the branch of a tree.   Not one of his comrades would cut him down, he :
having ;
chap,   having hanged himfelf; âlledeino;, that to touch him, ac-xviii.
t y _Lf cording to their prejudices, (being Germans) would render them as infamous as himfelf. Wherefore, by my orders, he was taken down, and interred by the negroes.
An order at laft came for my relief, and I immediately let out for Goed-Accoord, in company with Captain Bolts ; where the planter, Mr. de Lange, and his lady, received us with great hofpitality. This fngar eftate being the fartheft that is cultivated in Rio Comewina, and confe-quently expofed to the neighbourhood of the rebel negroes, makes the Ilaves liable to their feduétions ; they ire therefore treated with peculiar kindnefs and indulgence, to prevent their concurring in any infurrection, or >eing perfuaded to leave their prefent fituation.
Here we faw a great novelty indeed, the young negro women waiting at the table all ftark naked, as they came Into the world. I was at firft ftartled at the unufual appearance ; and afiking the caufe, was modeftly anfwered by the lady of the houfe, that it was ordered fo by their mothers and matrons, to prevent (by fuch means of de-lection, faid they) their too early intercourfe with the males, and child-bearing, which would fpoil their fliapes, weaken their ftrength, and cramp their growth. Indeed finer made figures I never beheld than were both the nen (witnefs Philander) and the women on this plantation, whofe beautiful ihapes, livelinefs, ftrength, and activity, were inferior to no Europeans.
Next day we departed for Magdenburg an hour before
fun-
fun-fet, againft the advice of Mr. and Mrs. de Lange, in C a imall barge, covered only with a loofe awning. Wé had not rowed above two miles when not only night came on, but we were overtaken by fuch a mower of rain, as had nearly funk us, the boat's gunwale not being more^ than two inches above the water : however, by the help of our hats and calibafhes, we kept her afloat, while a negro fat upon the bow, holding out a boat-hook ftraight b ^ore him to prevent us from being overfet, by inadvertently running, in pitch darknefs, againft the roots of magi oves, &c. which thickly lined both the banks of then-river all the way upwards.
In this ftate of wet and obfcurity, at ten o'clock at night,, we came to the Jacob, being juft afloat and no more ; for Bolts and I had no fooner leaped on the beach, than the boat funk with all that was in her, the Raves luckily fwim-ming aftiore. Alas! amongft the wreck, was my poor box, with my journal, and all my paintings, which had coft me above two long years fo much labour, care, and attention. Iwas truly diftrcffed at this lofs, when a fkilful negro dived feveral times to the bottom, and at laft brought up my little treafure, which, though thoroughly foaked, I was very happy to have again in my hands. Thus ended our ftnpwreck, when having, drank fome warm grog and Rung our hammocks, we all fell aileep round a good fire, by which' I made fhift to dry myfelf, and, what was of more confequence, my papers.
The following morning we again fet out, and rowed for
Magdenberg,
f
CHAP. Magdenberg, but about half-way our voyage was once (J^^-I'^r more obftrudted by an enormous tree which had accidentally fallen acrofs the Creek, fo that we could neither drag the boat over nor under it. Thus we were again obliged to return to the Jacob, whence we now proceeded to Magdenberg on foot, through thorns, roots, brambles, and briars, and where we finally arrived wet and bloody ; and my ancle, which had been nearly well, frefh wounded to the bone, the fkin and fleRi being quite torn away by the numberlefs obftructions to our Reps.
Here we were acquainted that Mr. Orleigh, one of the two officers that I had fent up to Magdenberg from the Hope on the 23d, was no more. Thus died almoft all our gentlemen, who had been during the laft month upon the hopelefs Hope, from which now fcarcely one fingle j)rivate returned in health ; and this, I am firmly of opinion, was greatly owing to the dry and burning month of June, when the fun fuddenly fcorched them, after marching and even fieeping in cold watery fwamps, and confiant heavy fhowers during the rainy feafon. Flow-ever, I hitherto efcaped by the firength of my conftitu-tion and good fpirits, which I determined by every poflible means to keep from depreffion, by laughing, whiffling, finging, and (God forgive me !) fometimes fwearing, while all the reft were fighing, bewailing, and dying around me.
C II A P.
CHAP. XIX.
The Troops march to Barbacoeba, in the River Cottica— Frenzy Fever—Gratitude in an Engli/h Sailor—Defcription of the Government of Surinam—Some Account of the Emigrant Americans during the late Wat'—'Scene of unprecedented Generofity%
MPI HE rainy feafon being again approaching, Colonel CHAP.
A   Fourgeoud,   having  feleéted all the remaining healthy people, who now amounted to but one hundred and eighty in number, on the 3d of July, 1775, proceeded on his march for Barbacoeba, in the river Cottica ; which fpot he appointed for the general rendezvous, previous to the grand attack on the rebels.   Of this party I had the honour to be one : but on the furgeon's declaring that I fliould run the hazard of lofing my foot if I marched in the woods, I was ordered to remain at Magdenberg, with liberty, if I foon recovered, to join Fourgeoud, and make the beR of my way to Barbacoeba. My limb, indeed, was now fo fwelled, and my wound fo black with the mortification, that an amputation was dreaded by Mr. Knollaert, Fourgeoud's furgeon, and I could not even Rand without excruciating pain.—I fliall bear the mark of it as long as I live.
During this confinement I received daily prefents from Philander and the other negroes, as I was always kind to Vol. II. K them.
chap.   them.   Among thefe was a difh of mountain-cabbage, xix.     This js t|ic mo^. e^ecmec| 0f alj tîie various forts which
grow, as I have mentioned formerly, on the different fpecies of palm-trees ; this tree grows fometimes near fifty feet high, the trunk of a brown colour, hard, ligneous, divided into fhort joints, and pithy within, like the elder : it is thick in proportion, ftreight and tapering like the maft of a fhip ; near the top the tree affumes a fluted form and a green colour, occafioned by the hufky  tegument that forms the branches ; which, near the fummit, diverge in a horizontal direction, like the crown of a pine-apple or ananas. Thefe branches are covered over on both fides with Rrong pinnated leaves about three feet long, of a deep green colour, and fliarp pointed, but folded and confufedly intermixed, not gracefully drooping like thofe of the mani-cole or cocoa-nut trees. The feed is inclofed in abrown-ifh kind of fpatha, that arifes from the center of the branches, and  hanging  downwards  confifis of fmall roundifh nuts, not unlike a bunch of dried grapes, but much longer in proportion to their circumference. If the cabbage is wanted, the whole tree muft be cut down, when it is diverted firft of its branches, and next of that fluted green hufky tegument that forms them ; after this the heart or cabbage is taken out, white, and about two or three feet long : it is as thick as a man's arm, and round like a polifhed ivory cylinder ; it is compofed of a kind of tender longitudinal white flakes, like filk ribbands, ready x to
to form the fucceeding green tegument, but fo clofe that c they form a crifp folid body. This, when eaten raw, is , in tafte fomething like the kernel of an almond, but is more tender and more delicious ; when cut in pieces and boiled, it eats like cauliflower : it may be alfo peeled in the above-mentioned long thin flakes, and then it makes an excellent fallad ; but too much of it, whether eaten raw or drefled, is unwholefome, as it is apt to occafion a diarrhoea. It is in the cavity, after the cabbage is removed from it, that a black beetle depofits its fpawn, from which the palm-tree worms are produced, which feed on the remaining tender fubftance when it begins to rot, till they acquire the Rze already mentioned; though thofe in the manicole tree, and other trees of the palm fpecies, grow not fo large, are lefs fweet, and are alfo differently fliaped.
The maureecee tree, by the French called latanie, is certainly the talleft of all the palm-tree fpecies ; or, indeed, of any fpecies in the foreft of Guiana. And I can aver, that I have feen fome of thefe trees whofe lofty fummits appeared to rife no lefs than a hundred feet from the fur face of the earth, while the circumference of their trunks was about ten or twelve feet where thickeR ; the trunk of this tree is largeR at about one-fourth of itsheight from the root, whence it tapers not only upwards but downwards alfo : this Angularity has perhaps efcaped all other writers. It is of a light brown or grey-colour, and divided in joints all the way upwards to its branches, when (but at a great height, and near the top) it diverges in long
K 2 green
CHAP, green arched branches, naked till near their extremity, when thefe again diverge or digitate in long broad leaves of a pale green colour, and difpofed in an orbicular manner with great regularity, not unlike fun-beams, or a lady's fan expanded. As the young branches fpring up from the centre at the fummit, the old ones fade at the bottom and hang downwards, fhrivelled and dangling in the wind. From the heart of the green leaves the Indians draw out long white fibres or threads, as they do from the filk-grafs plant : thefe, being equally ftrong, ferve as cords when twifted to firing their bows, to make nets, or to be ufed as threads; from the middle of the branches appears the feed, hanging down alfo in the form of a large rope of onions. I have feen many prints re-prefenting palm-trees, but I muft take the liberty to fay that moft of them are impofitions on the public, having either been executed from fancy, or from a very bad defcription; but I can afiure my readers, that all thofe which I reprefent were taken from nature, and on the fpot : I fpeak of the cocoa-nut tree, the manicola, the mountain - cabbage, and the maureecee trees, whofe branches and leaves are all extremely different from each other; and I have not confounded the fpecies, as they are in too many publications. The two firft the reader has already feen 5 and the two others I now offer to his view, where ^is the trunk of the mountain-cabbage-tree; B one of its branches, feparated from the reft, and C the feed or hufky fpatha inclofing it ; D is the trunk of the maureccee-trce, and E one of its branches dropping
down*
Of
down.   F is the beetle that produces the maureecee worms, G, which are not fo large nor fo delicious as thofe produced by the mountain-cabbage.   Having had no opportunity of fliewing in what manner the Indians and Africans afcend trees, by figure H I have reprefented a negro climbing a young maureecee-tree, to which they do not cling with their arms and legs, but taking the trunk between their hands, they place the foles of their feet againft it, and thus walk up in a moft aftonifhing manner ; by this method they fave their fkin from the bark, but it muft certainly require very great ftrength, activity, and practice.
Having thus far dwelt on the palm-tree fpecies, I muft once more return to domeftic occurrences.
I have faid that all the officers and moft of the privates who had lately been Rationed at the Hope, had died, or were fent up dangeroufly ill, while I had efcaped the contagion. But, alas ! now it became my turn, having, only had a reprieve, and no more : for on the 9th I was feized with the fame burning fever that had carried off the reft ; and even my black boy Quaco was very ill.
On the 14th, neceffity forced me to give up the command to another officer, and depart from this inhofpitable fpot on my way to Paramaribo : I could however reach no farther than Goet Accoord, and there, on the 15th, all expected my death ; when an old negro woman found means to make me partake of fome butter-milk boiled with fome barley and rnelafles, which was the firft food
I had.
CHAP.  1        tafted fince I was taken ill.   This certainly did XIX.     me infinite fervice ; and the day following I was again able to be tranfported : the black boy alfo was much better.
The evening of the 15th I reached Fauconberg, where I was met by a packet of fix or eight letters from different friends, accompanied with prefents of hung-beef, bullocks tongues, Madeira, porter, rum, and two gallons of excellent fiirub, be fide s »a fine bacon ham, and a beautiful pointer; both the laft from the identical Charles Mac-donald, the Englifh failor, which he had brought me from Virginia, in return for the little civility I had formerly lhewn him fo unexpectedly at the Hope. This mark of the poor fellow's gratitude and generofity, the true characteriftics of a Britilh tar, gave me greater pleafure than all the things I received put together. But ftill I muft except two letters, the one from Mr. Lude at Amfterdam, and the other from Mr. de Graav, his adminiftrator at Paramaribo, acquainting me finally, and to my heartfelt fatisfaction, that the amiable Joanna and the little boy were at my difpofal, but at no lefs a price than two thoufand florins, amounting, with other expences, to near two hundred pounds fterling, a fum which I was totally unable to raife.   I already owed the fum of fifty pounds, that I had borrowed for the black boy Quaco's redemption ;  but Joanna was to me invaluable, and though appraifed at one - twentieth part of the whole eftate, which had been fold for forty thoufand florins, no
price
7Y
price could be too dear for a young woman, poffemng chap, fo much excellence, provided I could pay it. i_XI*'
Solomon well obferves, w that as cold water is to a " thirfty foul, fo are good tidings from a diftant country ;" and this news, on its firft arrival, had indeed the moft reviving effect on me : but when reflection taught me how impoflible it was for me to obtain fuch a fum of money, and while I was employed in giving all the prefents I had received (except the ham and the dog) to Joanna's relations at Fauconberg, who loaded me with adorations and careffes, I exclaimed, with a bitter figh, " Oh ! that I could " have but found a fum fufficient to purchafe every one " of their freedoms 1 " ,1 now found myfelf, though exceedingly weak, however fo much better, that on the next day I went down fo far as the eftate Bergfhove, whence the adminiftrator, a Mr. Gourlay, humanely caufed me to be tranfported to Paramaribo in a decent tent-barge with fix oars; but relapfing, I arrived juft alive on the evening of the 19th, having paft the preceding night on the eftate called the Jalofee, apparently dead.
I cannot leave the river Comewina without presenting the reader with a view of Magdenberg, from the Tempatee ; and a peep at Calais, from the Hope, at the mouth of the Cofaweenica Creek.
Being now in a comfortable lodging at Mr. de la Mare's, and attended by fo good a creature as Joanna, I recovered apace ; and on the 25th was fo well, that I was able to walk out for the firft time, when I dined with Mrs. Godefroy,
CHAP,   froy, Mr. de Graav not being in town to concert matters XIX
■ ' . relative to the emancipation of Joanna, who had now once more literally faved my life. At this table there was never wanting all the wholefome and refreihing nourifh-ment that I Rood in need of, with the belt of fruits and wines. Among the articles conducive to the reftoration of health, are reckoned in this country all the different kinds of pepper which it affords, and the no lefs efficacious acid of limes. Among the firft are the cica pepper, the lattacaca, and the dago-peepee, as they are called in Surinam ; for the negroes name each thing from the re-femblance it bears to another: but thefe are known in Europe by the names of Cayenne, Pimento, and Capfi-cum. The firft is properly called Cayenne from the French fettlement of that name in Guiana ; but the name cica or chic a is derived from its round fhape and fize, re-fembling the infect called chiga or chigoe, already de-fcribed ; the next refembles rats excrements, See. All the above fpecies, befides fome others, grow on low green ihrubs, they all equally excoriate the mouth, have all the fame fiery qualities, and when ripe are of a fcarlet or rather a blood colour. The Europeans feldom eat any thing without it ; but the blacks, and efpecially the Indians, fwallow it I might fay by handfuls, not only as a relifh, but as a remedy in almoft every difeafe.
The limes grow on beautiful trees like lemons, but the leaf and the fruit are much fmaller ; they are rather a brighter yellow than the lemons, have a fine thin fhell,
2 and
and are extremely full of the richeft acid th'at I know, chap. which has a particularly fine flavour, and is a great blef- xlx> ling to the fick foldiers and failors in this colony, who have them for the trouble of gathering ; fo that it is not uncommon to fee the tars employing their leifurc time in picking and carrying large hampers full to their veffels. In Surinam there are whole hedges of lime-trees, and all round Paramaribo they grow wild. It is much to be lamented that, among other articles of luxury, this fruit cannot be tranfported to Europe ; but whole calks of this juice are frequently fent over, and they are alfo pickled and preferved in large jars by the inhabitants.
At the defTert, among many other excellent fruits, I obferved one which is here called the mammee apple : it grows on a tree about the lize of an orange-tree, with a grey-coloured bark; the wood is whitifli, and coarfe; the leaf very thick, polifhed, and of a triangular form, without fibres. This fruit is nearly round, and is about five or fix inches in diameter, covered with a nifty coarfe fkin : the pulp has the colour and confiftency of a carrot, enclofing two large ftones with bitter kernels, but the fruit is of a delicious tafte, fweet mixed with acid, and a fmell fuperior in fragrance to almoft any other fruit in the colony. There were alfo nuts of two fpecies, ufually called piftachios, and by the negroes pinda ; one kind of them refembles fmall chefnuts, and thefe grow in bunches on a tree. The others are produced by a fhrub, and grow under ground ; both have fweet oily kernels : of the laft there are two
Vol. II. L in
CHAP,   in one pod; they are agreeable eating raw, but Rill better X1X* . when roafted in hot allies.   To illuftrate the above de-fcriptions, I prefent the reader with the plate annexed, where A is a fprig of limes in full ripenefs ; B, the Cayenne or cica pepper ; C,the pimento pepper or lattacaca ; D, the caplicum called dago -peepee ; E, the mammee apple when it is fully ripe; F, the leaf above, of a beautiful green; G, the leaf below, of a yellowilh green; H9 the piftachio nut in the hufk; /, the ground piftachio in its dried Rate ; K9 one of the kernels belonging to the latter.
The whole of the above weretaken from nature, though upon a fmall fcale ; yet I flatter myfelf they will be found more perfect copies of the originals than fome of Mad.Me-rian's, with all their boaftcd reputation.—I cannot difmifs thisfubjedt without a few other remarks on the incorrect-nefs of this lady's drawings.   For inftance, her leaf of the lime-tree is evidently too round ; and if by her palifade branchy in plate XI. fhe means the manicole-tree, I muft declare 1 never difcovered fuch a leaf among the many thoufands 1 have helped to cut down.   Her cotton twig, and efpecially the pod containing the cotton, are alfo no true reprefentation of thofe which are produced in Surinam.
In another place <he declares, that grapes are common in Guiana-—which I alfo muft contradict; for it is well known, that no thin-fkinned fruit can ever come to perfection in a tropical climate, fuch as grapes, cherries, currants, 7 ftrawberries,
firawberries, plurns, apricots, and peaches, nor even C common apples or pears. ^
From the above oblèrvations, I take the liberty to fay, that allowing Mad. Merian due praife for her beautiful and valuable performance upon the whole, ihe has Rill fallen into very notable miifakes.   To correct them is a duty incumbent on future obfervers ; nor does it by any means imply a generalcenfure on the elegant work in question, nor can it appear extraordinary that it ftiould contain fome errors, when we coniider that it is above an hundred years ago fince Rie prefented her difcoveries to the world. In the courfe of fo many years therefore mankind, by long experience and continued inveftigation, have become more enlightened, and are more accurately informed.
Being now once more at Paramaribo, it may not be improper to divert our attention for a while from the animal and vegetable productions to the government of this fine colony ; a topic which, I am perfuaded, fome of my readers have long fmce expected ; but not having had a previous opportunity of gratifying their curiofity, I will no longer delay the nccefTary information, though to fome the detail may appear dry and unentertaining.
I have already mentioned the nature of the charter, and Rated, that at prefent two-thirds of Surinam belong-to the town of Amlterdam, and one-third to the Weft India Company : alfo, that the judicial power is exercifed by feveral different courts of judicature. — I mall now proceed to defcribe them in their proper order, as deli-
L 2 vered
CHAP,   vered to me by the governor Mr. Nepveu.   The court of
xix
_ _' , policy and criminal juflice claims the firft rank in the order of precedence—this confifts of thirteen members, chofen by the votes of the inhabitants, and each member continues for life. Of this court the governor is prefident, and the commandant or deputy governor firft counfelJor* The acting officers are therefore
The governor.
The commandant»
The fifcal.
The town clerk ; and
Nine counfellors.. To thi3 court belongs the decifion of all criminal matters, the governor exercifing the power of reprieve from death, and even pardoning any convict by his own authority.
The court of civil juftice confifts alfo of thirteen members, but thefe are chofen by the above court only, and are renewed every four years.   The governor is alfo préludent here, and the officers of this court are The governor. The fifcal.
The town-clerk; and Ten counfellors. By this court are decided not only the moft important law-fuits, but alfo petty offences.
The next is the fubaltern college, confining of eleven members, chofen alfo by the governor and court of policy ;
and,
and, like the other, renewed every four years, the town- CHAP, clerk excepted, who fits for life. The members are felect- , XIX" , ed from the late counfellors of juftice, and are
The deputy prefident.
The town-clerk ; and
Nine counfellors.
The above court Superintends the public buildings, Rreets, orange-trees, canals, &c. and decides all pecuniary dif-
putes that are under twenty-five guineas; any fum above which muft be referred to the court of juftice.
Befides thefe, there is an orphan and infolvent debtors college, con fifti ng of
The commiffaries.
The town-clerk.
The book-keeper.
The treafurer ; and
A fworn fccretary.
The public revenue offices are :
The office of importation and exportation duties. The office of excife and fmall impofts. The office for head-money, or poll-tax. The office for public fales and vendues. The office for re-taking negro deferters, &cc.
But thefe I fhall more amply explain when I fpeak of the general revenue of this colony, and for the prefent fhall only confider its government. I have formerly mentioned that the governor is at the head not only of the
civil
civil but military departments ; the other public employments are chiefly
The fecretary to his excellency the governor.
The commifîaries of the victualling-offices.
Four inspectors of the exportation of fugars.
One infpector of the melaffes hogfheads.
One fupervifor of all the North American veffels.
Two public auctioneers.
Two ferjeants or meflengerb of the court.
Two fworn land-furveyors.
Three meafurers of the fquared timber.
One infpector of the black cattle, 8cc.
One fworn overfeer of weights and meafures.
Three Low-Dutch clergymen.
One French clergyman.
One Lutheran clergyman.
Three public fchoolmafters, 8cc. The militia confifts of eleven companies, with one captain,, one lieutenant, one fécond lieutenant, one enfign, one fecretary, and one cafhier each. The captains are generally the fworn appraifers of the eftates for fale on the different rivers, where they chance to have their department.
Thefe are the principal functionaries in the government of Surinam; which is not originally upon a bad eftablifhment, were it not depraved by fordid avarice, to the great detriment of this beautiful fettlement in gene-mi, and to that of its inhabitants in particular. The
colony.
colony, by proper management, might be made a garden cha p. of Eden, not only for the European fettlers, but alio for xiX*
C- '     " W
their African domeftics. It would not indeed be difficult to fuggeft improvements, nor even to carry them into efRct. What has occurred to me upon the fubjeif,. I will candidly Rate on another occaiion; and I have no doubt but a little attention even to one fingle point would be productive of the happieR confequences. Thus, it I cannot on the fpot, like the good Samaritan,- pour the balm into the wound of any one fufferer, at leaft I can leave the prefcription, which, if properly applied, would, I am per-fuaded, afford relief to the complaints of thoufands.
I have undertaken the unpleaiing tafk of mewing how, by the defperate means of blood, the colony was frequently jEaved from total annihilation. How much more glorious would it be for thofe who have it in their power not only to fave the colony of Surinam,, but many other valuable Well India feulements, by the help of a well-plan Ned-institution OF general AND impartial- justice,, and the laudable example of humanity and benevolence 1
Thus much for the political government of Surinam ; which I will not leave without tranferibing its motto, fo very contrary to what they profefs, being "Jujlitia— a p/etas—j?des" The arms are tripartite,, which I apprehend to be fome of thofe of the houfe. of Somelfdyke, the Weft India company, and the town of Amfterdam, crowned and fupported by two lions rampant, and with
! thefe
CHAP,   thefe are Ramped all their card money, 8cc.-But to
XIX-     proceed with my journal.
On the 30th I met the poor failor, Charles Macdonald, and having juft bought thirty gallons of Grenada rum, I gave him a handfome return for his bacon ham and his dog, befides a fine cork-fcrew (mother-of-pearl fet in fdver) as a keep-fake, he being to fail the day following for Virginia, on board the Peggy, Captain Lewis, who, at my recommendation, promiied to make him his mate. As I am fpeaking of dogs, I muft make two general remarks on thefe animals in Guiana, viz. that in this quarter of the world they lofe the faculty, or at leaft the habit, of barking ; and it is a known fact, that the native dogs never bark at all. In this country, it is obferved alfo, that dogs are never feized with the hydrophobia, at leaft I never remember to have feen or heard of a mad dog in Surinam : and this is the more Rngular, as that dreadful diftemper is generally attributed in other countries to the intenfe heat of the Canicular es or dog-days, as that appellation fufficiently indicates. The Indians or natives of Guiana all keep dogs, which they ufe in hunting; they are of a dirty white colour, meagre, and fmall, with fhort hair, a fliarp muzzle, and erect cars : all thefe are very dexterous in finding game ; but they poffefs all the mif-chievous qualities of the terrier. I ought not to forget that if the American dogs do not bark, their howl is very loud ; on this account my Virginian dog was fo trouble-4 fome,
fome, that he çot his brains knocked out by the neigh- CHAP.
XIX
hours within a fortnight after he was in my poffeflion.     ,   , .' *
About this period feveral American families arrived at Paramaribo, on account of the war which broke out between the mother country and her colonies. For many of thefe I felt very much ; and muft ever declare, that no people could have a better heart or greater friendfhip for a Britifh individual than they had for me, which they fhewed on many different occafions.
On the 3d of Auguft, Mr. de Graav being arrived in town, having finally fettled affairs with Mr. Lolkens, the late adminiftrator of Fauconberg, I now thought proper to take the firft opportunity of fettling matters with him, by propofing him to give me credit till I fhould have it in my power to pay the money for which Joanna and my Johnny had been fold to me, and which I was determined to fave out of my pay, if I ftiould exift on bread, fait, and water : though even then this debt could not be difcharged in lefs time than two or three years. Providence however interfered, and at this moment fent that excellent woman, Mrs. Godefroy, to my affiftance : for no fooner was fhe acquainted with my difficult and anxious fituation, than fhe fent for mc to dine with her, when file addreffed me in the following terms:
*' I know, good Stedman, the prefent feelings of your " heart, and the incapacity of an officer, from his income " only, to accomplifh fuch a purpofe as the comple-« tion of your wifhes,  "Rut know, that even in Surinam
Vol. II. M « virtue
CHAP. " virtue will meet with friends. Your manly fenfibiliry « XI*' » " for that deferving young woman and her child muR " claim the efteem of all rational perfons, in fpite of ma-" lice and folly : and fo much has this action recom-N mended you to my attention in particular, that I flrould M think myfelf culpable in not patronizing your lauda-" ble intentions. Permit me then to participate in your f* happinefs, and in the future profpecr. of the virtuous u Joanna and her little boy, by requefting your accept-« ance of the fum of izvo thoufand florins, or any fum " you Rand in need of ; with which money go imme-" diately, Stedman, go and redeem innocence, good " fenfe, and beauty from the jaws of tyranny, oppref-¥ lion, and infult."
Seeing me thunder-Rruck, and gazing upon her in a Rate of ftupefaction, without the power of fpeaking, Rie continued, with a divine benignity :
" Let not your delicacy, my friend, take the alarm, * and interfere in this bulinefs :   foldiers and failors " ought ever to be the men of feweft compliments; " and all I expect from you is, that you fay not one " word more on the fafejéô.?!—As foon as I recovered. I replied, " that I was at a lofs how to exprefs my ad-" miration of fuch benevolence."   I faid, 6t that Joanna,, " who had fo frequently preferved my life, had cer-** tainly merited my eternal affection; but that my grar " titude could not be left to one who had fo generoufly <« put me in the way of redeeming that invaluable wo-8 " man
" man from Ravcry ;" and concluded with obferving, CHAP.
" that I could not now touch a Riilling of the money, but y____' ,.;
" fliould have the honour to call upon her the next day ; u and immediately retired."
I was no fooner returned home, than I acquainted Joanna with all that had happened ;  who, burning into tears, called out, ff Gado fa breffe da womaf"— « God  will  blefs  this   woman I *   and infifted that flie hcrfelf mould be mortgaged to Mrs. Godefroy till every farthing fliould be paid : flie indeed was very anxious to fee the emancipation of her boy, but till that was done, flie abfolutely rcfufed to accept of her own freedom.   I fhall not here endeavour to paint the conteft which I fuftained between affection and duty, but bluntly fay that I yielded to the wifh of this fo charming creature, and whofe fentiments endeared her to me Rill more.   Thus I inftantly drew up a paper, declaring my Joanna, according to her defire, from this day to be the property of Mrs. Godefroy, till the laft farthing of the money flie lent me fliould be repaid ; and, on the following day, with the confent of her relations *, I conducted her to Mrs. Godefroy's houfe, where, throwing herfelf at the feet of that incomparable woman, Joanna herfelf put the paper into her hands; but this lady having raifed her up, no fooner had read the contents, than flie exclaimed, « Muft it be fo ? Then come here, my Joanna,
* Without the confent of parent*, brothers, and fitters, no rcfpc&able flaves are
individually Told in Surinam.
M 2 " I have
" I have a fpirit to accept of you not as my flave, but more * as my companion : you fhall have a houfe built in my u orange-garden, with my own flaves to attend you, tilî « Providence fhall call me away, when you fhall be per-" fectly free, as indeed you now are the moment you « wifh to poffefs your manumiflion; and this you claim u both by your extraction and your conduct: *.* On thefe terms, and on no other, I accepted of the money on the 5th, and carrying it in my hat to Mr. de Graav's, I laid it on his table, demanding a receipt in full; and Joanna was transferred from the wretched eftate Fauconberg, to the protection of the firft woman perhaps in all the Dutch Weft-Indies, if not in the world; and for which flie thanked me with a look that coukl only be ex-preflèd by the countenance of an angel.
Mr. de Graav, on counting the money, addrefled me in the following terms :—" Stedmaii, two hundred florins of *' this fum belong to me as adminiftrator. Permit mc •* alfo to have a fmall fliare in this happy event, by not " accepting this dividend, as I fhall find myfelf amply M paid by the pleafure of having been inftrumental in m bringing about what feems fo much to contribute to " the enjoyment of two deferving people."
Having thanked my difinterefted friend with an affectionate fhake by the hand, I immediately returned the
* I have already mentioned that Joanna    moft diftinguiflied people on the coaft of was by birth a gentleman's daughter from Africa. Holland ; and her mother's family were
two
two hundred florins to Mrs. Godefroy, and all were happy. I muft not omit, as a farther proof of Mrs, Gode-froy's humane character, that on hearing of the dejected fituation of the fick at Magdenberg, (lie at this time fent them a prefent of a whole barge-load of fruit, vegetables, and refreshments of every kind that the colony could afford, for their relief.
On the 7th of April, matters being thus far fettled, I wrote a letter to Mr. Lude, at Amfterdam, to give him intelligence, and to thank him for having parted with the mofl valuable property of his eftate ; and my ancle being now pretty weR recovered, I alfo wrote to Colonel Fourgeoud, that I fliould have the honour to join him in a few days. This letter I directed to Barbacoeba, for there he ftill continued, while the intrepid and active militia captain, Sioeleman, was beating up the woods with a few rangers at another quarter, and who this day fent in four captive rebel negroes to Paramaribo*.
On the 10th, finding myfelf fufficiently recovered, and ready once more to enter the foreft, I bade farewell to my fweet family and friends, leaving the firft ftill at Mr. de la Mare's, at their requeft; and cheerfully fet off with a tent-boat on my fifth campaign, in the hopes of accompanying Fourgeoud; who, having affembled all his remaining forces, and made the neceffary arrangements to attack
* It is a maxim with the rangers to    they Ccnd in alive fifty florins ; alfo for chop off the right hand of every rebel    finding a town or village one thoufand negro they kill, for which they receive    florins Hollands. Uventy-five florins j and for every one
the
CHAP,   flie enemy, was now determined to march in a very few XiX- days.
On the 14th I arrived with a boat at Barbacoeba, in the upper part of the river Cottica, where formerly I was when I killed the aboma fnake. I found here the old gentleman (who civilly welcomed me) ready to Rart the following day. I never faw the troops in fuch fine fpi-rits, or fo eager for fervice ; which proceeded from different motives, as I had faid before, fome in the hopes of plunder, fome from revenge on the rebels, and fome from a wiili to fee the war at an end ; while I believe in my foul, that others were tired of exiftence by continual illnefs and hard fervice ; and heartily wiihed for a glorious end of all their miferies—as nothing can be more wretched than a foldier's or a failor's life, perpetually foaking in the wet or fcorching in the fun, fur-rounded by an unbounded foreft, and in a tropical climate.
♦
CHAP,
CHAP. XX.
A Rebel Negro deferibed—Bufb -fighting• — Sentimental Expreffions of the African Blacks — The Town of Gado-Saby taken by Colonel Fourgeoud—Superflition— Wonderful Expedients — Great Generaljlnp in the Enemy.
On the 15th of Auguft 1775» the rebels, fluihed with chap, their late victory over Captain Meyland and his xx-party, whether with a defign to brave Fourgeoud, or to intimidate his troops, being well apprifed by their fpies that he was at Barbacoeba, had the affurance to fet fire to all the huts in two different camps which had been left Handing by his patroles, while they continued fhouting and hallooing the whole night within our hearing ; but this only proved an incentive to action, and enraged our veteran commander fo much, that he now declared he would have ample revenge at all hazards. During this night a large tiger alfo alarmed the camp, but did no damage of any kind.
An hour before day - break next morning, Colonel Fourgeoud, with his troops, were ready to march, and immediately entered the woods. They now amounted exactly to two hundred Europeans fit for fervice, the reft
being
CHAP, being ill and unfit for fervice ; but no rangers were as i_„XX*_, Yet arrived, though they had been expected. The fact was, they were fo much difguRed with Fourgeoud's command, that they did not appear at all, which afforded this gentleman for once an opportunity of Rigmatizing them as a band of pufillanimous rafcals ; and I confefs I was myfelf extremely aftoniflied at this wilful abfence of my black favourites, who were at other times fo eager to rufh upon the enemy, and had declared their fatisfaction at the hopes of a decifive engagement with their fable countrymen.
This whole day our courfe was due E.; and after proceeding about eight miles (which is a great diftance in this country, where the pioneers with bill-hooks muft con-ftantly open a path), we erected huts, and encamped. Having frequently mentioned the rebel - negroes with whom we were now certain to have a rencontre, I prefent the reader with the figure of one of thefe people, upon his guard, as alarmed by a ruffling amongft the buffles. At a diftance are fuppofed a couple of our rangers, waiting the moment to take him by furprize. This rebel negro is armed with a firelock and a hatchet; his hair, though woolly, may be obferved to be plaited clofe to his head, by way of diftinction from the rangers, or any other ftraggling negroes, who are not yet accepted amongft them ; his beard is grown to a point, like that of all the Africans, when they have no opportunity of fhaving. The principal drefs of this man 6 confifts
confifts of a cotton lheet, negligently tied acrofs his CHAP.
XX
fhoulders, which protects him from the weather, and ^ _* A ferves him alfo to reft on ; while he always fleeps under cover in the moft obfcnre places he can find, when detached from his companions. The reft of his drefs is a camifa, tied around his loins like a handkerchief; his pouch, which is made of fome animal's fkin ; a few cotton firings for ornament around his ancles and wrifts ; and a fuperftitious obia or amulet tied about his neck, in which he places all his confidence. The fkull and ribs are fuppofed to be the bones of his enemies, fcattcred upon the fandy favannah.
The two rangers who make their appearance at a diftance may be diftinguifhed by their red caps ; and here Ï muft obferve, that the rebels have many times availed themfelves of feizing one of thefe fcarlet diftinctions, which by clapping on their own heads in an engagement, has not only faved their lives, but given them an opportunity of fhooting their enemies.
Another ftratagem of theirs has fometimes been difcovered, viz. that fire-arms being fcarce amongft them, numbers have intermixed in the crowd, with a crooked Jiick fhaped fomething like a mufket ; and this appearance has more than once had the effect: of preventing a proper defence by the plantation flaves, when the rebels came to ranfacR the eftatcs; while with this fhow of armed numbers they have often ftruck fuch a panic, and fo damped the courage of the former, that they have
Vol, II. N been
CHAP,   been calmly permitted, after burning their houfes, even
xx
1 ^  to carry away their wives and daughters.
On the 16th we continued our march due E. upon a ridge or elevated ground. Thefe ridges, if I miRake not, run generally in this country E. and W. as do alfo moR of the marfhes and fwamps. Having advanced rather a lefs diftance than we did the day before, we were ordered early to fling our hammocks, and to flecp without any covering, to prevent the enemy from hearing the found of cutting the trees; nor were any fires allowed to be lighted, nor a word to be fpoken, while a ftrict watch was kept round the camp. Thefe, in fact, were all very ne-ceflary precautions ; but if we were not difcovered by the enemy, we were almoft devoured by the clouds of gnats or mufquitoes, which arofe from a neighbouring marfh : for my own part I fuffered more here than I had even done on board the fatal barges in the upper Cottica, as we could make no fmoke to drive them away. In this fituation I faw the poor men dig holes with their bayonets in the earth, into which they thruft their heads, flopping the entry and covering their necks with their hammocks, while they lay with their bellies on the ground. To ilecp in any other pofition was abfolutely impofiible.
By the advice of a negro Rave, I however enjoyed my reft.—" Climb," find he, u maffera, with your hammock " to the top of the higheft tree that is in the camp, and " there go ficep ; not a fingle mufquito will difturb you, " the fwarm will be fufilciently attracted by the fmell of i V the
" the fwcating multitude below."—This I immediately-tried, and flcpt exalted near one hundred feet above my companions, whom I could not fee for the myriads of mufquitoes below me, nor even hear them, from the in-ceffant buzzing of thefe troublcfome in feels.
This was the principal diftrefs of the night; while, during the day, we had frequently been attacked by whole armies of fmall emmets, called here fire-ants, from their painful biting. Thefe infects are black, and very diminutive, but live in fuch amazing multitudes together, that their hillocks have fomctimes obftructed our paflage by their fize, over which, if one chances to pafs, the feet and legs are inftantly covered with innumerable of thefe creatures, which feize the fkin with fuch violence in their pincers, that they will fooner fuffer the head to be parted from their body, than let go their hold. The burning pain which they occafion cannot, in my opinion, proceed from the fharpnefs of their pincers only, but muft be owing to fome venomous Ruid which they infufe, or which the wound imbibes from them. I can aver that I have feen them make a whole company hop about, as if they had been fcaldcd with boiling water.
On the 17th we continued our march ftill due E. till nine o'clock, when we altered our courfe to the N. and had to fcramble through great quantities of thofe mataky roots, or trumpeters already defcribed, which proved that we were defcending into the low grounds, and indeed the foil foon became very marfhy ; fortunately, however, though it was now the wet feafon, we had as yet very little rain.
N % This
This evening we encamped about four o'clock, Colonel Fourgeoud being feized with a cold fit of the ague.
As I was Ringing my hammock between two large branches, but not fo high as the preceding night, my eye chanced to fall upon what I conceived to be the leaf of a tree, but which appeared to move and crawl up the trunk. I called feveral officers to fee it : when a gentleman of the Society exclaimed, " Cefl la feuille ambulante" That is the walking leaf. Upon clofer examination it proved to be an infect, whofe wings fo perfectly reprefent a leaf, that by many it has been miRaken for a vegetable production. This feemed to be a fpecies of grafshopper, but covered over with four wings of an oval form, and about three inches in length, the two uppermoR fo folded together as to appear exactly like a brown leaf, with all the fibres, &c.
I now returned to my hammock; where, reflecting on all the wonders of nature, while the filver-moon glittering through the verdure added beauty to the fcene, I fell into a profound fieep, which I enjoyed till near midnight, when we were all awaked in pitch darknefs and a heavy Riower of rain, by the hallooing and firouting of the rebel negroes, who difcharged feveral mufkets; but as the fhot did not reach our camp, we were extremely aftonifhed, the darknefs rendering it impoffible to form any juft idea of their meaning. This difturbance continuing till near day-break, made us expect every moment to be furrounded, and keep a very lliarp look-out.
In the morning early we unlaflied our hammocks, and
marched
marched due N. towards the place whence we con- CHAP.
XX
jettured the hallooing noife to have proceeded, being all ^..^L.j much fatigued for want of reft, efpecially Colonel Fourgeoud, who could hardly fupport himfelf, fo much was he weakened by the ague.   We had not marched above two miles, I having the van-guard, when a rebel negro fprang up at my feet from under a flirub, where he had been afleep ; but as we had orders not to fire upon ftragglers, he cfcaped, running with almoft the fwiftnefs of a flag amongft the brambles.   I no fooner made report to the old hero, than, (wearing he was a fpy, which I believe was true, he fhook off his illnefs, and quickened his pace with redoubled vigour : but our purfuit was to no purpofe, at leaft this day ; for about one o'clock we got into a bog, from which we could hardly extricate ourfelves, and were forced to return to our laft night's encampment, milling two privates of the Society troops, whom we fuppofed to have periflied in the marfh.
This day we faw great quantities of arnotta - trees, with which this part of the foreft abounds. In the evening a Rave prefented me with a buflj-fpider of fuch magnitude, that putting him into a cafe-bottle above eight inches high, he actually reached the furface with fome of his hideous claws, whilft the others were reft-ing upon the bottom. No creature can be more dreadfully ugly than this enormous fpider, which the people of Surinam erroneoufly call the tarantula. The body is divided in two, the pofterior part oval, and the fize of an Orlean-plum ; the fore-part fquare, with a figure fome-
what
C XX P" W^at re^cmblmS a ^ar upon it. This monfter has five ^ pair of thick legs, with four joints in each ; is entirely-
black or dark brown, and covered over, legs and all, with thick and long black hair, like fome caterpillars, while each leg is armed with a crooked yellow nail, and from the head project two long teeth with inverted pincers, refembling the claw of a crab, with which it feizes its prey ; while its bite, if not fatal by the venomous liquid infufed into the wound, always occafions a fever. It has eight eyes like moR fpiders, and feeds on infects of every fpecies ; nay, it is even afferted, that young birds do not efcape it, out of which this fpider fucks the blood : its web is fmall but very ftrong. Upon the whole, it is fuch a hideous creature, that the very fight of it is fufficicnt to occafion a tremor of abhorrence, even in perfons moft accuftomed to infpect the deformities of nature. Innumerable indeed are the pefts and dangers to which one is hourly expofed in the woods of this tropical climate ; and though it is my prefent bufinefs only to make mention of fuch as I met with in this march, and which mult appear new to the reader, yet a recapitulation of the names only of our numerous plagues may not be improper to refrefh the memory of thofe who have a heart to fympathize with our fuffer-ings. I have already mentioned the mufquitoes, mon-pieras, pa!at and ferapat lice, chigoes, cock - roaches, common ants, fire-ants, horfe-jiies, wild bees, and fpiders; be fides the prickly heat, ring-worm, dry-gripes, putrid fever s y boils, confaca, bloody-flux, thorns, briars,
alligators.
alligators, fnakes, tigers, &c. ; but I have not yet fpok.cn of the buflj-worms, large ants, locujls, centipedes, fcor-pions, bats, and flying-lice, the crajfy-crajfy, yaws, lethargy, leprofy, and dropfy, with a thoufand other grievances that continually annoyed our unhappy troops ; — a particular defcription of which I muR delay till a more fuitable opportunity occurs for introducing them into this narrative.
Such were the peRs that we had to ftruggle with in this baneful climate, whilR our poor men were dying in multitudes, without proper afRRance, unpiticd, and frequently without a friend to clofe their eye-lids, neither coffin nor ftiell to receive their bones, but thrown pro-mifcuoully into one pit, like heaps of loathfome carrion.
On the 19th, we again left our encampment, and after keeping a little S. marched E. till ten o'clock, when we were overtaken and joined by a party of one hundred rangers, with their conductor, Mr. V'mfack, to my great fatisfaction. At this period we muftered three hundred men; and however little Colonel Fourgeoud affected, at other times, to value thefe black foldiers, he was now not at all difpleafed with their company, upon our near approach to an enemy with whom the rangers were well acquainted, and knew how to engage much better than the marines : while it will ever be my opinion, that one of thefe free negroes is preferable to half a dozen white men in the foreff of Guiana; it indeed feems their natural element, whilR it is the bane of the Europeans.
Colonel
CHAP.     Colonel Fourgeoud now iffued orders for our little
XX
i_ „ m - » army to march in three lines or columns, his own regiment in the centre, the Society troops on the right, the rangers or black foldiers on the left, all within hearing of each other, with a few flankers or riflemen outfide the whole : thus formed we advanced till about noon, when we changed our courfe from E. to N. E. and continued our march over a biree-biree fwamp, or quagmire : thefe are very common and dangerous in this country, being a deep foft miry bog, covered over with a thin cruft of verdure, fufRcient in moft places to bear the weight of a man, and quaking when walked over; but fliould this cruft give way, whoever breaks it is fwallowed up in the chafm, where he muft inevitably perifti if not immediately extricated ; thus it has frequently happened that men have been feen to link, and have never more been heard of.
Quickfands are quite different, as they overwhelm by a gradual fucf ion, whereas the effects of a quagmire are inftantaneous. To avoid accidents, we opened our files as much as pofliblc, which occasioned a very long rear; but even with this precaution feveral men funk through it, as if the ice had broken under their feet, and fome in my prefence up to the arm-pits, but were fortunately, though with much difficulty, extricated.
In the afternoon we pafTed through two old cajjava fields, which indicated our near approach to the rebel fettJement ; we afterwards fell in with Captain Meyland's
path,
path, which we knew by the marks cut upon the trees,  C h a p. as before explained.   The evening being too far ad- v^^L^ vanced to attack the enemy, we once more encamped a few miles from the fwamp in which Captain Meyland and his party had been defeated.
Having had a long march, and the men being much fatigued, Colonel Fourgeoud allowed, during this night, both huts and fires ; which furprized me greatly, being fo near the rebels, though he had forbidden thefe comforts when we were at a very considerable diftance from them. I however availed myfelf of his bounty, and having got fome pigeon-peas from my ferjeant, which he had picked up in the old caflava grounds, and laid hold of one of the kettles, I invited him, and a captain of the black corps called Hannibal, to a fhare ; who having thrown their falt-beef and rufk-bifcuit into the mefs with mine, and ftirred it round with a bayonet, we made a very excellent fupper, though in a fad dreary night and heavy rain.
The pigeon or Angola peas grow on a fhrub about eight or ten feet high ; five or fix of thefe peas are contained in a pod ; they are flat like lentils, and of a reddifh-brown colour : the negroes are extremely fond of them, and cultivate them in their gardens without any expence or much trouble.
Hannibal now obferving that we fhould certainly fee the enemy to-morrow, afked me if I knew in what manner negro engaged againft negro? Having anfwered in the negative, he gave me the following relation, while
Vol. II. O fmoking
fmoking his pipe under my hammock. —(C Maffera,^ faid he, a both parties are divided in fmall companies of " eight or ten men, commanded by a captain, with a horn, u fuch as this (lhewing me his) by which they do every u thing, and fight or run away. When they fight they ** feparate immediately, lie down on the ground, and fire f* at the flafh of each other's pans through the trees ; u while each warrior is fupported by two negroes un-" armed, the one to take his place if he is killed, and
the other to carry away the dead body, to prevent its " falling into the hands of their adverfaries *."
From this difcourfe I perfectly underftood his meaning, which I have fmce feen put in practice ; and for the clearer conception of the reader, I have illuftrated it with the following plan, where the whole engagement is exhibited at one view.
The two columns E and F are fuppofed to be firft engaged, where N° i in the column E commences the attack by firing at random in the oppofite bufhes ; and inftantly retires, by fliifting his place to N° i in the column Cy where he re-loads ; while N° % in the column F9 havine fired at the flafh of his pan, advances in the fame manner, fliifting his Ration to re-load at N* 2 in the column D ; and at the flafh of whofe pan N° 3 lires in JE, and receives the fire of N* 4 in F} &c. &c. Thus continuing through both lines, till iV 8 has fired in F,
* The negroes have a lavage cuftom    part of them with their teeth3 like the Ca~ of mangling and tearing the dead bodies    ribbee Indians, of their enemies j fome even devouring
when
y
when the whole have lhiftcd their Rations ; and the fame manoeuvre is continued with the columns C and D, beginning again with the identical numbers i, 2, 3, Sec. at the top ; while thefe lines, having ftiifted their places, Rill the firing is repeated by the lines A and B, and thus ad infinitum, until by founding the horn one of the parties gives way in flight, and the battle is over. I fliall only add, that when the for eft is thick, in Read of lying on their bellies, or kneeling, each negro fkulks behind a thick tree, which ferves him as a bulwark, and from which he fires at his adverfary with more certainty and lefs danger, ufually refting his piece againft the trunk, or in the forked branches, like the Sbawanefe and Delaware Indians.
Captain Hannibal alfo informed me, that the famous chief Bonny was fuppofed to be in perfon amongft the neighbouring rebels ; and that he was born in the foreft amongft them, notwithstanding his being a mulatto, which was accounted for by his mother efcaping to the woods from the ill treatment of her mafter, by whom flie was then pregnant.
Having frequently mentioned the different fhades between a black and a white, the fame plate reprefents them to the reader at one view. From the above two colours the mulatto is produced ; from the mulatto and black, the famboo ; from the mulatto and white, the quaderoon, &x. Sec.—This fable warrior made me alfo acquainted with the names of feveral other rebel com-
O 2 manders,
chap, manders, againft whom he had frequently fought for the . j Europeans* Such as guammy, v/ho was the chief of a feparate gang, and had no connection with the others Coromantyn, Cojo, Arico, and Joli-Cœur ; the two laft being celebrated captains, whofe revenge was infatiable againft the whites, particularly Joli-Cœur\ who had I confefs great rcafon, as has been already Rated. The noted rebel negro Baron, he believed, was now ferving alfo under the great chief Bonny.
He next proceeded to tell me the names of the prin- • cipal rebel fettlements, fome of which were already de-ffroyed, fome now in view, and fome of thefe were only known to us by name. Thefe appellations were aU very expreffive indeed ; and as they may ferve in fome meafure to elucidate our enquiries concerning the negro nations, I have thought proper to give them a place in this narrative, with their meaning in an Englifh tranflation ; viz.
Boucoo -	-  I fhall moulder before I fliall be
	taken.
Gado Saby -	-   God only knows me, and none elfe..
Co fa ay -	-   Come try me, if you be men.
Teffee See	-   Take a tailing, if you like it.
Me le me - -	-   Do difturb me, if you dare.
Boofy Cray -	-  The woods lament for me.
Me Salafy	-   I fliall be taken.
Kebree me -	-  Hide me, 0 thou furrounding ver-
	dure.
	The
The others were :
%uatntni Concire - From Quammi, the name of the chief. Pinenburgh -  -  From the pines or manicole - trees
which formerly furrounded it. Caro Concire - -   From the quantity of maize it afforded. Reifee Condre   -   From the quantity of rice it produced.
Such were the names of the negro warriors, and their fettlements.
I now Riook hands with Captain Hannibal, while my mind being occupied with the hopes of victory unRained by cruelty, and being very much fatigued, I foon fell profoundly afleep.
On the 20th in the morning, no one could awake in a more beautiful day and better fpirits than I did, until they were damped by obferving that at fo critical a time,
and even in the moment before the conflict, inftead of that kind treatment which it would have been prudent to have fhewn to thofe from whofe exertions we were to expect a happy period to our fufferings, there was even then fuch difcouragement of the fubaltern officers and private men as involuntarily drew from me the reflection—That (if poflible to avoid it) princes and minifiers fliould never inveft any one individual with unlimited authority, efpecially in a foreign country, without being perfectly well acquamred with the rectitude of their moral principles and difpofition ; no men being fit to command but thofe who are pofTcffed of manly feelings, and whofe valour is tempered with humanity ; 2 fmce
CHAP,   iince 'tis a truth that ftcrling bravery is incompatible with *x'     a cruel heart.
At fix o^clock we advanced N. E. by N. towards the marfh, my melancholy evaporating with the rifiug fun.
About eight o'clock we entered this formidable fwamp, and foon found ourfelves above our middle in water, well prepared neverthelefs for the warm reception we expected from the oppoRte ftiore, as the former party had fo fatally experienced. After wading above half a mile, our grenadiers rapidly mounted the beach with cocked firelocks and bayonets fixed ; the main body inftantly followed, and alfo mounting the beach, the whole formed without the fmalleft oppofition. We now beheld a fpec-tacle fufficient to fhock the moft intrepid, the ground ftrewed with fkulls, bones, and ribs ftill covered with human flefh, and befmeared with the blood of thole unfortunate men who were killed with Captain Meyland. —That officer had indeed found means to bury them, but the rebels had dug them up for the fake of their cloaths, and to mangle the bodies, which, like ferocious animals, they had torn limb from limb. Amongft thefe, the fate of Mey/and's nephew, a promifing young man, was peculiarly affecting. He came from the mountains of Switzerland in queft of military preferment, and met his fate in a marfh of Surinam juft after his landing. His bravery was equal to that of his uncle, his intrepidity, voluntarily expofing himfelf to danger, knew no bounds. —Such is the enthufiafm of military ambition.
« And
*' And 'tis moft truey while Time's relentlefa hand
CHAP. XX.
" With fickly grafp drags others to the tombj BC The/oldier fcorns to wait the dull command, " But fprings impatient to a nobler doom.
u Tho* on the plain he lies, outftretch'd and pale,, w Without one friend his ftedfaft eyes to clole,
*« Yet on his honoured corpje fhall many a gale 41 Waft the moid fragrance of the weeping rofc,
" O'er the dread fpot the melancholy moon 41 Shall paufe a while — a fadder beam to fhed ;
tc And ftarry night amidft her awful noon
w Sprinkle light dews upon his hallowed head.
« There too the folitary bird fhall fwell
" With long-drawn melody her plaintive throat ;
" While diftant echo from refponfive cell ,€ Shall oft with fading force return the note.
" Such recompence be valour's due alone.'*
*       *       *       *       *       *       * - Il H HT TO III I
This being the fécond or third heap of human bones we had met with in our march, I frankly acknowledge did not operate upon me as a ftimulative to engage with negroes ; yet thefe awful relics fpurred on the common foldiers to take revenge for the lofs of their maffacred companions.
Having fo frequently had occafion to fpeak of marching through a fwamp, it may not be improper to illuftrate
the
C H A P.  the defcription by the annexed drawing.  The firR figure
XX
^ rcprcfcnts Colonel Fourgeoud (preceded by a negro (lave, as a guide, to give notice by his iwimming when the water deepens) followed by myfelf, fome other officers and marines, wading through the mardi above our middle, and carrying our arms, ammunition, and accoutrements above our heads, to prevent their being da- . maged by the wet.
In the back-ground may be feen the manner in which the Haves carry all burdens whatever on the head, and the mode of the rebel negroes firing upon the troops from the tops of high palm-trees, Sec. A march of this nature, though occafionally neccllary in Surinam, mult be always very dangerous, being expofed to an attack from under cover of the furrounding hufties, without having the power of returning the fire more than once; for in fuch a depth of water no foldier can re-load his mivfket without wetting both the lock and the priming.
We now followed a kind of foot-path made by the enemy, which after a little turning led us in a wefterly direction. Serjeant Fowler, who preceded the van-guard, at this time came to me pale, declaring, that the fight of the mangled bodies had made him extremely fick; and that he felt himfelf completely difarmed, being that moment, as it were, rivetted to the ground, without the power of advancing one fingle Rep, or knowing how to
conceal his tremor :--I d—n'd him for a pitiful
fcoundrel, and had only time to order him to the rear.
" No
/..'iiJ.'ii PwMitttfJliedif/ft)/ V;i J.Johiuoii. X.'/Wj{Vmrvh }«rd. It
73
" No force, no firmnefs, the pale coward mews :
* He fliifts his place, his colour comes and goes j
" A dropping fweat creeps cold on every part,
«1 Againft his bofom beats his quivering heart :
" Terror and death in his wild eye-balls flare ;......
" With chattering teeth he ftands, and ftiff'ning hair,
" And looks a bloodlefs image of defpair.".......
At ten o'clock we met a fmall party of the rebels, with each a green hamper upon his back ; they fired at us, dropped their bundles, and taking to their heels ran back towards their village. Thefe we Rnce learned were tranfporting rice to another fettlement for their fubfift-ence, when they mould be expelled from Gado-Saby (the name of this fettlement) which they daily expected, Rnce they had been difcovered by the gallant Captain Meyland. The green hampers, which they call zvarimbos, were very curioufly plaited with the manicole leaves. And when our men cut them open with their fabres, there burft forth the moR beautiful clean rice that I ever faw, which was fcattered and trampled under foot, tis we had no opportunity of carrying it along. A little after this we perceived an empty fhed, where a picquet had been Rationed to give notice of any danger, but they had precipitately deferted their poR. We now vigoroufly redoubled our pace till about noon ; when two more muf-ket fhot were fired at us by another advanced guard of the enemy, as a fignal to the chief, Bonny, of our approach.   Major Medler and myfelf, with a few of the
Vol. II. P van-
van-guard, and a fmall party of the rangers, at this time rufhing forwaid, foon came to a fine field of rice and Indian corn : we here ttaadv; a halt for the other troops, particularly to give time for our rear to clofe up, fome of whom were at leaR two miles behind us ; and during which period we might have been cut to pieces, the enemy, unknown to us, having furr. unded the field in which we were, as we were afterwards informed.
In about half an hour the whole body joined us, when we inRantly proceeded by cutting through a fmall defile of the wood, into which we had no fooner entered, than a heavy fire commenced from every fide, the rebels retiring, and we advancing, until we arrived in the moft beautiful field of ripe rice, in the form of an oblong fquare, from which the rebel town appeared at a diftance, in the form of an amphitheatre, fheltered from the fun by the foliage of a few lofty trees, the whole prefenting a coup - tVœil romantic and enchanting beyond conception. In this field the firing was kept up, like one continued peal of thunder, for above forty minutes, during which time our black warriors behaved with wonderful intrepidity and Ikill. The white fol-diers were too eager, and fired over one another at random, yet I could perceive a few of them acf. with the utmoft coolnefs, and imitate the rangers with great effect; amongft thefe was now the once-daunted Fowler* who being roufed from his tremor by the firing at the beginning of the onfet, had rulhed to the front, and fully
re-eltal'lifned
re-eftabliflied his character, by fighting like a brave fellow, by my fide, until the muzzle of his mulket was fplit by a Riot from the enemy, which rendered it ufe-lefs ; a ball pafTed through my fhirt, and grazed the Ik in of my fhoulder ; Mr. Decabanes, my lieutenant, had the fling of his fufee Riot away : feveral others were wounded, fome mortally, but I did not, to my furprize, obferve one inftance of immediate death—for which feeming miracle, however, I fliall prefently account.
This whole field of rice was furrounded and inter-fperfed by the enemy with the large trunks and roots of heavy trees, in order to make our approach both difficult and dangerous; behind thefe temporary fortifications the rebels lay lurking, and firing upon us with deliberate aim, whilft their bulwarks certainly protected them in fome meafure from the effects of our fire, we having vaft numbers of thefe fallen trees to fcramble over before we could reach the town : but we Rill advanced, in defiance of every obftacle, and while I admired the maf-tcrly manœuvres of their general, I could not help pitying them for their fuperftition. One poor fellow, in particular, truRing to his amulet or charm, fancied himfelf invulnerable; he mounted frequently upon one of the trees that lay near us, difcharged his piece, defcended to re-load, and then with equal confidence and the greateft deliberation returned to the charge in my full view; till at laR a fliot from one of my marines, named Valet) broke the bone of his thigh, and he fell crawling
P 2 for
for Rielter under the very fame tree which had fupported him juft before ; but the foldier inftantly advancing, and putting the muzzle of his mufket to the rebel's ear, blew out his brains, while feveral of his countrymen, in fpite of their fpells and charms, fhared the fame fate.
Being now about to enter the town, a rebel captain* wearing a tarnifhed gold-laced- hat, and bearing in his hand a torch of flaming ftraw, feeing their ruin inevitable, had the refolution to ftay and fet the town on fire in our prefence, which, by the dry nefs of the houfes, inftantly produced a general conflagration, when the firing from the woods began gradually to ceafe. This bold and mafterly manœuvre not only prevented that carnage to which the common foldiers in the heat of victory are but too prone, but alfo afforded the enemy an opportunity of retreating with their wives and children, and carrying off their moft ufeful effects ; whilft our purfuit, and feizing the fpoil, were at once fruftrated both by the afccnding flames* and the unfathomable marfli, which we foon difcovered on all fides to furround us, as in the Maccabees :.
« Behold the batik is before us, and behind us, and the water " of Jordan on this fide, and that fide, and the marjh, and fore/?, « fo that there is no place for us to turn afide."
I muft indeed confefs that within this laft hour the continued noife of the firing, fhouting, fwearing, and", hallooing of black and white men mixed together; the groans of the wounded and the dying, all weltering 2 in
in blood and in duR ; the fhrill found of the negro chap. horns from every quarter, and the crackling of the ^^^j burning village ; to which if we add the clouds of fmoke that every where furrounded us, the afcending flames, &x. &x. formed, on the whole, fuch an uncommon fcene as I cannot defcribe, and would perhaps not have been unworthy of the pencil of Hogarth : this fcene I have, however, faintly endeavoured to reprefent in the frontispiece— where I may be feen, after the heat of the action, fatigued, and dejectedly looking on the body of an unfortunate rebel negro, who, with his mufket in his hand, lies proftrate at my feet.
In fhort, having warned off" the duft, fweat, and blood, and having refrefhed ourfelves with a dram and a bit of bread till the flames fubfided, we next went to infpec"f the fmoking ruins ; and found the above town to have confifted of about one hundred houfes or huts, fome of which were two flories high. Among the glowing afhes we picked up feveral trifles that had efcaped the flames, fuch as fdver fpoons and forks, which we fuppofed, by the marks BW. to have been pillaged from the Brunfwick eftate in Rio Cottica. We found alio fome knives, broken china and earthen pots ; amongft the latter one filled with rice and palm-tree worms fell to my fhare : as this wanted no fire to drefs the contents, and as my appetite was very keen, I emptied it in a few minutes, and made a very hearty meal. Some were afraid this mefs had been left behind with a view to poifon us ; but this fufpi-
cion,
CHAP,   cion, proved however, fortunately for me, to be without
^^'^ foundation.
The hiver plate I alfo purchaf d from the men that picked it up, determined to carry it off as a trophy, and I have ufed it ever Rnce. Here we likewife found three flculls fixed upon Rakes, the mournful relics of fome of our own brave people, who had been formerly killed ; but what furprized us moft, were the heads of two young negroes, which feemed as if frefli cut off, thefe we fince learned had been executed during the night of the 17th, when we heard the hallooing and the firing, for fpeaking in our favour.
Having buried all thefe remains promifcuoufly in one pit, we returned to fling our hammocks, under thole beautiful and lofty trees which I have already mentioned ; but here I am forry to add, we found the rangers fliockingly employed, in playing at bowls with thofe very heads they had juft chopped off from their enemies; who, deaf to all remonftrance,
" Rcfiftlefs drove the batter"d Jkulls before,
u And dafh'd* and mangled all the brains with gore."
They related that upon reconnoitring the fkirts of the furrounding foreft, they had found quantities of human blood in different places, which had flowed from the dead and wounded bodies the rebels had carried away during the action.
To reprimand them for this inhuman diverfion would
have
have been ufelefs, as they affured us it was " Condre CHAP. " faM'ee9 " the cuftom of their country ; and con- xx> eluded the horrid fport by kicking and mangling the heads, cutting off the lips, cheeks, ears, and nofes ; they even took out the jaw-bones, which they fmoke-dried, together with the right hands, to carry home, as trophies of their victory, to their wives and relations. That this barbarous cuftom prevails amongft favages is a well-known fact, which originates from a motive of infatiable revenge. And though Colonel Fourgeoud might have prevented their inhumanity by his authority, in my opinion he wifely declined it ; ob-ferving, that as he could not do it by perfuafion, to do it by power, might break their native fpirit, and produce no other effect than alienating them from the fervice, fo neceffary were they to us, though fo favagely revengeful, and lo bloody.
About three o'clock, whilft we were refting from our fatigue, we were once more furprifed by an attack from a party of the enemy ; but after exchanging a few fhots they were re puffed. This unexpected vifit, however, put us more upon our guard during the night, fo that no fires were allowed to he lighted, and double fentinels were placed around the camp. Thus (ituated, being overcome by excellive toil and heat, I after fun-fet leaped into my hammock, and foon fell faft aileep ; but in lefs than two hours my faithful black boy Quaco roufed me, in the midft of pitch darknefs, crying,
" Maffera9
c h a P. " MaJJèra, maffera ! boofee negro, boofee negro /"—" Maf-XXt " ter, maRer I the enemy, the enemy ! " Hearing, at the fame moment, a bri/k Rring, with the balls whiffling through the branches, I fully concluded that the rebels were in the very midR of our camp. Surprifed, and not perfectly awake, I fuddenly Rarted up with my fufee cocked ; and (without knowing where I ran) firft threw down Quaco, and next fell down myfelf, over two or three bodies that lay upon the ground, and which I imagined to be killed. When one of them, " d—ning " me for a fori of a b—ch, told me, if I moved I was a u dead man ; Colonel Fourgeoud having iffued orders " for the troops to lie flat on their bellies all the night, and " not to fire, as moft of their ammunition had been ex-" pended the preceding day." I took his advice, and foon difcovered him by his voice to be one of our own grenadiers, named Tbomfon. In this fituation we lay proftrate on our arms until fun-rife, during which time a moft abu-five dialogue was carried on indeed between the rebels and the rangers, each party curling and menacing the other at a very terrible rate ; the former " reproaching the " rangers as poltroons and traitors to their countrymen, " and challenging them next day to fingle combat ; fwear-" ing they only wiftied to lave their hands in the blood of " fuch fcoundrels, who had been the principal agents in " deftroying their fiourifiling fettlement," The rangers " d—n'd the rebels for a parcel of pitiful fkulking raf-" cals, whom they would fight one to two in the open
" field,
« fiekî, if they dared but to fliew their ugly faces fwear- CHAP. " ing they had only deferted their matters becaufe they
were too lazy to work." After this they infulted each other by a kind of war-whoop, Ring victorious fongs on both fides, and founded their horns as fignals of defiance; when the firing commenced once more from the rebel negroes, and continued during the night, accompanied by their martial voices, at intermiffions refound-ing through the woods, which echo feemed to anfwer with redoubled force.
At length poor Fourgeoud took a part in the converfa-tion, myfelf and Serjeant Fowler acting as his interpreters, by hallooing, which created more mirth than I had been witnefs to for fome time : he promifed them life, liberty, victuals, drink, and all they wanted. They replied, with a loud laugh, that they wanted nothing from him ; charac-terifed him as a half-flarved Frenchman, who had run away from his own country ; and allured him that if he would venture to pay them a vifit, he mould return unhurt, and not with an empty belly. They told us, that we were to be pitied more than they ; that we were white Jlaves, hired to be Ihot at and Rarved for four-pence a day ; that they fcorned to expend much more of their powder upon fuch fcarecrows ; but fliould the planters or overfeers dare to enter the woods, not a foul of them fliould ever return, any more than the perfidious rangers, fome of whom might depend upon being maftacred that Vol. lb Q day,
114
N A R ft. A T I V E   OF AN
CHAP,   day, or the next ; and concluded by declaring that Bonny
After this they tinkled their bill-hooks, fired a volley, and gave three cheers ; which being anfweied by the rangers, the clamour ended, and the rebels difperied with the rifmg fun.
Our fatigue was great; yet, notwithftanding the length of the contelt, our lofs by the enemies lire was very in-confiderable, for which 1 promifed to account; and this m y iter y was now explained, when the furgeons, drefling the wounded, extracted very few leaden bullets, but many pebbles, coat-buttons, arid pieces of filvcr coin,which could do us little mifchief, by penetrating fcarcely more than flvin deep. We alfo obferved, that feveral of the poor rebel negroes wrho were fhor, had only the fhards of Spa-water cans, inftead of flints, which could feldom do execution j and it was certainly owing to thefe circumftances that we came off fo well, as I have mentioned before ; yet we were neverthclefs not without a number of very dangerous fears and coinufions.
Inconceivable are the many expedients which thefe people employ in the woods, where in a ftate of tranquillity they fecmed, as they boafted, to want for nothing, being plump and fat, at leaft fuch as we had an opportunity of obferving. It fliould be noticed, that game and fifh they catch in great abundance, by artificial traps and fprings, and preferve them by barbacuing ; while their
fliould icon be the governor of the colony.
fields
fields are even overftocked with rice, caffava, yams, plan- char tains, &c.   They make fait from the palm-tree aflies, as xx-the Gentoos do in the Eaft Indies, or frequently fupply the want of it with red pepper.
We here found concealed near the trunk of an old tree a cafe-bottle fdled with excellent butter, which the rangers told me they made by melting and clarifying the fat of the palm-tree worms : this fully anfwers all the purpofes of European butter, and I found it in fad even more delicious to my taRe. The plflachio or pinda nuts they alfo convert into butter, by their oily fubRance, and frequently ufe them in their broths. The palm-tree wine they have always in plenty; they procure it by making deep incifions of a foot fquare in the fallen trunk, where the juice being collected, it foon ferments by the heat of the fun ; it is not only a cool and agreeable beverage, but fufRciently Rrong to intoxicate. The manicole or pine-tree affords them materials for building; they fabricate pots from clay found near their dwellings ; the gourd or callebaiTe tree procures them cups ; the fdk grafs plant and maurecee-tree fupplies materials for their hammocks, and even a kind of cap grows naturally upon the palm-trees, as well as brooms; the various kinds of nebee fupply the want of ropes; fuel they have for cutting; and a wood called bee-bee fervcs for tinder, by rubbing two pieces on each other; it is alio elaftic, and makes excellent corks ; candi-, they can make, having plenty of tat and oil; and the wild bees afford them wax, as well as excellent honey.
Q z Gloaths
CHAP.      C loath s they fcorn to wear, preferring to go naked in XX
!_      * y a climate where the warmth of the weather renders every
kind of covering an ufelefs incumbrance.
They might breed hogs and poultry, and keep dogs for hunting and watchingthem,but this they decline, from the apprehenfion of being difcovered by their noife, as even the crowing of a cock may be heard in the foreft at a considerable diftance.-1 fliall now once more proceed.
The rebels of this fettlement being apparently fubdued and difperfed, Colonel Fourgeoud made it his next bufi> nefs to deftroy the furrounding harveft ; and I received orders to begin the devaluation,, with eighty marines and twenty rangers. Thus I cut down all the rice that was growing plentifully in the two above-mentioned fields ; this being done, I difcovered a third field: fouth of the firft, which I alfo demolifhed, and made my report to Fourgeoud, with which he appeared highly fatisfied. In the afternoon Captain Hamel was detached, with fifty marines and thirty rangers, to reconnoitre behind the village, and to difcover, if poflible, how the rebels could pafs to and fro through an unfathomable marfh, whilft we were unable to purfue them. This officer at length perceived a kind of floating bridge amongft the reeds,, made of maurecee-trces, but fo conftrudfed, that only one man abreaft could pafs it. On this were feated aftride a few rebels to defend the communication, who inftantly fired upon the party, but were foon repulfed by the rangers, who fhot one of them dead, but he was carried away by his companions.
On the morning of the 22a, our commander ordered a c H A P. detachment to crofs the bridge and go on difcovery, at all j hazards. Of this party I led the vam We now took the pafs without opposition ; and having all marched, or rather fc ram Died over this defile of floating trees, we found ourfelves in a large oblong field of caflava and yams, in which were about thirty houfes, now deferted, being the remains of the old fettlement called Cofaay. In this field we feparated into three divifions, the better to reconnoitre, one marching north, one north-weft, and the third weft. And here, to our aftonifhment, we difcovered that the reafon of the rebels fhouting, ringing, and firing, on the night of the 20th, was not only to cover the retreat of their friends, by cutting off the pafs, but by their unremitting noife to prevent us from difcover-ing that they were employed, men, women, and children, in preparing warimboes or hampers filled with the fineft rice, yams, and caflava, for fubliftence during their ef-cape, of which they had only left the chaff and refufe for our contemplation.
This was certainly fuch a mafterly trait of general (hip-in a favage people, whom we affected to defpife, as would have done honour to any European commander, and has perhaps been feldom equalled by more civilized nations*.
G II A. P.
C H A P. XXI.
Spirited ConducJ of the Rangers and Rebels—A Skinnfh— Scene of Brotherly Affetlion—The Troops return to Barbacoeba—Plan of the Field of Aclion—A Slave killed by the OroocooJ:oo Snake.
C HAP.   if^OLONEL Fourgeoud, on finding himfelf thus foiled XXI. D   u ^afced negro, was unable any longer to rcftrain
his refentment, and fwore aloud he would purine Bonny to the world's end. His ammunition and provisions were however expended, and if they had not, it would have been in vain now to think of overtaking the enemy.— To the furprize of moR perfons, our hero however per-fevered in this impracticable project, and difpatched Captain Bolts, with one hundred men and thirty rangers, befides a number of Haves, to tranfport a quantity of Riot, and a week's provifions from Barbacoeba, and at the lame time iflucd orders for the troops to fubhfl upon half allowance, defiling the men to fupply the deficiency by picking rice, peas, and caffava, and prepare them in the beft way they could for their fubiiftehce, and this was alio my lot, as well as moft of the officers; while it was no had fcene to fee ten or twenty of us with heavy wooden pef-tles, like fo many apothecaries, beating the rice in a fpecies of mortars, cut all along in the hard trunk of a levelled
E X P E D I T ION   TO   SURIN A M. 119
veiled purper-heart-tree by the rebel negroes (being the CHAP.
L XXI
only contrivance 11 fed by them to feparate the rice from L_-_v_lwJ the hulk) this was however for us a moft laborious buft-nefs, the fweat running down our bodies as if we had been bathing, while water was at this time the only beverage in the camp.
Among other vegetables we had the good fortune to find here great quantities of wild pur/lane, which only differs from the common, by growing nearer the ground, the leaves being lefs, and more of a blackifh green ; this vegetable grows wild in the woods of Guiana, and may be either eaten as a fallad, or ftewed, without referve, being not only a cooling and -agreeable food, but reckoned an excellent antidote againft the fcurvy.
Here were alfo great quantities of gourd or calebajje trees, which are very ufeful to the natives of the country. This tree grows to the height of a common apple-tree, with large thick pointed leaves : the gourds it produces are of different forms and dimenfions, fome being oval, fome conical, and fome round, growing often to the fize of ten or twelve inches in diameter ; the lhell is hard and very fmooth, covered over with a fhining Run or epidermis, which becomes brown when the gourd is dry and fit for ufe : the heart or pulp is a pithy fubftance, which is eafdy extricated by the help of a crooked knife. The ufes are various to which thefe gourds are applied, they furnifh bottles, powdcr-flafks, cups, bafons, and difhes : I feldom travelled without one, which ferved me
as
CHAP,   as a bafon, plate, Sec. in the forcR.   The negroes ge-t  _        nerally adorn them by carving on the outer Rein many fantaRical figures, and filling up the vacancies with • chalk-duft, which fometimes has a very pretty effect.
The rangers having been out to reconnoitre, returned on the afternoon of the 23d, and reported that they had difcovered and deftroyed another field of rice to the N. E. This pleafed Colonel Fourgeoud very well ; but when in the dufk of the evening I obferved to him, that I faw feveral armed negroes advancing at a diRancc, he turned pale, exclaiming, " Nous Jommes perdus!" and ordered the whole camp immediately under arms. In a few féconds thefe negroes were near enough to be difcerned, and we now faw that feveral of them were carried upon poles, in hammocks. Fourgeoud then faid, " We ftill are a ruined,though not the enemy: 'tis-Captain Bolts, beaten " back, with all his party ;" and this proved literally to be the fact, when that unfortunate officer (having delivered the wounded to the furgeons) made his report, .that having entered the fatal fwamp where Captain Mey-iand had been defeated, he was attacked by the enemy from the oppofite fliore, who, without hurting a Angle European, had made a dreadful havock amongft his rangers; that Captain Valentine, a brave young fellow, belonging to that corps, whilft founding his horn to animate his countrymen, had it fhot away, with his pouch alfo, and was himfelf moft defperately wounded in fiv£ different parts of the body.   In this fituation he was met
by
by his brother, named Captain Avantage, who, upon chap. feeing his mortal condition, a fcene of fuch real fra- , XXJ' j ternal affection enfued as is feldom to be obferved in a civilized country :—kneeling at his fide, and bending over the mangled Valentine, he fucked the blood and gore from his fluttered breafl and fides; then cherifh-ed him with the manly promife to revenge his death upon his foes, and the hopes that when he himfelf was killed he fliould meet him again in a better place.
Colonel Fourgeoud now found that the rebels had kept their promife of maffacring the rangers ; while Captain Bolts reported that fome had fired upon his party from the tops of the palm-trees, and then Aiding down with furprifing agility, difappeared, whilft the rangers were foaming for revenge on their active adverfaries, and could hardly be reftrained from an immediate purfuit through the verdure.
Our mighty leader now found his abfurd fcheme of purfuing the enemy compleatly fruftrated, and himfelf in danger of total deftruction ; being cut off from every fupply, and having neither ammunition nor proviflons left in his camp, with very few men, except the fick and wounded, to defend it. Thus he at laft began moft ferioufly to confider how to fecure a fafe retreat; to which he was urged like wife by the general and inceffant rnurmurings of the troops, who were not only almoff.
Vol. ii. r ftarved,
CHAP, ftarved, but indeed dreadfully baraffed by daily fatigues L and nightly watchings :
" They wandered in the wildernefs in a folitary way, they found " no city to dwell in.
" Hungry and thirfty, their foul fainted within them."
On the 24th, a detachment of one hundred and forty men, commanded by two field officers, were Rill ordered to deftroy the fields, and the old fettlement called Cofaay ; of this party I had the honour again to be one. We foon performed the fervice we were fent upon, and alfo picked up, out of the marfti, feveral utenfils, fuch as tea-kettles, iron pots and pans, &x. that the rebels had formerly pillaged from the eftates, and had thrown into the water to conceal them from us, with an intention, no doubt, of returning to fifli them up, as foon as we were gone from Gado-Saby.
Upon the return of the detachment in the afternoon* we immediately decamped, and began to retreat for Barbacoeba. Here I muR remark in Colonel Fourgeoud an inflance of had policy, at leaft, though many have not hefitated to beftow upon it a harflier epithet. This evening, upon our return, when we entered the ominous fwamp, he fuddenly caught up one of the empty bread-boxes, and having Ruffed a hammock into it, he carried it before him as a ftiield, crying aloud to his men, •* Sauve qui peut/.'9 At this moment a Walloon named Mattow ftepped up to him, and faid, « Mon Colonel, but
" few
*c few can, and I hope fewer Rill will, follow your ex-" ample. Drop your lhield, and do not intimidate your <£ foldiers : one brave man creates others, then follow " thy Mattow, and fear for nothing." Upon which he inftantly threw open his bofom, and charging his bayonet was the firR that mounted the oppofite beach : this intrepidity infpired the reft, and they pafTed the marfliy fwamp without opposition; for which act, of heroifm this private marine was fince made a ferjeant. I fliould think myfelf deficient if I did not obferve, that the Walloons in general behaved with great fpirit, and were in every refpect excellent foldiers. This evening we encamped upon the fame ground where we had paffed the night before the engagement, with exceflive bad weather and very heavy rain.
Early on the morning of the 25th, we again marched, and proceeded on our return, having now a beaten path before us. It will fuffice to fay, that we reached our place of general rendezvous, Barbacoeba, on the afternoon of the following day, but in a moft fhocking condition ; the whole of the detachment being moftly fpent and wore out with fatigue, fome nearly ftarved, others mortally wounded ; whilft all the flaves were employed in carrying the fick and lame in their hammocks, on long poles, though thefe poor wretches were fcarcely able to fupport themfelves.—Such was the concluding fcene of the taking of Gado-Saby. However, if during this expedition we neither captured any of the rebels,
R 3 nor
nor gained booty, we neverthelefs rendered the colony a very effential fervice, by rooting out this concealed ncft of enemies, who being thus difcovered and driven away from their capital fettlements, never think (as I have already obferved) of returning to live near the fame fpot. I might, indeed, pronounce our victory almoji de-cilîve ; I fay almoR, for if we except the demohfhing a few plantations for immediate fubfiftence, and from a fpirit of revenge, the rebels were, by being driven from this fettlement, fo difconcerted and panic-ftruck, that from the prefent period their depredations were certainly lefs, as they foon afterwards retired to an inaccef-Rble depth in the foreft, where they neither could do any material injury, nor be joined by negro deferters.
To ftiew the mafterly manoeuvres of our fable foes to more advantage, I here prefent the reader with a plan of this extraordinary fettlement, together with our different Rages, after leaving our encampment on the borders of the Cottica River, viz.
N"1 i, 2, and 3, are fuppofed to be the general rendezvous at Barbacoeba, and the two fucceeding nights encampment.
N* 4. The fpot where we heard the firing and fliout-ing of the rebels, on the night of the 17th.
N° 5. The latitude where the troops were joined by the black corps or rangers.
N* 6. The night's encampment previous to the engagement.
N* 7.
N* 7. The beach on the oppofîte iïde of the marfh, CHAP, where Captain Meyland with his troops had been de- . Xf-^ feated.
N° 8. The advanced poR of the rebels, whence the firft Riot was fired at the troops.
N* 9. The field with rice and Indian corn, entered without oppofition.
N° 10. The pafs or defile in which the firing commenced.
N° il. The beautiful rice-field in which the action continued above forty minutes►
Nft 12. The town of Gado-Saby in flames at a diftance.
N° 13. The fpot whence the rebels fired on the camp* and held the converfation, on the night of the 20th.
N° 14. The ground of the old fettlement Cofaay, with the floating bridge that covered the retreat of the rebels.
N° 15. The fields with caflava, yams, and plantains,, that were at different times deftroyed.
N° 16. The field of rice difcovered and demoliflied by Captain Stedman on the 21ft.
N° 17. A field demolilhed by the rangers on the 23d.
N° 18. The fwamp or marfh which furrounded the fettlement.
N° 19. The quag-mire, or biree-biree, adjoining it. N° 20. The foreft.
Having formerly defcribed the manner in which we erected our huts, I fhall here alfo add a fmall plan of
the
126
NARRATIVE   OF  A N
C H A p.  the mode of arranging them during our encampment
XXI
. _ _' _f in the woods of Guiana, which camps were generally of a triangular form, as being moR fecure in cafe of a furprize, and the eafleft to defend our provifions and ammunition; but the fituation of the ground would not always permit this, and then we encamped in any form, fquare, oblong, or circular, Sec.—In the annexed plan,
N° I. Is the hut or flied of Colonel Fourgeoud, or the commanding officer, in the centre, with a fentineh
N° 2. The huts of all the other officers, in a fmall triangle, furrounding that of the commander in chief.
N° 3. The angles of the outer triangle formed by the huts of the privates in three divifions, viz. the main body, the van, and the rear guards, with fentinels at proper diftances, to cover the front of each.
N° 4. Powder-chefts, provifions, and medicines, with a fentinel.
N# 5. The fires in the rear of each divifion to drefs the victuals, and round which the negro flaves are lodged upon the ground.
N* 6. A coppice of manicole-trees to erect the huts or fheds.
N° 7. A rivulet or creek to provide the troops with frefh water. And,
N° 8. The furrounding forefi.
I muft now return once more to my narrative, and obferve, that Barbacoeba, inftead of being in a ftate of fending provifions to Gado-Saby, as our chief had ex-1 pected,
3 4M
-   ^ 'fit.:-.
c////r Principal, fielp of Action bSt//i^i//rfs/ Jttww cotticj      . \f<us. nr/x.i ; //>////    ' ' //y/r// f>/ '//w ///f///;/f> r/ Encam pi tig" /// ///r Wo ops of s v hi nam
Z<mden, Published De^ili-fri., by J John-ton Sf/SoM Churrh Tard
t
peeked, it could fcarcely afford daily fubflRence to his ema- chap. ciated troops on their arrival; who having for many days lived on rice, yams, peas, and Indian corn, were now moR violently attacked by the flux; for although that kind of nourifhment will keep the Indians and negroes ftrong as horfes, the Europeans cannot long fubfift without animal food; which was at this time fo very fcarce, that even the Jew foldiers of the Society troops devoured fait pork as faft as they could catch it.
I neverthclefs continued among the few that ftill were healthy ; which was al moft a miracle, as I had fared very hard indeed for want of my private ftores, and which, as was mentioned, I had left at the neighbouring eftate Mocha: however, expecting leave now to bring them in perfon from that plantation, I was in good fpi-rits alfo. But here I was difappointed, by Colonel Four-geoud's declaring he could not fpare me one moment, while 1 was able to ftand upon my feet. I therefore waited patiently for an opportunity of fending for them ; in the mean time fliaring with my black boy the fcanty allowance of a private foldier, with the cafual addition of fome mountain-cabbage, or palm-tree worms, and perhaps a few warrappa fifh.
As for the miferable flaves, they were fb ftarved, that having killed a Coata monkey, they broiled it, with Rein, hair, inteftines and all, then tore it to pieces with their teeth, and devoured it like fo many cannibals, before it was even half dreffed.  Qf this animal they offered me
a limb ;
*
CHAP,   a limb ; but, hungry as I was, my ftomach could not re-
XXI
' t lifh this kind of venifon.
A good conftitution, Rerling health and fpirits, now fupported mc, or I muft have funk under the load of mi-fery and hardihips, which were at this time become fo intolerable, that the rangers again forfook the camp ; and Mr. Vinfack, their conductor, as brave and active a man as ever entered the wood, threw up his commifiion, as Mr. Mongol had done before, during Colonel Four-gcoud's firft campaign at the Wana.
In the beginning of September, the bloody flux raged in the camp to fuch a degree, that the colonel faw himfelf obliged to fend off all the lick officers and privates, without exception, not to Paramaribo for recovery in the grand hofpital that is there, but to linger and die on the banks of the rivers, where they relieved others to be encamped, and undergo a fimilar wretchednefs ; the fick of his own regiment being difpatched to Magdenburg in the Tempatee Creek, and thofe of the Society troops to Vreedenberg in Cottica.
Colonel Fourgeoud's inhumanity to the officers was now actually become fuch, that he would not even permit thofe who were paft recovery a marine to attend them, whatever price they offered ; fome of whom I have feen expanded between two trees, while the very filth, for want of afliftance, was dropping through their hammocks. Of this number was Enfign Strows, who, in this dreadful fituation, was ordered to be tranfported in an open boat % to
to Devil's Harwar, where he died. At length Colonel Fourgeoud himfelf was feized with this dreadful malady, and his beloved ptifan proved to be of no more avail ; yet he foon recovered, by the plentiful ufe of claret and fpices, which he feldom wanted, and which his colleague Seyburg alfo employed as a prefervative of his health, though by fwallowing too copious dofes he frequently loR the ufe of his reafon. In fuch a fituation, and in fuch a defpicable encampment, our commander in chief had the vanity to expect a deputation from the court at Paramaribo, with congratulations on his victory : in confe-quence of which he had built an elegant flied, and fent for Rieep and hogs to entertain them—but the expected deputies never yet arrived.
On the 5th, therefore, the hogs and Rieep were Raugh-tered, and, for the Jirjl time in his life, he ordered one pound per man, bones and all, to be diRributed among the poor emaciated foldiers : indeed the number able to partake of this bounty was at prefent very fmall.
On the following day a reinforcement of one hundred men arrived from Magdenburg, in Comewina; and from the Society poft Vreedenburg, in Cottica, nearly as many. Thefe confirmed the death of Enfign Strows, befides of a great number of privates, who had affifted at the taking of Gado-Saby, and who had expired in the boats during their removal from Barbacoeba.
Intelligence arrived at the fame time that the defeated rebels had actually croffed the river Cottica below Patta-
Vol. IL S maca*
C il A P.   maca, intent on immediate mifchief, and that they were
vyi
, _ a marching to the weRward. In confequence of this information, a captain and fifty men were immediately derached, by water, to reconnoitre the banks near the Pinenburg Creek. This party returned upon the 8th, and confirmed the intelligence. Our indefatigable chief now again determined to purfue them ; but the flaves who were to carry the ammunition and provifions had been fent home to their mafters, nothing but fkin and bones, to be exchanged for others, not yet arrived, and to be flarved in their turn. I fliall therefore relate what happened the two following days, until the arrival of thefe unfortunate beafts of burden ; for fo they might with propriety be called.
On the 9th were fold upon credit, and to the higheft bidder, the effects of the deceafed Enfign Strows, when the poor foldiers, regardlefs of price, and only wifhing to obtain fome cloaths and refrefhments to keep (in the vulgar phrafe) foul and body together, actually paid at the rate of 700 per cent, and this infamous debt was accordingly Rated in their accounts. I have feen, for inftance, a private marine pay five fhillings for a pound of mouldered tobacco, that might be worth fix-pence, and double the prime value for a pair of old Rockings or fhoes. A lick man paid one guinea for a couple of meagre chickens; and for a broken bottle-cafe to hold his lumber, another paid a fimilar fum. Thus were thefe poor dying half-Aarved wretches deprived of the Rule property they
had
EXPEDITION   TO   SURINAM. i5x had earned at the expence of their blood and fweat, while  c H A P.
xxi
this miferable neceffity might have been eafily prevented ^_ * f by only fupplying them with what was their due. A private marine, of the name of Scmy at this time, fwore, in the heat of his refentment, that he would certainly flioot Fourgeoud, whenever he had an opportunity; which being overheard, upon condition of repentance, I bribed the evidence not to inform againft him, and fo literally faved this poor rafh fellow from dying on the gallows.
Fortunately, all the world did not poffefs this chieftain's infenfibility, for this day the good Mrs. Godefroy once more fent up a flat-bottomed barge, with a fat ox, oranges, and plantains for the private foldiers, which was accordingly diftributed amongft them. The fame evening a fmall fupply of provifions alfo arrived for me, from Joanna, with a few bottles of port wine; and though part was ftolen, and part was damaged by the way, it made me very happy, and I gave nothing to Fourgeoud.
When we fpeak of provifions in the woods, we only mean fugar, tea, coffee, Bofton bifcuit, cheefe, rum, ham, or a keg of faufages, fince little elfe can be carried through the foreft by a Angle flave, and we were now allowed no more. Shirts, flioes, and ftockings were alfo ufually accounted among the neceffaries, but the laft two articles I did not ufe, being accuftomed to walk barefooted, which I had now praclifèd for more than two years, and with great advantage to my limbs, when I
S s compared
CHAP,   compared them with the diieafed and ulcerated flianks XXI.
i_  -,-'_f 01 rny ghaftly-looking companions.
On the 12th, the frefli Ripply of Raves being arrived, the neceffary preparations were made to purfue the rebels the next day, directing our firR courfe towards the fpot formerly called Jerufalem, mentioned in 1773, when I commanded the fatal expedition in Upper Cottica; and on the 13th, the baggage and provifions being fent before us by water to Jerufalem, efcorted by the fick officers and privates, we at laft decamped to follow them, and bidding a final farewell to Barbacoeba, re-entered the woods, marching S. and S. E. the whole day, then paffed the night on the oppofite bank of the Caffiporee Creek, where we encamped.
Nothing could be more diabolically cruel, than the perfecution of the new flaves during this march; not only overloaded and Rarved, but beat like mules or affes by every ill-tempered individual—for inRance, I faw Fourgeoud's black favourite, Goufary, knock down a poor negro Rave for not taking up his load—and the chief himfelf knock him down for taking it up too foon ; when the wretch, not knowing what to do, exclaimed, in hopes of pity, " 0 majfera J ejus Chrijlusl" and was actually knocked down a third time by an enthufiaft, for daring to utter a name with which he was fo little acquainted.
During the laft day's march, a large drove of Warn hogs or wild boars broke through our line ; feveral of them were cut down by our fabres, and ftabbed with
the
the bayonets, the men having orders from the com- CHAP,
XXI
mander in chief not to fire at any game whatever. \f The animals that were killed were cut in pieces, and dif-tributed among the troops, which proved, though fmall, a very feafonable dainty. It is certainly very remarkable, that if the firR wild boar or leader paffes through any danger, all the others Rupidly follow, in hopes of a fimilar efcape, which on the contrary, as I have faid, frequently proves the caufe of their deRrudlion.
On the 14th we marched S.W. till about noon, and arrived at Jerufalem, which, the van had reached about an hour before us, all thoroughly foaked with mud and heavy rains, and feveral men unhappily with ruptures in the groin, by falling over the roots of frees, large Rones, See. Here juft arrived, we found again, to my aftonifhment, the identical Mr. Finfacky with one hundred frefh rangers : he had heard, it feems, of the rebels paffing Upper Cottica, and had been prevailed upon to refume his command by the governor; thus he now once more offered his fervice to Colonel Fourgeoud, who was very happy indeed to accept it.
Here, our camp being moftly overgrown with long coarfe grafs, one of the Raves was unfortunately bitten in the foot by a fmall ferpent, called in Surinam the * Oroo-cookoo fnake, from its colour, which rcfcmbles an owl.
* This, I apprehend,  is the duke    killed a negro in lefs than five minutes, which Dr. Bancroft calls the final] La-    when he was at Demerara. bora, and which he mentions as having
la
In lefs than a minute the man's leg began to fvvell, when he was feized with excruciating pains, and foon fell into convuliions. One of his companions, having killed the iiiake, made the patient drink its gall, mixed with half a glafs of fpirits, which I gave him. lie fcemed now (perhaps from imagination) to bear his misfortune better; but the fits foon returned with increafing violence, and he was inftantly fent to his mafter's plantation, where he expired. That the gall of adders, externally applied, is efficacious, I have often heard. In the Grand Magazine for April 1758, may be feen a letter, iigned J. H. and dated 24th March, which treats fyftematically of the application of gall. But thefe inveftigations I muft leave to the learned of the medical profeflion; and only ob-ferve, in general, that the fmaller the fnake, at leaft in Guiana, the more fatal the poifon; as is juftly and beautifully obferved by Thomfon :
«--But ftill more direful he
* The fmall, clofe-lurking minifter of fate,
<f Whofe high concocted venom through the veins
ff A rapid lightning darts, arrefting fwift
" Tne vital current."-
In this grafly wildernefs one of the rangers alfo killed a fnake, called the whip-fnake, from its refemblance to that infiniment ; it was about five feet long, and not very much thicker than a fwan's quill; the belly white, and the back a lead colour: concerning its bite, I can fay
nothing.
nothing.   Lwas informed by the negroes, but I cannot chap.
. XXI fpeak from my own obfcrvation, that it has the power ,
of giving a very fevere Rroke with its tail, like the lalh of a whip, which it fo much refembles.
I muft alfo notice an amphibious animal which fome of the negroes killed this evening, called by them the Cabiai\ it is a fpecies of water hog, and about the ordinary fize of the land animal which goes under that name; it is covered with grey briftles, and armed with a number of very ftrong teeth ; it has no tail; on each foot it has three toes, webbed like thofe of a duck. This animal, it is faid, goes afhore only during the night, where it feeds on young grafs, and other vegetables. I have been told it is good food, but never tafted it myfelf.
On the 16th, having refted one day at this place, Colonel Fourgeoud detached two ftrong parties to reconnoitre, viz. Lieutenant Colonel de Borgnes, with 100 men, was fent to the Wana Creek in Upper Cormoetibo ; and Colonel Seyburg, with an equal number, was ordered to the Creek Pinenburg, in Upper Cottica. The latter returned about midnight with two canoes, which he had. found hauled afhore, on the oppolite fide of the river, a little below the mouth of the Claas Creek. This convinced us that the rebels were gone weftward to plunder, and hid brought their empty canoes down the Claas Creek, from the rice country, in order to fend them back loaded with booty from the eftates they intended to 2. pillage.
C II A P. pillage. In confequence, therefore, of this information, , the proper preparations were immediately made to pur-fue them with alacrity. Never did the old warrior dif-play more vigour than on this occafion, fwearing aloud that he now would be revenged of them all, coûte qui coûte.
fe Though they dig into hell, thence fhall mine hand take <f diem ; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring " them down."
But how far his generalftiip on this occafion proved to be a match for that of Bonny, I muft beg leave to re-ferve for the fucceeding chapter. .
CHA P.
CHAP. XXII,
Alarm in the Pirica River—A Detachment marches to its Relief—Ambufcade—Wonderful EffecJ from the Biting of a Bat—Scene in a Quagmire—Sketch of the Inquijition and Return of the Troops to Cormoetibo Creek.
ON the morning of the 19th of September 1775, juft CHAP, before fun-rife, Colonel Seyburg marched with XXJtI* one hundred marines and forty rangers, who did me the honour to fix upon me as one of the party, and was upon the whole fo polite, and his behaviour fo contrary to what it had lately been, that I knew not at all in what manner to account for it.
Having croffed the Cormoetibo Creek, we kept courfe
S. W. and by S. till we approached the river Cottica, where we encamped, having met with nothing on our firfi day's march worth defcribing, except a fpecies of ants, which were no lefs than one inch in length, and perfectly black. Thefe infects pillage a tree of all its leaves in a fhort time, which they cut in fmall pieces the fize of a fix-pence, and carry under-ground. It was indeed entertaining to fee a whole army of thefe creatures crawling perpetually the fame way, each with his green-leaf in a perpendicular direction. So general is the pro-penfity to the marvellous, that fome have imagined that Vol. II. T this
c h A P. this devaftation was to feed a blind ferpent under ground : L XXIL J but the truth is, that it ferves for nourifhment to their young brood, who cannot help themfelves, and are fome-times lodged to the depth of eight feet in the earth. Madam Merian fays, they form themfelves in chains from one branch to another, while all the others pafs over thefe temporary bridges ; and that once a year thefe formidable armies travel from houfe to houfe, killing all the vermin, Sec. that comes in their way ; neither of which facts ever came within the limits of my obfervation : but that they can bite confoundedly I have found by experience, though their attack is not nearly fo painful as the bite- of that diminutive infect the fire-ant already de-fcribed.
The following day we proceeded along the banks of the river Cottica, till we came near the Claas Creek, (where I formerly fwam acrofs with my fabre in my teeth) and early flung our hammocks ; from whence 1 was detached, with a few rangers, to lay in ambufcade in the mouth of the creek till it was dark. Here, however, I difcovered nothing, except that the rangers were poffeffed of the fame fuperfiition as the rebels, with regard to their amulets or obias making them invulnerable. They told me that the latter mentioned procured them from their prieft, and that they themfelves bought theirs from Grama?i $3pacyt a celebrated and cunning old negro, whom I fhall in a proper place circumftantially defcribe. — When I afked them, " How came any of you, or of your invul-
« nerable
" nerable adverfaries, to be Riot?1' I was anfwered, " Be- CHAP, « caufe, like you, Maffera, they had no faith in the amu- yj^^j " let or obia." This piece of policy in Mr. Qwacy, however, had the effect of making all his free countrymen fo undauntedly brave, that I muft confers their valour had often furprized me. However, this impofition, as fliall be fhewn hereafter, bcfides refpect and veneration, procured this dealer in magic confiderable both eafe and wealth, which for a black man in Surinam was indeed not very common.
In the mouth of this creek I again faw a quantity of nuts floating on the fur face of the water, fuch as I have before mentioned, when I was informed that they were the real acajow or cajhew nuts, which I have partly de-fcribed : to which I fhall now add, that they grow on the edge of a pulpy fubftance like a very large pear, which is produced on a middle-fized tree, with a grey bark and large thick leaves. This excellent nut will bear to be tranf-ported to any part of the globe, and keep good for a con-Rderable time; it is by fome called the Anacardium Occidentalism From the tree exudes a tranfparent gum, which when diffolved in water has the confiflency of glue.
I alfo tafted here the eta-trcc apple, of which the negroes feemed extremely fond. This tree is of the palm kind, with large leaves, but is lefs in fize than the maurecee or the mountain cabbage-tree. The fruit or apples are round, and grow in large clufters refcmbling grape-ihot.  In the middle of each apple is a hard nut, in
T % which
CHAP, which is a kernel, and this is covered near half an inch {^m^imJ thick with an orange - coloured pulp, that has a moft agreeable acid tafte. They are feldom ufed till the apples by ripenefs drop from the tree, when the Indians fteep them in water, and by maceration convert them into a moft healthy and agreeable beverage.
An exprefs on the 21ft arriving by water from Colonel Fourgeoud, informing us that the alarm-guns* had been fired in the river Pirica, we inftantly croffed to the oppofite or weft fhore of the river Cottica, where the rangers, with a party of marines, were again ordered to lie in ambufcade or under cover, in hopes of cutting off the rebels on their retreat, when they returned to crofs the Cottica river with their booty. And this very afternoon a rebel negro was feen with a green hamper, who, ftartled by the fmell of tobacco (for fome of the rangers were fmoking) ftopt fhort of his own accord. He was inftantly fired at by me and one ranger : when the wa-rimbo or hamper dropped to the ground, but he himfelf efcaped. This bundle we found fluffed with a dozen of the fineft table linen, a cocked gold-laced hat, and a couple of fuperb India chintz petticoats, &c. the bulk of which I gave to my black companion, referving only the chintzes for another friend at Paramaribo. The free negroes now rufhing forwards with unre-
* By this is meant minute-guns, which neighbouring plantations, foon alarm the are fired on the eftates when in clanger, whole river, and bring afliftance from Thefe, being regularly anfwered by the   every quarter,
ftrained
ftrained valour, I afked Colonel Seyburg liberty to follow them ; and calling for volunteers, a great number prefcnted themfelves, which, however, the Colonel thought proper to reduce to four only, with whom he fent me off; and having fcrambled through thorns and briars woven together like a net or a mat, which tore one of my thighs in a terrible manner, I overtook them at one mile's diftance from the camp : fhortly after we difcovered thirteen frelh huts, where the rebels, we conjectured, had flept but a few nights before. In confequence of this, I now dispatched a ranger back to Colonel Seyburg to give him intelligence, and afk permiffton for the rangers and myfelf to march forward to Pirica without delay, in hopes to meet the enemy : but the anfwer was a peremptory order inftantly to rejoin him with all hands. We now returned difgufted back to the camp; my fable companions in particular extremely difcontented, and making many Jbrewd and farcaflic remarks.
Here we found a reinforcement juft arrived from Jerufalem, confiding of fixty men, black and white, with pofitive orders for us to break up and march early the next morning for Pirica River, while this whole night a ftrong party lay once more in ambufti.
Accordingly at Rx o'clock, with the riling-fun, all was in readinefs, but by fome unaccountable delay it was very late before we left the camp; during which time we were informed that a canoe was feen crofting the river with one fingle negro in it, who was no doubt the poor
fellow
fellow at whom the ranger and I had fired the preceding day.
I cannot here forbear relating a lingular circumRance refpecting myfclf, viz. that on waking about four o'clock this morning in my hammock, I was extremely alarmed at finding myfelf weltering in congealed blood, and without feeling any pain whatever. Having Rarted up, and run for the furgeon, with a fire-brand in one hand, and all over befmeared with gore ; to which if added my pale face, fhôrt hair, and tattered apparel, he might well afk the queftion,
" Be thou a foirât of health or goblin damn'd,
" Bring with thee airs of Heav'n or blafts from Hell!"
The myfiery however was, that I had been bitten by the vampire or ffe&re of Guiana, which is alfo called the flying-dog of New Spain, and by the Spaniards perro-volador ; this is no other than a bat of a monflrous fize, that fucks the blood from men and cattle when they are faft aflcep, even fometimes till they die ; and as the manner in which they proceed is truly wonderful, I fliall endeavour to give a diflin<5t account of it.—Knowing by inftincl that the perfon they intend to attack is in a found ilumber, they generally alight near the feet, where while the creature continues fanning with his enormous wings, which keeps one cool, he bites a piece out of the tip of the great toe, fo very fmall irdeed that the head of a pin could fcarcely be received into the wound, which is consequently
CHAP.
XXII. i__v--J
London. I'uNMud i>,rrr"ij„i In ./.Johnson .J.'Poidt (l,i„J, >'./«/.
quently not painful ; yet through this orifice he continues to fuck the blood, until he is obliged to difgorge. He then begins again, and thus continues fucking and dif-gorging till he is fcarcely able to fly, and the furferer has often been known to fleep from time into eternity. Cattle they generally bite in the ear, but always in fuch places where the blood flows fpontaneoufly, perhaps in an artery—but this is entering rather on the province of the medical faculty. Having applied tobacco-afhes as the beR remedy, and wafhed the gore from myfelf and from my hammock, I obferved feveral fmall heaps of congealed blood all round the place where I had lain, upon the ground : upon examining which, the furgeon judged that 1 had loR at leafl twelve or fourteen ounces during the night.
As I have fincc had an opportunity of killing one of thefe bats, I cut off his head, which I here prefent to the reader in its natural fize, and as a great curiofity, with the whole figure flying above it on a fmaller fcale. Having meafured this creature, I found it to be between the tips of the wings thirty-two inches and a half ; it is faid that fome are above three feet, though nothing like in Rze to the bats of Madagafcar. The colour was a dark brown, nearly black, but lighter under the belly. Its afpcct was truly hideous upon the whole, but particularly the head, which has an ereel fhining membrane above the nofe, terminating in a fhrivelled point : the ears are long, rounded, and tranfparent : the cutting teeth were four above and fix below. I faw no tail, but a fkin, in * the
the middle of which was a tendon. It had four toes on each wing, with Riarp nails divided like the web-foot of a duck * ; and on the extremity of each pinion, where the toes are joined, was a nail or claw to aflift it in crawling, like thofe of its hinder feet, by which it hangs fufpended when afleep to trees, rocks, roofs, &c.
One of the marines having this morning taken a murine or moufe oppoffum, I ftiall alfo take the opportunity of defcribing it, and prefent it to the reader as I defigned it from the life.   This animal differs widely in fome particulars from the defcription of the Count de Buffon For in Ranee, it was much fwifter than any of the oppof-fums that he fpeaks of, and had the whole tail covered over with hair inftead of fcales, to the beR of my remembrance; if, however, my fight deceived me, I am not the only erroneous writer on the fubject of this animal. Linnaus, Seùa, and Mr. Vormeer, with the laft of whom I am acquainted, confider it as common to both the old and new continent ; whereas all its fpecies are moft aftur-edly inhabitants of America only.  Linnaeus is alfo mif-taken when he afferts, that all bats have four cutting teeth in each }a^.—(See Buffon, Vol. V. page 282.)
This murine oppoflum was not more than the fize of a very large moufe. It was perfectly black, except the belly, the feet, and the extremity of the tail, which were all huff-coloured, with a buff fpot above each eye, which
* Li Vol. IV. plate the 83d, by the Count dc Buffon, a bat is reprcfentcd with only three toes on each wing.
refcmbled
refembled thofe of a rat : the ears were long, rounded, chap, and tranfparent: its toes were twenty in number, one XXj}^_, on each foot being placed behind, and ferving as a thumb. It had ten or twelve paps, to which the young ones Rick faft, it is faid, as foon as produced, when they are not larger than fmall beetles ; but it wanted that pouch which is common to all other oppofTums ; in place of this there were two longitudinal folds on the in fide of each thigh, equally adapted to preferve its offspring from every injury, which no tortures whatever, not even fire, will make it forfake. I have only to add, that it burrows in the ground, and often climbs trees ; but it feeds like a moufe on grain, fruits, and roots. Of the other fpecies I fliall defer the defcription till chance affords me an opportunity.
Madam Merion mentions one kind of them, which, in time of danger, carries its young ones upon its back : but this animal, I confefs, I never heard of in Surinam, and am perfuaded of its non-exiflence.
I have already Rated that, from fome unaccountable delay, it was very late this morning before we left the camp; we, neverthelefs, all Rarted at laft; I having the van-guard with the rangers, and the poor marines loaded each man with nine days provifions on his back. In this condition we had not proceeded long, when one of the rangers founding his horn, they fpread, and I among them, all inftantly falling flat upon the ground, with our firelocks cocked, and ready to engage ; but this,
Vol. II. U however,
however, proving to he a falfe alarm, by a Rag ruftiing out through the foliage, we foon rofe, and after marching the whole day through water and mire, at three in the afternoon encamped on a high ridge, where not a drop of water was to be found till we had dug a hole for that purpofc, and this was fo very thick and muddy, that we were obliged to Rrain it through our neckcloths or fhirt-flecves before we could drink it. Here I was once more accofted by the Lieutenant Colonel, who invited me to fome fupper in his hut, and treated me upon the whole with fuch very great civility as I could not account for after his former behaviour.
On the fucceeding day we marched again, keeping courfe W. and N. W. with very heavy rain, while I had the rear-guard ; and once more entered on a quagmire, which coR me three hours time to bring up the rear to the beach, this march being particularly diftref-fing, as the negro flaves, with their burdens, broke through the furface every moment, while the loaded marines had enough to do to mind themfelves, and I too weak by my late lofs of blood to afford them any af-fiftance whatever. At laft, approaching the beach, I perceived the dead bodies of feveral rebel negroes fcattered on the ground, with their heads and right-hands chopped off Thefe bodies being frefh, induced me to conclude, that they muft have been very lately killed, in fome engagement with the troops and rangers ftationed on the Pirica river.—-And here I muft again remark, that had I n been
been allowed to purfue, on the 21ft, with the rangers, C when I was ordered to march, back, the enemy would have been between two fires ; in which cafe few could have efcaped, and all the plundered fpoil muft have been re-taken. The reader will probably recollect a fimilar inftance which occurred two years before, when I was ftationed at Devifs Harwar. Had I at that time been provided with men and ammunition to march, I might have rendered the colony a material fervice. Thefe two capital blunders I am forry to relate, but a regard to truth and impartiality obliges me to do it. Let not thefe remarks, however, fix a ftigma of cruelty on me in the eye* of the world, lince no man could more ftrongly feel at the fight of fuch manly youths ftretched dead among the furrounding foliage ; and finer bodies than two of them were in particular I never beheld in all my life.
" So two young mountain lions, nurs'd with blood, " In deep receffes of the gloomy wood, " Rufli fearlefs to the plains, and uncontroufd " Depopulate the ftalls, and wade the fold ; " Till pierc'd at diftance from their native den, " O'erpower'd they fall beneath the force of men ; " Proftrate on earth their beauteous bodies lay, " Like mountain firs, as tall and ftraight as they."
While my mind was engaged by thefe and fimilar remarks, many of my loaded ilaves ftill remained entangled and ftruggling in the quagmire, while the com-
U 2 manding
Chap, manding officer, with all the other troops, having got on xxif.    a dry ridge, were quite out of light and out of hearing, by which feparation the rear-guard not only ran the hazard of lofing all the provifions and the baggage, but of being cut to pieces, fuch was their critical fituation.
Having not a fingle European that had fuflicient ftrength remaining to overtake the party which had proceeded, I refigned the command to my lieutenant, a Mr. de Lof-rws, and ventured forward alone through the foreft, till, greatly fatigued, I overtook them ; when reporting the fituation of the rear-guard to Colonel Seyburg, I re-quefted " he would flacken his pace till they were able to *< extricate themfelves and come up from the bog, with-" out which I could not be accountable for the confe-" quences." To this the reply was, " That he would " form his camp when he met with good water and I inftantly returned to the rear, where having ftruggled until it was quite dark in a moft diftreffed and dangerous fituation, the laft man was dragged out of the mud at feven o'clock at night, when we flowly proceeded on till we entered the camp.
My folicitude for the people, powder, and provifions, in-Read of procuring me commendation from the perfon under whofe command I then happened to be, and who had lately been fo very polite, brought me now into fuch difficulties, and produced a mifunderftanding of fuch a ferious nature, and fo very diftreffing to my feelings, that it had nearly terminated my exiftence.   The reader may
judge
juoVe of my mortification, when I inform him, that, in-  C H A P.
■ XXii. Read of receiving the approbation of my commander, as I u ^ _ ,
certainly defer ved, I was immediately on my an i val in camp put under an arreft, to be tried by a court-martial for difobedience of orders. Colonel Seyburg and I had never been on amicable terms; and though, during the former part of this march, he had treated me with apparent civility, yet from this Rep it was evident that he was my mortal enemy. I muft not omit, that though a pri-foner (ftrange to tell !) I was ordered to carry my own arms and accoutrements, till further orders.
On the 24th, we took our departure very early, and directed our courfe S. and S. by W. when we pafTed clofe by Pinenburg, a forfaken rebel village formerly mentioned-—! ftill a prifoner, in the moft dejected fpirits.
On the following day our courfe was S. W. through a matakey or trumpeter morafs, which was very deep, and which we entered when we were all in a violent fweat by advancing too faft while upon the hard ground : but the health of our men was not made an object during this expedition, though fo much wanted to fuccecd.
Having got again upon a ridge, an accident had now nearly befallen me incomparably greater than all my former misfortunes put together; this was no lefs than, having fallen into a deep reverie, while I followed the rearguard, 1 imperceptibly wandered away from the troops, till 1 was entirely loft and by myfelf in an unbounded wildernefs. Quaco no fooner had milled me, than, poor fellow, at
every
every hazard he rufhed through the wood to recover his mafter, and by a miracle faw me as I was fitting under a tree, in the moft dejected ftate of mind that it is pofRble to conceive, immerfed in grief and abandoned to defpair. I had this morning thought myfelf perfectly unhappy, but now would have given the world once more to have been in the fame fituation. Good God ! entirely cut off from fociety, in a foreft, furrounded by relentlefs favages! while a deluge of rain poured from the heavens, and tigers, famine, with every woe and every danger, flared me in the face. Farewell, for ever Joanna !—Such was the picture of my mind, when on difcovering the boy, I ftarted up from the ground, and a new life inftantly diffufed itfelf through my whole frame. Having now ftraggled backwards and forwards together for fome time, I called to the lad that I faw a pool through which the troops feemed to have pafled, the water being frefh clouded with mud ; but to my utter difappoint-ment, he obferved, that this puddle was only occafioned by a Tapira*, and flic wed me the print of the animal's foot in the furrounding mire. At this time the hoy ihed tears, crying, <* Majfera,we decide, we deadel " In the midft, however, of this diftrefs, recollecting that, by the map, the river Pirica was due weft from us, I determined to lofe no more time, but to fet forwards without delay. Thus having frefti primed my fuzee, I ordered Quaco to
* By fome called the Hippopotamus of South America, which I will defcribe in a proper place.
follow
follow me ; but again to no purpofe, my compafs being C with the troops, and not a glimpfe of funfhine, owing to the heavy rain ; till the black boy put me in mind that on the fouth fide the bark of the trees was ufually moR fmooth. This in fact was a fortunate hint, and we proceeded through thick and thin, till, overcome by fatigue and hunger, we both fat down, and looked at each other, exactly like two victims doomed to-execution. During this laft mournful filence, we heard a found like coughing and the ruffling of arms, which, thank Heaven ! foon proved to be our own troops, luckily for us refting near an old encampment, where the purfuing party from the river Pirica had lately lodged. At this moment, notwith-ftanding my prefent fituation, i enjoyed an extraordinary degree of mental happinefs; which proves how much all good and evil are only of a relative nature. Having now been heartily welcomed by the other ofRcers, i partook of fome cold beef and bread, and a gourd full of grog, as did alfo my poor boy. After this regale the party rofe, and purfuing our march, we once more entered a quagmire, or rather a mud-pool, the furface being too thin to carry us ; through which having waded till it was pitch dark, we were obliged to encamp in the very middle of it, the troops by Hinging their hammocks in the trees,, one above another, and the flaves on temporary rafts made above the furface of the water, on which were alfo placed the powder, the victuals, &x. On the 26th, the good Colonel having now drank his
coffee
CHAP,  coffee in his hammock, while he kept the troops ftanding
xxii . u ' „ round it in water above their middle, a whole hour before day-light, we again fcrambled forward, keeping our courfe, firft W. and afterwards N. W. when the road was fo exceffively bad, that many flaves let fall their burdens, breaking, wetting, and fpoiling every thing that was in them. At laft, having pafled through a fécond deferted camp, we halted on the old cordon, or path of communication on which I formerly difcovered the track of the rebels, when I commanded in Cottica river; and here, having erected flight lheds, we paffed the night— I ftill a priibner.
At this time a fmall quadruped running through the camp with incredible fwiftnefs, it was cut down by one of the rangers with his fabre. This proved to be the Paca or Spotted Cavey, called in Surinam the Aquatic Hare. This animal is the fize of a fucking pig, and extremely fat. The under jaw is fhort, the noftrils large, the eyes black, and the ears fmall and naked. It has five toes on each foot, a tail like the firft joint of a man's thumb, and whiikcrs like a cat; the colour is an earthen brown, with longitudinal rows of buff-coloured fpots; the belly is a dirty white, the hair all over coarfe and fhort. The Paca is an amphibious animal. On land it digs up the earth like a hog in queft of food, and when in danger flies to the water for its fafety ; notwithstanding this animal is fo very plump and heavy, it runs fwifter than moft other animals of its fize in South America, contrary to the account given of it in the fupplement to
the
43
the Count de Buffon's defcription*, where it is faid " not u to be nimble, to run but feldom, and then with a bad " grace which may all be the cafe in a domeftic Rate (for the Paca is capable of being tamed) but he is not Ruggifh in a Rate of nature. This I know to be true, having feen him run like a hare. We had this animal dreffed for fupper, and found him even more delicious than the wood-rat, or even the warra-bofena : indeed, nothing can be better eating than the Paca or fpotted Cavy.
The long-nofed Cavy, better known by the name of the Agouti Pacarara, or Indian Coney, is alfo very common in Surinam : this is the fize of a large rabbit, its colour is an orange brown, the belly yellow ; the legs black and Render, with four toes on the fore-feet, and three on the hindermoft ; the ears fmall, the eyes a bright black, the upper lip dividcvl ; it has whifkers, and its tail is like that of the Paca. This animal breeds very faR,and fuckles its young, which are three or four in number, in concealed holes of old trees, Sec. where it alfo retires for Riel-ter if purfued ; but it does not feek its food in the earth, like the former. The Agouti is eafily tamed, and feeds on fruits, roots, nuts, &:c. But its flefth, though very good, is not fo delicious as that of the Paca.
In Surinam I have been told there is Rill another fpecies of the Agouti, called the Indian Rat-Coney, on account of its having a long tail.   This I never faw, unlcfs it is the
* Sec Buffon's Natural Hiftory, Vol. V. page 39,
You IR X fame
fame animal (which I apprehend it to be) that I have defcribed under the name of the bufh-rat.
On the 27th we again broke up, and finally arrived in the forenoon, and in a forlorn condition, at the eflate Sorlboy on the river Pirica, to defend the plantations againfi Bonny and his rebel negroes.
The river Pirica by its many windings is thought to extend about three-fcore miles. It is very deep but narrow, and has its banks, like all the others, lined with fine coffee and fugar plantations ; its general courfe is from S. E. to N. W. We were fcarcely arrived at this poft, than I was accofted by feveral deputies from Colonel Seyburg, who earneRly intreated that I would only acknowledge myfelf to have been in fault, afluring me that I fliould then be fet at liberty, and all would be forgotten.   As I
was confcious, however, of my own innocence, I could not in common juftice criminate myfelf in an inftance,-where even my alledged crime amounted to no more than an anxious folicitude for the poor men and the provifions who were entrufted to my care. I was, therefore, placed under the guard of a fentinel, for what my commander was pleafed to term unpliant ftubbornnefs, and difarmed. In the mean time the marines caufed me freih uneafi-nefs, and of the moft poignant kind, by loudly threatening to mutiny in my behalf; nor could any thing have prevented them, but my decifive declaration, that as no caufe could juftify military difobedience and rebellion, I fliould be under the neceflity myfelf (however injurious
to
to my feelings) of taking an active part againft them, and C feeing the ringleaders brought to condign punishment. I felt that at this time I could war with all the world, and nearly with myfelf—-my heart was breaking apace—my life became a burden :
" Dependants, friends, relations, love himfelf, « Savagd by woe, forget the tender tie, " The fweet engagements of the feeling heart."
The day after our arrival in this ftation, we received the particulars of the Pirica news, which were, that on the 20th the eftates Scboonbove and Altona had been pillaged by the rebels whom we had routed at Gado-Saby, but that at the plantation Poehvyk they had been beaten back by the Haves : that the rangers ftationed at an eftate called Hagenbos had purfued them on the aift, overtaken them on the 23d, killed feveral, and brought back moft of the booty : that on the fame day another party of the rebels had made an attempt to feize the powder magazine at Hagenbos (which was no bad plan) but that (while the rangers were in purfuit of their affociates) they had been repulfed by the manly behaviour of a few armed flaves, one of whom, belonging to the eftate 7/-motibo, took an armed rebel himfelf, and next difcovered their camp at the back of his matter's plantations ; for which he was handfomely rewarded. From all which intelligence, there was now no doubt remaining that if Seyburg's detached party on the 16th had marched
X 2 forwards
forwards inRead of backwards, by bis orders, the above mifchief might have been prevented, and the enter prize of the rebels entirely fruftrated. It was alfo evident from this narrative, that the man whom we fired at on the 21ft was certainly one of the plunderers on the 20th, and that the bodies found dead on the 23d had been fhot the: very fame day.
On the 29th, among other fruits, fome dates were fent to me by a Society officer. This tree is alfo of the Pal-meto fpecies, but not extremely high ;. its leaves diverge from its fummit, very thick, hanging down in the form of an umbrella. The dates appear in large clutters, being an oblong thin fruit like a man's thumb, of a yellow colour, and the pulp, which is fat, firm, and fweet, adheres to a hard greyifli-coloured Rone, with longitudinal furrows.—I ought not to omit mentioning, that this day Rxty rangers going to reconnoitre, difcovered the old rebel camp at the back of Timotibo, which fcemed to> have contained about Rxty armed men..
On the morning of the 30th of September, having nothing more to do in the neighbourhood of the Pirica River, we left it, and on the iR of October came to Devil's Harwar much fatigued, nothing remarkable having happened on our march. I had written on the preceding, day to Colonel Fourgeoud, informing him, that I was: weary of exiftence in my prefent Rate, and. requeRing that a court-martial might be immediately called ; and this letter I had fent by a Have to the commander in chief. $ On
On. our arrival at this Ration, I indeed found every hard means employed to bring me to terms ; and fuch was the fevere ufage I experienced, that one of the rangers, called Captain %uaci9 exclaimed, " If in this manner thefe Eir-" ropeans treat one another, is it to be wondered at that " they fliould take a pleafure in torturing us poor "Africans ?"
At Devil's Harwar,. however, my ftormy voyage drew to a conclufion. Colonel Seyburg was evidently convinced that he was wrong, and knowing what muft follow, now only wifhed for a handfomc opportunity of extricating himfelf from the effects of his unmanly paflion. On the 2d of October, therefore, he afked me with a fmile, " If I had a heart to forget and forgive ?" To which I fternly anfwered, " No!"—He repeated the queftion.— I then laid," 1 venerated truth, and would never confefs " myfelf in an error, unlefs my heart coincided in the " acknowledgment—that this was a conceflion I would v "make to no man living,, and leaft of all to him."—He here grafped my hand, begged me to be pacified, and declared, " That he would m ike peace on any terms ;"— but I again drew back with contempt, and decidedly avowed,"That I could not agree to any cdmpromife, un-" lefs he owned bis fault in the prefence of all the ofti-" cers,with his own hands tearing from his journal every " fentence that could reflect upon my character." The journals were immediately produced, my arms were returned me, and my triumph was attended with every
circumftance
chap, circumftance that could add to my full fatisfaclion. I XXII. tiien fj-an^iy and fmcerely gave my hand to Colonel Seyburg, who gave a feaft in honour of our reconciliation ; and after dinner, to my utter furprize, produced the letter which I had written to Colonel Fourgeoud, which he acknowledged he had intercepted to prevent the affair proceeding to extremities : at the fame time he acquainted me, that Fourgeoud was encamped at the Wana Creek, inftead of Lieutenant Colonel de Borgnes, who had fallen fick, and was gone to Paramaribo. A perfect reconciliation having taken place, and every thing being now adjufted, while the troops having had fome reft, we fet out once more on the 4th for the head quarters at Jerufalem ; but I was obliged to leave poor Quaco, who was very ill, at Devifs Harwar, under care of the furgeon ; and that evening we encamped oppofite the mouth of the Cormoetibo Creek.
On the following morning early, having croffed the River Cottica, the troops marched back to Jerufalem; where I now had leifure to reflect on the various evils which befal poor mortals, as well thofe who are innocent of the difficulties they are brought into, as thofe (which are the greater part) who have brought themfelves into diftrefs and even defpair by their own indifcretions. Thefe reflections arofe from finding here, among others, a newly-arrived acquaintance, a Mr. P—t—r, who having fquandered away in Europe above thirty thoufand pounds, and loft a beautiful wife by elopement, was now 4 reduced
reduced to the income of an enfign in the Society troops. This gentleman having formerly pofleffed considerable property in this very colony, his prefent fituation could not but be afluredly the more galling on that account.— Alas ! unhappy young fellow : well might you exclaim—
ff Privé de tout mes biens, cc Dans un climat funeite, « Je t'adore & te perds, " Le poignard feul me refte. « Mais, Oh ! je fuis P—t—r, ** Refervé pour fouffrir ; " Je fçaurois vivre encore, " Et faire plus que mourir."
Thefe are the words which he fpouted with a figh, throwing the laft filver he had left among the flaves ; and indeed nothing could be more applicable to himfelf than the lines he quoted, or more lamentable than this poor devil's forlorn condition ; which, however, created in me, during my prefent humour, no other effect---than a loud and immoderate fit of laughter.
Vol. II.
G II A P.
C H A P. XXIII.
jSécond march to Gado-Saby—Account of a living Skeleton —Beautiful Landfcapes—The Commander in Chief falls fick, and leaves the Camp—Some Rebels taken—Difcourfe on the Exjftence of Mermaids—Heavy Rains—Difeafe— Fa min e—Mi]ery.
ON the 9th of October, 1775, Colonel Fourgeoud broke up the encampment at the Wana Creek to join us at Jerufalem, having fent down the half of his party fick in barges; and their number being greatly-augmented by the invalids from this place, they were all together tranfported to receive the conp-de-grace in the hofpital at Devil's Harwar. The rangers alfo took their leave, and marched, with Mr. Vinfack their conductor, to guard the Pirica River.
Fourgeoud, during his laft cruize, had difcovered a hundred empty houfes, and feen fome ftraggling rebels, but he had taken none. He had alfo found a fcalp fixed to the branch of a tree, which we juifly conjectured to be the remains of the unfortunate Schmidt, who was loft*.
On the 13th my black boy, Quaco, being perfectly re-
* This was the more furprifmg, as we were at peace with all the Indians^ and fcalping was never pra&ifed by the negroes*
covered,
covered, arrived, to my great fat isfaction, as his fidelity to me was fo Ready and unfhaken. At the fame time we received an account that Captain Stoelman, with fome rangers, had difcovered a frefli fettlement of the rebels by a great fmoke appearing at a diftance in the foreft, but had not yet attacked them ; that Captain Fredericy, with a party of black volunteers, was fcouring the fea-iide below Paramaribo; that the two men we had loR on the 18th of Auguft had miraculoufly efcaped, and found their way to the poR at the river Marawina ; and that no lefs than twelve fine negro Haves had juft deferted from the Gold Mine eftate to join the rebels.
This news fo much exafperated Colonel Fourgeoud, that the indefatigable man again determined to pçrfe-vere in purfuing his enemies. We accordingly entered the woods very early on the morning of the 15th, although he and his little army were at this time greatly reduced. He buried but the evening before one of his countrymen, a volunteer, called Matthew, and brother to the enfign : but death was now become fo familiar to us, that upon lofing a friend or relation, the firft queftion generally was, M Has he left any brandy, rum, or to-" bacco?"—" Pauvre Laurant!" faid I, to his fhriveiled valet-de-chambre, " the brave Fourgeoud is like fire ; he " is to the colony an excellent fervant indeed; but I think « to both you and myfelf but a roughifh mafter." The poor fellow, flirugging up his flioulders, replied, with a grin and a heavy figh, " Oui, par ma foil" and then treated
Vol. II, Y me,
CHAP,  me with a pinch of his fnuff.   I muft not omit that, a
XXIII. e
\_ _' m Httle before our departure, feven more of our negro flaves did defert us, who went home to their mafters perfectly broken-hearted, emaciated, and nearly ftarved; however, we proceeded, and marched directly N. E. during which nothing happened, except my box with all my bottles being dafhed to pieces ; and in the evening we encamped, though then unknown to us, near the Cafll-pore Creek, where the dry feafon having commenced, we dug a pit for water. Orders were alfo ifiued to the troops no more to build huts, fheds, 8tc. as the rains were now lefs violent.
On the 16th we continued our route, marching N. E, as before, and towards the evening arrived at the houfes which Colonel Fourgeoud had lately difcovered, which proved fince to be only a temporary fettlement, erected by the rebels as a fhelter or afylum in their expected retreat, before they were diflodged from Gado-Saby ; and to this little fettlement they had given the name of Boqfy Cry, '   that is, " the woods lament."  Here we encamped, and took much notice of Bonny's houfe in particular, which was built like a watering machine, being elevated from the ground, with two doors, fo that he might the better obferve all around him, and prevent his being taken by furprize ; it alfo had more air, and, of courfe, was better calculated for his health, he having in fome late action received a very dangerous wound in the groin, as we afterwards learned from a rebel negro prifoner.  Near to 7 Bonny's
Bonny's houfe were the private baths, where his women waftied themfelves morning and evening, there being no river near this fettlement.
In this encampment one of our flaves prefentcd me with a land-turtle, which indeed we had met with feveral times before ; but as I have never defcribed this animal, I will now endeavour to give fome account of it.—» The land-turtle of Surinam is not more than eighteen or twenty inches in length, and of an oval form ; the fhell is more convex than that of the fea-turtle, and marked with thirteen elevated hexangular fliields, dark brown and yellow, fo hard that it will bear almoft any weight without breaking ; the under fhell is a little concave, and of a light yellow : the head of this animal refembles that of other turtles ; the tail is naked and Riort, but inftead of fins or fwimmers it has four feet covered with fcales, and armed with fharp claws to aflift it in crawling over
the ground. When this poor creature fees any danger, it inftantly ftirinks within its fliell. In this fituation the Indians put it on the fire, where they broil it until it is dreft, which is known by the under fliell feparating from the upper, which ferves for a difh to hold the contents. A lefs barbarous way, and the way which I always followed, is only to provoke the animal by the heat of the embers to run away ; when ftretching out its head and neck, they are eafily chopped off, and the food extracted without additional torture. I have known Mr. de Graaf keep three or four of thefe land-turtles for above four
Y 2 months
months for transportation, during which time they lived without any apparent nouriRimcnt whatever, yet Rill remained vigorous, and even prone to copulation.
Another kind of land-turtle, called here the arlacacca, I have often feen; this is kfs in circumference, very Rat, of a diiagrceable greeniih colour, and nothing like fo good as the former*
On the 17th we continued our march N. and N. E, in hopes of more difcovcries, but without fuccefs. We thi^ day pafTed fome ant-hillocks above fix feet high, and,, without exaggeration, above one hundred feet in circumference. We alfo faw great quantities of valuable timber, and, among the reft, the black-cabbage tree, the wood of which is of a deep brown, and is in high eftima-tion among carpenters and joiners. The /and- hooker tree was likewife ftiewn me, which receives its name from the fruit, which being divefted of its feed, is ufed as a find-box by writers. It is of the fliape of a large onion, with fmall holes in the furface ; the feed is both laxative and emetic, but the juice of the pulp is a fatal poifon. More than this I cannot fay, having had neither the time nor the power of examining it with the accuracy of a profeffed botanift.
On the 18th we continued the fame courfe for a few hours longer, when we found a beaten path, which, though circuitous, feemed to be a communication between Gado-Saby and Booffy-Cry. We followed this path, which led us due W. for a few hours, when a poor
rebel
rebel negro was found by me covered with branches of ciia p. the manicole-tree, and indeed barely alive, being in ap- , xxnL pearance nothing but ukin and bone, with one of his eyes almoR beaten out of the focket. I put my bottle to his mouth, he fwallowed a few drops of rum and water, and faid with a faint voice, which we could fcarcely hear, ff Dank ye, me MafTera !" but could articulate nothing more. Fourgeoud ordered this man to be carried with us in a hammock ; and we foon afterwards encamped near a biree-biree fwamp or quagmire. I ought not to forget that this day we faw fome very fine kcujl-trees, being eighty or a hundred feet high, and prodigioufly thick ; the trunk is grey and very ftraight, with no branches till near the top, on which the leaves are dif-pofed two to each Rem : this is juftly called the king of the foreft, for a finer tree cannot be found. The timber is of a beautiful cinnamon-colour, and poffefles every delireable quality of gravity, polifb, grain, and durability,—But what particularly attracted our notice was its feed, like beans, three or four in number, cndofed in a broad light-brown pod, that lay fcattered in quantities at the root of the tree, upon the ground, and tafted like fome kinds of gingerbread. From the root of this tree a gum exudes, which, properly prepared, affords a var-nifli hitherto unequalled for tranfparency and effect.
Innumerable indeed are the various fine trees that this country produces, and which may be had for the cutting; yet, when wre confider the diftance they ufually grow from navigable rivers, the great labour in felling and
working
working them, the vaft number of Raves required to drag them through the foreft, where no horfes can be employed, befides the danger and lofs of time, we may eafily account for the enormous price generally paid for the beft timber in Guiana.
This march undoubtedly afforded us the'moft enchanting profpccts that can be imagined, in a luxuriant and ever-green foreft, while the dry feafon contributed greatly to beautify the fcene; and Ample nature by far out (hone the moR ftrenuous endeavours of art.   Here we met with immenfe favannas of the moft lovely verdure, in-terfperfed with meandring brooks of water, cool and clear as rock cryftal; their borders adorned with flowers of every lively hue and fragrance.   In fome places we ob* ferved fmall clumps of elegant flirubs, or perhaps a Angle tree, whofe beauty would almoft induce one to think they had been defignedly left growing to enrich the fcene.   The whole furrounded by a vaft wood of lofty palm-trees, waving their fea-green foliage above the variegated copfé of never - fading verdure, bloffom, and fruit, as if to invite the panting wanderer under its cooling fhade, till in the later hours he might enjoy the 'bracing pleafures of the limpid flood, and contemplate nature's beauties undifturbed.—When univcrfal fllence reigned every where around, how often have I thought on my dear friend, and wiflied with her to glide through life in thefe Ely Ran fields !—But I muft wave the pleaflng recollection.
On the 19th we again marched, and fell in with our
old
EXPEDITION  TO  SURINAM. 167 old path, which we followed, leading directly to the fields chap.
c   . XXIII. of Gado-Saby, where quantities ot rice once more ap-  u _ _ _j
peared in full bloom, which we cut down and burned to
afhes.   Here, perceiving the poor rebel negro hopelefs
of recovery, not abfolutely to bury him alive, he was
overfpread with mofs, leaves, and green boughs; after
which we Rung our hammocks, being almoft choaked
with fmoke.
In thefe fields I faw a lizard above two feet long, which the negro flaves killed and ate : they called it fapagala, it was of a brownifli green colour, but did not refemble the iguana. Among the ruins of the confumed town we difcovered fome Jcolopendrasy or centipedes, no lefs than eight or ten inches in length ; this odious reptile is of a yellowifli-brown colour, walks very faft backwards or forwards, and bites fo feverely, that the venom it in-fufes, though hot deemed fatal, generally produces a fever. Some writers aflign this reptile twenty pair of legs, others forty ; 1 never reckoned them, and can only oh-ferve, that they appeared to me exactly to refemble the centipedes in Europe. Some of our gentlemen formed large collections of thefe curiofities, which were very valuable, whilft I contented myfelf with the drawings and defcriptions only of thofe I thought moft uncommon.
On the 20th, we marched to vifit Cofaay, when I perceiving the unhappy negro captive ftill alive ; after removing the branches, he was, at my earneft interceffton, once more carried along with us ; but the flaves, being
difcontented
difcoutented with fuch a load, took every opportunity, in my abfence, of torturing him, by knocking him againR roots and Rones, and dragging him through mud and water as they went along. Different patroles were now ordered out to reconnoitre the grounds, while the remainder of the troops encamped in the weft part of Co-faay ; and thefe patroles difcovered no lefs than four beautiful fields in one chain, lituated due weft from Co* faay, -well ftocked with caflava, yams, plantains, piftachio nuts, with maize and pigeon peas : alfo were feen feveral human carcafes, the relicts of our late engagements in Auguft. We found here a fpecies of medlars of a crim-fon colour, and of a tafte very much like that of ftraw-berries. This fruit grows on a large green fhrub, and is cultivated in many gardens at Paramaribo. We alfo met with a kind of wild plum-tree called monpe : the fruit is yellow, oblong, and fmall; the ftone is large, the pulp thin, and though of a flrarp acid has an agreeable flavour.
On the morning of the 21R, all thefe and every ufeful vegetable were cut down, and again deftroyed by fire ; after which, returning to our laft night's camp, we found it alfo in flames, and were obliged to fling our hammocks in the eajl fkirts of the woods. Here, recollecting that the poor difabled rebel was left alone, I ran back weft to the burning camp to afford him aftiftance; but after feek-ing him in vain through clouds of fmoke and darknefs, I vas forced to confult my own fafety, by haftily returning
ing to my companions ; fome blaming me much for my te- C merity, others damning the Jkeleton, whether dead or alive.
The devaRation being now compleated, we marched back to Jerufalem, where on the 24th we arrived perfectly exhaufted, and Fourgeoud at laft fo ill with a phrenzy fever, that he was confined to his hammock, with fmall hopes of Surviving the night. But he however ftill continued to command, and the next morning ordered a marine to be baftonaded, for afking flioes, although he was bare-footed, and his feet tore to pieces; while another was flogged for coughing, who had a fe-vere cold ; a captain was difmiffed from actual fervice, and confined in Fort Zealandia, for having dared to marry without his confent. — Sicknefs and death now raged through the camp, and every thing was in the utmoft confniion.
To com pleat the whole, on the iff of November, twenty-five more negro flaves ran away ; and on the 3d we received intelligence that no lefs than fifty armed rebels had been feen fwimming acrofs the River Cottica, about a mufket-fhot above Barbacoeba.
In confequence of this information, Colonel Seyburg was detached, with the few men that remained able to carry arms, who through diflrefs and famine were now almoft ready to attack their own officers; and who being unfupplied with their favourite luxury, tobacco*, fat
* All failors, foldiers, and negroes are    keeps up their fpirits, they fay, and fome particularly miferable without tobacco: it    olmoji prefer it to bread.
Vol. II. Z fmoking
fmoking grey paper, and chewing leaves and leather as a RibRitute for the want of it. Few men, however, were worfe off than I was at this time ; fince, having neither provifions nor cloaths, I was almoft naked as well as ftarved, with a running ulcer in my left foot, ever fince the ambufcade and march to Pirica ; nor had I a friend in the camp who could give me the fmall eft afliftance. To compieat my mifery, the little blood 1 had remaining was in tzvo fucceflive nights again nearly fucked away by the vampire-bat, or fpectre : thus I fainted away in my hammock, and was almoft forry to recover, particularly upon being informed by a letter that Joanna and her boy were dying with a putrid fever at Paramaribo.
At laft, on the r 2th, Serjeant Fowler arrived from Mocha, with one of my boxes; when this poor fellow, notwith-ftanding my fituation, made me laugh aloud by producing a letter from his mother in Europe, which made him extremely happy ; and which I muft beg leave verbatim to tranferibe.
" Dair Shonny,
« I have relaved your gid from the Bridcvail—and your « fhits from the panbroker—the baby is died—bleffed be Goat, " while I hop yow be living, I am your laifing mother tell " death, Maggy Fowler."
The fame evening Colonel Seyburg's party returned, without having obtained any further intelligence.
On the 14th Colonel Fourgeoud was fo dangeroufly
ill,
ill, that he at length was obliged to relinquifh his com- CHAP, mand, and proceed to town for his recovery. Accord- t ^l11^, ingly on the 15th, he fet ont by water for Paramaribo : thus, after having facrificcd all his troops, he became himfelf finally a victim to his unbounded ambition and obftinate perfeverance in this worft of all climates, while by toiling lefs and living better both he and his foldiers might have rendered the colony, if not fuperior, at leaft an equal fervice.—A barge loaded with fick and dying was at the fame time once more fent to the hofpital at Devil's Harwar.
The command of the remaining fcarecrows now devolved upon the Lieutenant Colonel, who (ftrange to tell!) that very evening inherited the fame diftempcr, as well as the chief command ; the barge that rowed off the old hero having but juft clifippcurcd, when this gentleman was attacked alfo by the phrenzy fever ; the above complaint was indeed at this time very common amongft all ranks and degrees who were broiling under a burning fun at Jerufalem; it being the dry feafon, when we ought to have been in the woods—but for thofe expeditions, as I have ifated before, the rainy feafons were moft unhappily preferred. Several officers would have before now thrown up their military commiffions, could they with decency have taken fuch a meafure, during an expedition on actual fervice; nor, in my opinion, ought fuch to he granted, cafes of the very greatcft neceflity excepted. 1 could myfelf have wifhed to go for fome time to Paramaribo,
Z 2 but
but as this favour was not offered me, while all the others, and even the flaves, were relieved, I feorned to petition for it while I was able to Rand.
On the 19th, however, my foot became fo bad, that the furgeon reported me unfit for duty ; yet I ftill remained in the camp, where I could be to none of any fervice.
A fupply of frefli troops, flaves, and provifions being, arrived on the 20th, Major Medlar, with 150 men, was detached to make new difcovcries.
Among other plagues, the whole camp at this time fwarmed with locujls, which appeared every where in moft formidable troops, devouring every thing that lay in their way. Indeed the curfe of Heaven feemed to vifit us here in various lhapes, and every vermin were fo plenty at this time, that no exertion could keep us perfectly free. Thefe locufts were brown, two inches in length, and fhaped like a grafshopper ; they did not fly, but crawled by millions on the very tables and feats as we fat at dinner, and at night they tormented us by crawling over our faces by fcores.
The only defirable article we found at Jerufalem was fifti, of which we feldom wanted plenty, particularly new-mar a and warrappa, alfo the patakee, and the old wifee, both very excellent ; the former of which is about two feet long, fhaped like a whiting, the other is the fize of a large perch. A kind of needle-fifti, called naaynaay-fifee, was found here in great abundance, thefe were very thin, and about one foot in length ; alfo a kind of
dung-
dung-fiJJj; about the fize of a fmall herring, hut thefe two CHAP, laft were only ufecl by the negroes. XXlil.
On the 3d of December, Major Medlar's party returned, after fourteen days abfence, with a captive rebel woman and her boy about eight years old, taken in a fmall field of bitter caflava. The poor woman was pregnant, and under great alarmsr but was tenderly treated by Medlar, who was always a humane and well-difpofed gentleman. He had, however, unluckily loft two of his beft men, one Scboe.ar, a corporal, the other called Philip Fan den Bosr a private marine, who having inadvertently eaten a few roots of the above bitter cajfava were poifoned, and died during the fame night with the moft excruciating pain and convulfions : the antidote is faid to be Cayenne pepper and fpirits, neither of which were at that time to be procured.
The black woman confirmed the account that Bonny had been wounded ; flie alfo told us the poor ftarved negro we had found was called Ifaac, and had been left for dead. That one Captain Arico had formed a new fettlement near the fea, called Fiffy-Hollo ; while Bonny, flie affined us, maintained the ftricfeft difcipline amongft his troops: he was, flie faid, abfolutely defpotic, and had executed two of his men but three days before we took Gado-Saby, viz. during the night of the 17th Auguft, when we heard the firing and lhouting, only upon tuf-picion of having hinted fome few words in favour of the Europeans, and were the heads which we found ftuck
on
on the Rakes. She further affured us, that none of his people were trufted with arms, until they had firft ferved him fome years as flaves, and given him unquef-tionahle proofs of fidelity and rcfolution. But thefe, flie obferved, were but few in number, when compared to his numerous vaflals, who were bound to do Without murmuring whatever he thought proper to command them; yet that he JIM was more beloved than he was feared, on account of his inflexible juftice and manly courage.
On the 4th December, this poor woman and her boy were fent to Paramaribo, with Enfign de Cabalnes, who had taken them : he had at the fame time nearly feized a young girl about fifteen, who by her great agility, and being ftark naked, flipped out of his hands :
—..............>i( Fugit ocior aura
*c Ilk kvi; neque ad hcec revocantis verba refiftit : t? Nymphci, precor, Pcneia, mane ; non infecjuor hoftis. " Nympha, mane."- 1
Oyid.
It being proved at the court that the above woman had been forcibly carried off by the rebels, though many years before, the poor creature was pardoned, and joy-folly returned with her child to her mafter's plantation. It is remarkable, that when the boy faw the firft cow or horfe he almoft fell into convulfions with terror ; nor could he bear to be touched by any white perfon, whom 6 he
he never had feen before, and whom he conRantly called Yorica, which in his language flgnifies the devil.
About this time a dead fea-cow, or manatee, by the French called Lamantin, floating paft Jerufalem, the negro flaves fell upon it, like fo many crows upon a carrion, fwimming round it, fome with a rufty knife, fome with a bill-hook, and each carrying off a llicc for his dinner; at laft they dragged the funking animal on fhorc, of which I inftantly took a drawing.   This manatee was exactly fixteen feet long, almoft fhapelefs, being an enormous lump of fat, tapering backwards to a flefhy, broad, horizontal tail. It had a thick round head, a flattifh fnout, large noftrils, with ftrong briftles both on its nofc and chin, fmall eyes, and auditory holes inftead of ears. In-ftead of feet, it had two excrefcences or flefhy fins, like thofe of the fea-turtle, projecting near its head ; with thefe it fwims, and moves awkwardly to eat the grafs on the banks of the rivers, being an amphibious animal. The colour was a greenifh black; the fkin was hard and uneven, covered with large knobs, circular wrinkles, and with a very few ft iff hairs thinly fcattered.    It had grinders but no fore-teeth, and a very fhort tongue. The fea-cow or manatee is, like the whale, a viviparous animal, the female fuckling its young by the help of its fwimmers.   They are very numerous in the river Amazons; their fleih, it is faid, refembles veal, and is very good food.   This was, however, too far advanced in a ftate of putridity, for me to tafte it.   It had the marks of being
twice
CHAP,  twice Riot, which muR have been by the rebels on the LX3™' i 27th, when we heard the report of two mufkets at a diftance*
As I am once more on the fubject of natural hiftory, I fhall defcribe another amphibious animal, called the tapira, which bears fome diftant refemblance to the hippopotamus of the old continent, but it is a great deal lefs. This creature is about the fize of a fmall afs, but much more clumfy.   The head is not unlike that of a horfe, but the upper lip much longer, projecting fomething like the probofcis of an elephant, and is alfo moveable, but too fhort to be of ufe, as is the trunk of that animal ; the ears are fliort, the tufks Rrong, and fometimes viable, the mane is briftly and erect, the limbs are low and Rrong, with a kind of hoof divided into four claws, and the tail is thick and fliort, like that of the elephant. The Rvin of this creature is excefllvcly thick, of a brown co-Jour, and when young it is marked with white fpots, like thofe of the Rag or paca, proceeding in longitudinal rows. It feeds on grafs, and other herbs that grow in watery places, and is fo ftiy, that when alarmed by the fmalleft noife it plunges under water, alfo like the paca, for fe-curity, where it remains for a confiderable time. The flefh of the tapira is delicate, being accounted fuperior to the beft ox-beef.—See both the above animals in the annexed plate. A Mr. Selefelder, of the Society fervice, at this time af-. fured me, that he faw quite a different river-horfe in the
river
London, fuldUlud A>f, •.'"/■:'/7,^ r h ,1. Johnson d! l'on Is t'hntvh Y ml. 4P
River Marawina ; and Major Abercromby, of the fame fer- CHAP, vice, declared, that a mermaid was lately feen in the Ri- t xxm-^ ver Surinam. Lord Monboddo alfo pofitively affirms the exificnce of fea-women and fea-men, while he afferts that they were feen fô late as 1720. But, however re-fpectable his lordftiip's judgment and authority may be on other fubjects, I can no more agree with him, as to men and women having fins and fcales, than to their having tails.
The plain fact, in my humble opinion, is this, that in many rivers between the Tropics, both on the coaft of Africa and South America, a fifti fometimes appears half above the water,, that bears a diltant refemblance of the human fpecies, but is fin aller, nearly fuch as in 1794 was exhibited in London. The colour is of a blackilh green ; the head is round, with, a deformed kind of a face ; a Rrong fin rims from near the eyes to the middle of the back, which fomething refembles flowing hair : and the two fuppofed arms and hands, are two flelhy fins, or rather digitated fwimmers; the female has breafis affur-edly like a woman's, being a viviparous animal; while the tail is exactly that of a fifh, in moft of which properties it agrees with the feal, but this laft has no fin along the back, and is considerably larger, while it never appears erect above the water, like the former. The above information I had from feveral old negroes and Indians, who ail agreed perfectly in the defcription; fome added, that they fang, which I apprehend to be no other than a Vol. II. A a grunting
grunting noife which they emit like moft other tropical fifli and amphibious animals.
They concluded by affuring me, that though they were fcarcc, nothing was more dreaded by their wives and children, than the Watra Mama, which nghinès the mother of the waters ; and by which name, ftrange to tell, they diftinguifh their Sybils.—So much for the mon-Jïers of the deep ; and now 1 fliall once more return to thofe in felting Terra Firma.
I have juft mentioned, that, on account of a very bad foot, I had been returned unfit for duty by the fur-geon, on the 19th of November; yet this day, December 5th, another furgcon, wiili two captains, and the adjutant, were fent to infpect both me and Captain Perrety who was alfo lick. The furgeon gave his declaration upon oath, that we were incapable of walking without danger, much more of undergoing fatigue ; but Seyburg, who was ftill in his phrenzy fever, declared we fliould inftantly enter the woods, though he fliould fee us carried in two wheel-barrows. Poor Captain Perret complied to turn out, though he looked like a ghoft, and could fcarcely ftand ; but I folemnly fwore that I would blow out the firft man's brains who dared difrefpeêtfully to touch me : in confequence of which I was clofe guarded by a fentinel ; while the whole camp, upon my foul, now feemed to be compofed of none but madmen.
On the nth we received intelligence that a number of armed rebels had been juft feen oppofite to De vifs Har-
war,
war, and afterwards informed they were upon their retreat from the Comawina River, where on the 5th they had burnt to allies the dwelling-houfe of the eftate Kih lejiyn Nova, with Mr. Slighter the overfeer in it, ran-facked the whole plantation, killed and carried off thirty-three women, and chopped off the limb of a male mulatto child, to be revenged of its father; and that the Pirica rangers were in purfuit of them. Captain Fredcricy alfo arrived this day, who had exchanged from the Society troops into Colonel Fourgeoucfs regiment of marines, and confirmed to us the above unhappy news.
About this time, after having Rarved four months, my remaining Rores arrived at laft from Mocha, but three-fourths rotted and deftroyed by the blata or cockroaches : the remaining part I dirtributed among the fick people. But what proved tridy acceptable, was the cheering account that Joanna and Johnny were pa ft danger, and recovering
at Paramaribo. This intelligence indeed fo elevated my fpirits, that the next morning I reported myfelf fit for duty, though God knows that I was not ; and to this' I was the more induced by the want of frefti air, of which I was perfectly debarred in my confinement, and flood fo much in need. The fame evening a boat full of Caribbee Indians rowed up Cormoetibo, for the River Marawina, by the communication of the Wana Creek.
In eight days more, which was the 20th of December, being actually recovered of the wound in my foot, and Seyburg of his phrenetic fever, another officer and I played him the following trick, for his bad ufage.
A a 2 Having
CHAP.   Having invited this gentleman, with his adjutant, and a XXIII.    £ew more to fee us aft a farce \yy candle-light, we af-
fected to quarrel, and beating out the candle, the door being well fecured, laid on in the dark with fuch fuccefs upon a certain fomebody's flioulders, that, calling out Murder ! he leaped out at the window. Nothing ever gave me greater entertainment than to perceive his agility ; but Colonel Seyburg declared he would never more to our play be a fpectator.
At this time orders arrived from Colonel Fourgeoud, who was alfo better, to break up our camp at Jerufalem, and march once more to the Wana Creek. In confe-quence the Rck were again fent down in barges to the hofpital at Devil's Harwar, which was nearly full, while feveral were labouring under a difeafe fomething like the tympany, called here the kook, being a prodigious hardnefs and fwelling in the belly, occafioned, it is faid, by drinking muddy water without fpirits, which was indeed our daily and general beverage.
On the 22d, at fix o'clock in the morning, we all decamped, and fcrambled up along the banks of the Cormoetibo Creek, through a perfect bog, while one poor negro, who had his head fractured, was left behind, and another knocked over-board one of the barges, who was drowned.
We this day again faw great numbers of pingoes or warree-hogs, which as ufual breaking through our line, were cut down by fab res and Rabbed, while fome ran off with the bayonets Ricking in their hams.
This
This march was peculiarly difagreeable, upon account CHAP, of the heavy rains, which now began to fall down in t XX^lL. -torrents, overflowing the banks of all the rivers ; and fo cold were the damps in the morning, contrafted with the late warm days, that we frequently lay fhivering in our hammocks as in froft, efpecially when fleeping in wet cloaths. This inconvenience, however, I obviated to day by marching half naked, like the rangers, and putting my fhirt in one of the reverfed kettles, during the rain^-thus my fkin foon drying, after a fhower, I again put on my linen, and found myfelf much more comfortable than any of my trembling ghaftly looking companions.
On the evening of the 23d, we encamped near a rivulet called the Caymans or Alligator Creek; where a tree called Monblara afforded fome excellent fruit, but this was entirely ftripped by the flaves before I could either taftc or even fee it in perfection.
The rains continuing to pour down in a deluge, I again marched ftripped on the 24th, and we flung our hammocks in the evening, near a brook called Torica, or the Devil's Creek, where we made huts or fheds to cover us, and ftowed the provifions upon rafters.
On the following day we once more laboured through deep mud and water, in very heavy rains, and encamped at another fmall brook, called the Java Creek, three miles below the Wana.
On the 26th I was felecfed, with a fmall party, to reconnoitre the old camps at Wana Creek.   In the evening
we.
»
c h a P. we returned, half fwimming through mud and water,, s XX^1,^ and having literally feen nothing, except fome birds and curious trees, which I cannot pafs unnoticed. The birds were called the Cromback, the Camawarry, and the Crocro. The firR is a kind of large fnipe, the lize of a woodcock, with a crooked bill. The fécond is alfo a water fowl, but three times as large as the firft : on account of their fwiftnefs, and difappearing in a moment,. 1 can give but a very imperfect defcription of them. The Crocro is fomething lefs than our ravens, and I believe of the fame fpecies, being one of the moft voracious birds of the carnivorous tribe; in Guianaût is of a dark blue colour, has a remarkably ftrong bill and limbs, and croaks excefftvely loud and difagreeably, efpccially by night. The trees were what the negroes called the Ma-takee, and the Markoory. The firft is remarkable for its roots, which fpread above the ground in fuch a manner, that they will conceal a fcore of men from each other ; nay fo large are they fomctimes, that a horfeman may ride through between the interftices, and one fingle piece is fufficient to make a table large enough to hold twelve people.
For a better idea of this wonderful tree, I refer the reader to the annexed plate ; where I have placed it upon the oppofite fliore of the encampment at Jerufalem. In the fame plate, he is alfo prefented with a fair-weather view of the camp at Java Creek.
The other tree, called the Markoory, is truly formidable * on
oa account of its poifonous qualities, which are of fuch a fubtle nature, that the very fmoke of this wood, when on fire, is fatal to thofe animals that receive it into their lungs ; this is always feen to grow by itfelf, as it infallibly kills every thing around it, nay even the flaves re-fufc to cut it down on the plantations, fo much are they afraid of touching, or of even coming near to it. The Markoory is low, ugly, and uneven, with very few branches, and a pale verdure. I have been told that fome of the Indians render their arrows fatal by dipping the barbs of them in its fap.
On the 27th, another patrole was fent out, but to no better purpofe than the firft. I have mentioned that my foot was recovered, and fo it was, but I had now extracted out of my right arm two dreadful infects, which left behind them very deep ulcers. Thefe are called in Surinam the bujlj-worins, and are the ftiape and fize of
the aurelia of the common butterfly, with a pointed tail and black head. They ftuck extremely faft in the flefb, and were extracted with a lancet. They breed naturally in ftagnated waters, in marching conftantly through which they had attached themfelves to my fiefh.
My heart now began to fink with accumulated dif-afters ; my mind was agitated and deprefled with a confiant train of tortures, to which I could fee no end, and I became weary of life. In this dreadful fituation I fell upon my naked knees, and invoked the malediction of Heaven to fall on me, if I did not feparate myfelf from
my
C H A1*.  my prefent commanders and this fervice, the firft ho-XXIII.    nourable opportunity that fliould offer itfelf;—how re-ligioufly I have perfevered in obferving this vow, fliall be feen in the fequel of thefe pages, before I take my final farewell of my readers.
■
The place of our prefent encampment was now intolerable beyond every defcription, being conftantly overflowed, fo that the ammunition and provifions were Rowed for preservation on wooden rafts ; nor could we Rep out of our hammocks without being up to the knees in mud and water, where it was moft lhallow, while the gnats and other infects devoured us alive.   The confequence of afl which was, that another barge full of dying wretches was fent down the Cormoetibo Creek, bound for the hofpital at Devil's Harwar; among whom the poor old negro with his fractured fkuh, who had only yefterday rejoined us in his fhocking condition.   This floating charnel-houfe weighed anchor on the laft day of the year 1775—. with which I fliall beg leave to conclude this gloomy chapter.
C II A P.
CHAP. XXIV.
Two Volunteer Companies raifed, of free Mulattoes and Negroes—Defcription of the Arrowouka Indian Nation-— Colonel Fourgeoud's Regiment receives orders to fail for Europe—Countermanded—Re-enter the Woods—Trade of the Colony—Defcription of a Cacao Eftate—Sample of Sa h le Hero if m.
TO what good Rar I was obliged, in the midft of all   C H A P. XXIV our confuRon and diftrefs, I know not, but certain u
it is, that Colonel Seyburg having fent for me on the firft day of the new year, not only folicited my future friend-Riip, but declared he was fbrry for all the ill-treatment he had ever occafioned me, for which he principally blamed Mr. Gibhart, his adjutant and fpy ; then taking, me by the hand, as a proof of his real regard, permitted me from that moment to go to Paramaribo, or wherever I pleafed, to refrefh and refit until further orders; which had fuch an effect: on me, that having inftantly converted every drop of my rum into grog, we fat down, together with two other officers, and drowned all former animo-fity in oblivion, till we could hardly fee each other. In this condition I took my leave that very evening of my new friend and the camp at Java Creek, and rowed down in the heft fpirits for Paramaribo. Vol. II. B b Next
N A R R ATI VE  OF AN
chap.      Next morning, having lient during moft of the paf-
XXIV
»L fage, I breakfafted at Devil's Harwar, where I found that
the unfortunate Gibhart had juft fet fail for the other world. In the evening we arrived at the eftate Beekftied, as my negroes had made extraordinary difpatch, fumining ivattra * all the time to encourage each other.
On the 3d I arrived at the fprtrefs Amfterdam, where I was entertained with an excellent fiih dinner, and where I muft again intreat the reader's patience, while I attempt to defcribe the different fpecies, viz. the pajfary, prare-prare, provojl, and cur emu. Hie paffary is above two feet long, and weighs fometimes twenty pounds : the head is broad and flat ; it has two long barbs, and no fcales, and is very delicate eating. The prare-prare is about the fame fize, and equally good. The provoft is large, often five feet, and of a yellowifh colour ; the flefli of this is lefs agreeable, but the oil it produces comes to good account. As for the curema, this is a fpecies of mullet, fometimes above two feet in length, with large filvery eyes, and the under jaw longer than the upper. Near this place are alfo found a kind of fea-fnails, of which Madam Merian makes mention ; and the fore-part of which exactly refembles thofe of a flirimp.
In the evening at fix o'clock I arrived once more at Paramaribo, and found Joanna with her little boy per-
* That is, one of the rowers beating    from the reft, to which the others fing a the water with his oar at every ftroke, in chorus, ftch a manner that it founds different
feclly
fedlly well, after having both been blind for above three C
2
weeks ; with whom being now invited to lodge, at the houfe of my friend Mr. De Graaf, I was completely happy.
The following day I dined with Colonel Fourgeoud, who now alfo was as found as ever, and who gave me a very indifferent meal of fait provifions *, but an uncommonly hearty welcome. He acquainted me that two new companies of free mulattoes, and two of free negroes, all volunteers, had juft been raifed ; that the Serameca and Owca negroes encouraged and favoured the rebels, and were deceitful rafcals; that a few rebels had been killed in the Caftiwinica Creek; and that he was in hopes of rooting out Ftffy Hollo ; that Bonny, with his people, were almoft ftarving in the foreft, notwithftanding their late depredations, which could not la£h much longer; and that he was fully determined, if he fliould lofe his laft man, to make this rebel furrender, or harafs him till he and his gang, through hunger and diftrefs, fliould be obliged to quit the colony. I learned further from him, that a Frenchman had juft efcaped hanging for betraying the ftate of the fortifications, 8cc. to the governor of Cayenne ; that he had pardoned Captain Tulling for his clandeftinc marriage; and that Lieutenant Colonel de Borgnes was juft entered into matrimony with a rich widow, a Mrs. Crawford,
* This he abfolutely held as the'beft regimen for health, notwithftandip"- he had brought'lhree-cooks from Europe,
B b 2 The
The Colonel, in a word, was now quite the reverie of what he had been before, and upon the whole lb very agreeable in his manners, that I would never wifli to fpend my time in better company ; but how 1 fliould become at once the favourite of both thefe rival commanders, was a fecret I could never yet difcover, unlefs it might proceed from a defire of gaining mc from each other, as they Rill continued mutual enemies : be that as it may, I refolved to preferve the moR inflexible neutrality, as I alfo did between them and the governor, where I was invited next day, and dined not on falt-beef, but found as ufual a truly magnificent entertainment.
Thus I continued daily vifiting my friends, viz. Mrs. Godefroy, the Demellys, the Gordons, the Mac Neyls, 8tc. I alfo fpent a very agreeable day with the black Mrs. Sampfon, or Zubly, who was now a widow.
I was prefent too at a mulatto ball, compofed however not of flaves, but of free indépendant fettlers. Here the mufic, the lights, the country dances, the fupper, and, above all, the drefles were fo fuperb, and their behaviour fo decent and genteel, that the whole might ferve as a model for decorum and etiquette to fome of the fairer and more polifhed inhabitants.
On the 20th, obferving a number of Indians and black people of both fexes fwimming at the back of Fort Ze-landia, young Donald Mac Neyl and myfelf compleated the groupe, by flopping and getting in among them ; and I muR confefs I never beheld more furprifing feats
of
of activity in the water, than were performed by the negroes, who fought a foam battle, by plunging or rather tumbling like porpoifes, when they Rruck each other with their legs, as they never ufed their hands ; while the Indians, who were of the Arrowouka nation, fwam and dived like amphibious animals.
Being fufRciently refrefhed, we fat down upon the beach, near the twenty-one gun battery, where I had an opportunity of examining the features and figure of one of their young females, as flie approached us, like Venus rifing out of the fea. Thefe people being very different from all the other Indian nations that I have already de-fcribed, I fliall embrace the opportunity of fulfilling my promife, and giving a particular account of them.—In
the firfl place, the fkin of the young woman who was now emerging clean from the river, and divefted of ar-notta-paint, appeared much fairer than the copper-colour of the other Indians ; neither were her limbs deformed by thofe ftrait-laced bracelets or cotton-bands fo much in ufe with the reft ; nor did her hair hang down, but was neatly plaited clofe round the crown of her head, and fattened in the centre with a broad filver plate *. Her only drefs confifted, both during the time flie bathed and after, of a fmall fquare apron made of beads, as I have mentioned before : in every other refpect flie was perfectly naked : nor could a finer figure be imagined—
* This, at other times, they fupply by a fliell, a fifh-bone, or the tooth of a tiger, &c
erects
erect, vigorous, active, young, and healthy, which convinced me that when the body is expofed, as it certainly was ordained by nature, the face is but little noticed.
« ———----Such as Arcadian fong
ff T* mfmits from ancient uncorrupted Time ; " When tyrant Cuftom had not lhackled Man, " But free to follow Nature was the mode."
In her features was difplayed that beautiful fimplicity, that native xinfufpecting innocence, which cannot be put on where there is the Righteft confcioufnefs of guilt. Nor is the olive-colour incompatible with beauty, it is certainly the Randard complexion of the human race, while the black and white are fuppofed to be only gradations, produced probably by the extremes of heat and cold. As this Indian girl was perfectly h and fome, fo flie feemed to be perfectly happy. — " Happinefs," as the Abbe Reynal wifely obferves, " is more frequently found in a pure Rate « of nature, than in that of the moft refilled civilization." To be fure an European woman would blufh to her fingers ends at the very idea of appearing publicly ft ark naked; but education and prejudice are every thing, fince it is an axiom, that where there is no feeling of felf-reproach, there can affuredly be no fliame.
I remember to have feen an Indian youth, whofe name was Weekee, at Bergen-op-Zoom, where he was brought over from the colony Berbice with General Defalve, who cloathcd and partly civilized him : amongft other thing*,
' he
CHAP. XXIV.
lie,,, J,m .%,„{/>•
l.viulon.i'ntilulieJ JMr.'if'jj,^, /,, J../„/,„..:vi,.(!JUuL (hwxfi ïor.l. 61
1.1
he learned cookery, and to be fomething of a taylor, at his own requeft, that he might be enabled to provide both for his back and his belly. After fome time however, exprcmng a defire to return to the colony, he no fooner touched American ground, than Rripping himfelf of his lumber, he launched naked into his native woods, where he ended his days as he had begun them, amongft his beloved countrymen and companions ; like the Hottentot mentioned by Rouffeau, in his celebrated Difcours
fur P Inégalité & Conditions, &c.--But to return to the
girl :—She had with her a live parrot, which flie had ftunned with a blunt arrow from her bow, and for which I gave her a double-bladed knife *. So wonderfully expert are the Arrowouka Indians at this exercife, that they frequently bring down a macaw in full Right, or even a pigeon.
I cannot conclude thefe remarks without adding a few words concerning the unfpotted moral character of thefe people, who not only live in peace with moft of the other Indian nations, but are peculiarly attached to the Europeans, while thefe in return profefs for them the ftrongeft efteem.
* The general traffick carried on be- hammocks, flaves, monkies, parrots, and tween all the Indian1 nations and the Eu- paroquets; for which they receive fire-ropeans confifts in balfam-capivi, arroco- arms, knives,hatchets, fifh-hooks, combs, cerra, oil of carrabba, arnotta, and bees- coral and glafs beads, blue cotton, look-wax, bcfides pieces of Brazil and ebony ; ing-glafles, &c, the roots hiaree and varnillas, canoes,
As
As a proof of their gratitude, I will only relate one in-Ranee : — Some years ago an Indian woman being at Pa-ramaribo, and far advanced in a Rate of pregnancy, a Mr. Van der Mey humanely ordered his fervants to conduit her and her hufband into his houfe, where, giving them a private apartment, and every other conveniency, he wiflied them good-night. Before the next morning the woman was delivered ; but when the fervants went in to renew their offers of friendlhip, neither man, wife, nor child were to be found, as they had before day-break quietly marched into the foreft *. Various were at this time the conjectures concerning the bo^tà integrity of the Arrozvouka Indians, until, no lefs than eighteen months after, the fame Indian returned to Mr. Van der Mey, with a charming captive boy of the Accawau nation, that he had taken in battle f ; and whom prefenting to his benefactor, he only faid, '* Tbafsyours" and without waiting for any anfwer difappeared.—For this Rave the above gentleman was offered 200, which he refufed, and treated him as well as if he had been free.
The education thefe people receive in their infancy being according to the dictates only of fimple nature, their minds or their bodies are very feldom deformed, while a too nice attention to either is poflibly as detri-• mental as a total neglect.   The ingenious Dr. Bancroft is
* I have mentioned before that the Indians are exempt from pain in labour.
f This is however extremely uncommon, as a more peaceable people does not exift in the univerfe.
X of
of the fame opinion, which he fupports (I think need-lefsly) by a quotation from Quintilian.
Though the Arrowouka Indians live in perfect friendship and harmony with us, and indeed with moft of their neighbours, they yet fometimes go to war when provoked, as I have juft obferved ; in thefe combats they ufe bows and arrows, and the club called abowtozv* ; but they do not eat their prifoners like the Caribbee Indians, who even devoured the negroes whom they killed at the iniurrection in Berbicè. Notwithstanding thefe people live at a greater diftance from the fea than the IVcirrozvs, Sec. yet they have canoes, fometimes fourfcore feet in length, in which they paddle down the rivers, The Arrowouka Indians particularly are great herbalilts, and for all external accidents have recourfe to fimples,
with which the woods of all Terra Firma abound.--
But to proceed :
On the 25th I was feized with a fever, and blooded in the foot, in which the orifice being Jlruck too deep, for ftruck it was as they bleed the horfes, I again became lame ; during which time Colonel Seyburg arrived from the Java Creek to recover, he being at laft alfo taken very ill.
In the mean time Colonel Fourgeoud, while he was juft ready to renew his operations, having already fent a fmall detachment to the Jew Savannah for intelligence, received letters from the Hague, with exprefs orders to
* The New Zealanders call their club? pata-fatc; ; which affinity is remarkable, on account of their very great diftance,
Vol. IL C c abandon
NARRATIVE   OF AN
• «»
abandon the expedition immediately, and with his few remaining troops to fail for Holland without delay.
In corvfequence of thefe commands on the 27th, the tranfport ftrips were put in commiflion, and all the oflicers and privates received their clearance, which made them very happy; and indeed all at Paramaribo were alive with joy, except fome of the inhabitants and myfelf.
On the 14th of February, ill as I was with a bad foot,, a fore arm, the prickly heat, and all my teeth loofe with the fcurvy, 1 found means to fcramhle out on crutches, with a thoufand florins in my pocket, which having divided between Fourgeoud and Mrs. Godefroy for the redemption of the black boy guaco, and my mulatto, I returned home without a Rolling in my purfe ; yet for this fmall fum of 500 florins, fo inadequate to 1800 which I owed that lady, Rie was induced generouily to renew her perfuafions of carrying Joanna and the boy with me to Holland.   This, however, Joanna as nobly as firmly refufed, declaring, " that, indépendant of all other confl-" derations, lhe could never think of facrificing one be-« nefactor to the intercft of another; and that her own " happinefs or even mine, which was dearer to her than " life, fliould never have any weight, till the debt of her " liberty was paid by me, or by her own induftry, to the " utmoft fraction, and which flie did not defpair to fee " one day compleated."   She added, " our feparation ** fliould only be for a time, and that the greateft proof I «* could ever (hew her of my real eflcem, was now to un-" dergo this little trial of foriune like a man, without q "fo
U fo much as heaving a figh in her prefence which laft chap. Ihe fpoke with a fmile, next embraced her infant, then *XIV-turned fuddenly round, and wept moft bitterly.—At this moment I was called to Mr. de la Mare's, who was juft dead, where my melancholy having furpafled all defcription, I at laft determined to weather one or two painful years in her abfence ; and in the afternoon went to difli-pate my mind at a Mr. Roux's cabinet of Indian curioii-ties ; where, as my eye chanced to fall on a rattle-fnake, I will before I leave the colony defcribe this dangerous reptile.
The rattle-fnake of Surinam is fometimes eight or nine feet long, and very thick about the middle, tapering towards the neck and tail. The head is dreadfully deformed, being flat and broad, with two large noftrils near the fnout, and a large fcale or knob like the alligator above his eyes, which are jet-black and fparkling ; at the extremity of the tail are feveral thin horny fliclls joined together, which are very dry, and which, when irritated, the animal fhakes, founding much like a rattle, from which it derives its name. Thefe fhells augment, it is faid, in the proportion of one every year, by which it is fuppofed its age may be ascertained. This whole fnake is covered over with fcales, which on the ridge of the back it erects. The colour is a dirty orange mixed with dark-brown and black fpots, which laft are alfo on its. head, appearing like velvet, and marked in a very confpi-cuous manner; the belly is aflv coloured*with tranfverfç
G c 2 fcales
fcales like moft other ferpents. When this animal is intent on mifchief, it lies coiled like a rope, with the tail a little in motion, which having rattled, it launches forth upon its prey, making no farther reach than its own length ; this done, it coils a fécond time, and again projects itfelf. The bite of the rattle-fnake is accounted fatal, at leaft is thought very dangerous over all America; but with regard to the fafcinating qualities of its eyes, fuchs as the ftory of its caufing mice, fquirrels, and birds to run into its mouth, 1 reject them as fables ; the fuppofed charm confirming in nothing more than this, that the poor animals, finding themfelves furprized by the impending danger, are feized with fuch a trepidation and fear, that even the ufe of their limbs forfakes them, and' they are rivetted to the place till they die, or in the act of leaping they are feized by their enemy*.
In this cabinet I alfo faw the blue dip/as of Surinam, which had almoft the colour of ultramarine on the back ; its tides were lighter, and the belly nearly white. I did not learn that the bite of this reptile was fatal, but that it occafions immoderate thirft in the patient, from which it took its name; the word dip/a fignifying thirft in the Greek language. Another fnake I alfo obferved here, about three feet long, being annulated with different colours, and called atnphifbœnay from the fuppofition of its having two heads ; but the truth is, that from its cylindrical
• Sec a letter to the editors of the New Univerfal Magazine for October 1787.
form
London, l'uMùiu.t DtC&fttfJ,by J. Johnson J.'Punts t'/imj, },„;l.
form the head and tail fo much refemble each other, that Chap,
XXIV
the error is almoft pardonable ; befides which, the eyes y^^ij are nearly imperceptible.   This is the fnake which, being fuppofed blind, and vulgarly faid to be fed by the large ants already defcribed, is in this country honoured with the name of King of the Emmets *.
Amongft Mr. Roux's numerous collection of fine butterflies, one of a middle ftze 1 thought peculiarly beautiful ; all its wings, both above and below, being elegantly flreaked with tranfverfe bars of velvet, black, and a va~ riegated bright green. The amazing height to which they afcend, and the great velocity with which thefe infects fly, make them fo rare, being, for thefe reafons, but very fcldom caught. The caterpillar is a fea-green, and all covered over with hard feelers, not unlike feathers.—For a better idea of the above fhakes, and this fly, fee the plate annexed, where the laR was improved from Madam Merian's collection.
1 have juft faid that we were ordered to leave the colony, and that all were overjoyed with the news, myfelf excepted. But on the 15th, by letters from Holland to our chief, our return was again countermanded for fix months. My companions were therefore fuddenly caft down with difappointment, while 1 was as fuddenly revived, and now determined to fave all my pay until Joanna's redemption fliould be fully accompliflied : but what
* How Madam Meriaa fliould call this reptile an oviparous viper* furpaflcs my comprehenfion.
grieved
grieved me very much was the other news from Europe, viz. that the Scots Brigade had been invited to England by his Britannic Majefty, while I was lamenting that I could not poflibly be one of the number-. I at the fame time had the offer of an American company under General Wafhington, but this I refufed without any hefita-tion, as may be fuppofed.
In fliort, on the i8th of February, the poor difpirited men were again fent up to Magdenburg, a large party ftill remaining at the Java Greek ; whilft the temper of the officers was now fo ruffled, that a Mr. Fifher of our corps fought no lefs than two duels in two fucceeding days, dangeroufly wounding both his antagonifts, who were both officers of the Society, regiment.
As I was not yet recovered, I ftaid fome time longer at Paramaribo, where at the houfe of a Mr. Reynfdorp, I faw a Portuguefe Jew teaching his children the Chrijiian religion, while the pious mother of the charity-houfe kept flogging the poor flaves daily, becaufe they were, as flie faid, unbelievers. To one black woman, in particular, flie wantonly gave four hundred laflies, who bore them without a complaint.
But to change the difagreeable fubjeci: ;—while I have the leifure and the opportunity, I feel the inclination to ftate to the public a fliort account of the trade and in-trinfic value of this blood-fpilling colony; which ftill
* The King's demand was negatived by the States of Holland.
might
might be richer, did they not follow the example of the woman in the fable with her gulden eggs.
In the firR place, in Surinam are computed to be about fix or eight hundred plantations, producing fugar, coffee, cacao, and cotton, befides fome indigo, and valuable timbers, Sec.—The exportation of which four firR articles only, and their value, may be feen at one view in the following table for four fucceffive years.
CHAP. XXIV.
The	Barrels of	lbs. of	lbs. of	lbs, of
Wars.	SUGAR.	COFFEE.	CACAO.	COTTON.
1771	19,494		416,821	203,945
1772	19,260	12,267,134	354>93S	9°»°35
1773	I5>74I	15,427,298	332,229	*35>°47
1774	15,111	11,016,518	' 506,610	105,126
Total -	69,606	49,846,082	1,610,595	534,153
69,606 barrels of fugar, at 60 florins per barrel, make - - -
49,846,082 lbs. of coffee, at 8 f d. per lb. make -1,610,595 lbs. of cacao, at 6\d.per lb. make -534,153 lbs. of cotton, at 8 d, per\b. make -
Sum total
Which makes in one year exactly -
But this average produce was fhipped off for the town of Amfterdam only.
/. 4,176,360--
£1,184,584 17 —
543,443 7 8 212,661   4 —
/. 26,097,049   8 8
/. 6,524,262   7 2
Carried forward  -   - j ft 6,524,262   7 2
If
CHAP.
XXIV. 1    - -, t
Brought forward - - ! If I now add what goes to Rotterdam and to Zealand, befides the home confumption, and the return of the rum and molafifes, the indigo at 4/. per lb. and the timber from 5 d. to five florins per cubic foot, it will amount to as much more -
Thus altogether
/. 6,524,262  7 %
6,524,262   7 1
f. 13,048,514 14 4
Which, fuppofing it was but 11,000,000/. makes a yearly income of une million neat in fterling money.
How the above fum is divided between the republic of Holland and this colony, fliall be my bufincfs to ftate in the fécond place.
The town of Amfterdam affords about fifty fhips, at an average of 400 tons burthen each, which receive, for importation freight of various commodities, the fum of -   -   - /. 6,000
For exportation freight of the above")
productions, which grow in the co- 2,000 lony*      - - - J
Thus each vefTel gets for freight - /. 38,000 Which, multiplied by the N° of vcfTels 50
Makes exa&Iy -
For Rotterdam and Zealand I calculate together about 30 veifels more of different burdens : thus -
Carried forward
/. 1,900,000 — —
1,200,000--
/. 3,100,000---
• Sugar pays about 3 /. per barrel, and coffee about as much ptr thoufand ; other com-jipodities in proportion.—N. B. This I infert uaauthenticated, thus errors excepted.
And
Brought forward
And for the brick that ferves for ballaft, paf-fengers, &c.
Each Guinea fhip, importing yearly*
from 250 to 300 negroes, lowed >/, 120,000 value, at - - J
Thus fuppofing the number of vefTels* 6
Amounts to
To all thefe I fhall add the merchandize imported from Holland, fuch as wine, fpirits, beer, fait-beef, pork, and flour, filk, cotton, and linen-manu facture s $ cloaths, hats, fhoes j gold, filver, and fteel ornamentsi arms and ammunition; even mafons and carpenters tools, 8pc. &c. at an average of about 50 pgr cent, profit. Befides correfpon-dents charges, infurance, duty, ftore-houfe ex-pences, porters fees, wharfage, and package, which laft articles coft the inhabitants ten per ant. more,
Thus altogether -
Which makes already the fum of - -
Still let me mention the intereft of 6 per cent, for the national debt of five millions fterling, due by the colony, and what they are defrauded of by ufurers in Holland, where prodigious other charges are brought in j and where thofe who have made their fortunes go to fpend it i and the amount will be found to produce at leaft
The whole of which items added together, produce no lefs a fum yearly than
/. 3,100,000 80,000
CHAP. XXIV.
7'20,000 — —»
I,IOO,000 — -
/. 5,oooj0oo —
1,000,000 — —
/. éjOOOjOOQ
# There are fome years but four, and fome ten, &c,
Vol. II. Dd
Which
202
narrative of
a n
CHAP.
XXIV.
Brought forward
Which is clear profit to the republic, viz. principally for Amfterdam, Rotterdam, and Zealand. Thus the inhabitants of Surinam get, for their fhare of the above treafure, only
Which make together, as i faid, one million fterling, or - - -
/. 6,000,000
5,000,000--
/. 11,000,000 - —«
In the third place, I fhall now mow in what manner the internal ex-pence of the fociety of Surinam is defrayed by taxes j which amount to no trifle, as fliall be feen.
Having already mentioned, when fpeaking of the government, that the public revenue officers were five in number, I will now point out how they collect the cafh refpectively each, for the fupport of die above ex-pences.
The firft of thefe is that of Importation and Exportation Duties. To this is paid, viz.
By all Dutch vefiels, 3/.per ton") thus for ton-By Americans, &c. 6/. per ton J nage,/, 90,000
By Americans, &c. for all im- 7 ports and exports, 5 per cent. J
Sugar pays 1 /. per thoufand or barrel     - -
Coffee 15 d. per 100 lb. weight
Cacao 1/. 15 d. per 100 lb. D'
Cotton
6o,oco
► 1771 paid 260,000
Thus receives yearly about the fum of
/. 410,000 — — /. 410,000 — —
The
Brought forward The fécond is the office of excife and finall duties.
To this is paid, viz. For a barrel of beer        -       - f. 3 — -— A D° of claret       -       -      -     12 — — A pipe of madeira -        -     23 10 —
All wines, per quart bottle    - — —- 1
The tax on publicans, is -   600 — —
d° on fmall retailers -       - 300--
And which amounts to a yearly pro- -—--
ducc of at lead     -     - -
/. 410,000
Then follows thirdly the office for taxation on heads ; which receives for all inhabitants, black and white, without exception, viz.
'this produces yearly -
For men and women - -/.210 For boys and girls under 12, /♦ 1 5
thus,
Next comes the office for fales and flaves, which gets, viz.
For felling dead flock, including eflates, &c. 5 per cent.
For felling newly-arrived or imported negro flaves, 2 \ per cent.
And finally, the office for re-taking negro deferters, which was then erected, the other taxes not being fufficient j which produces yearly, viz.
By an additional tax on heads, black 7 0 and white, at 1/. is      -       * J
By 4 per cent, of every profit got during the year upon oath, is
■1
,000
400,000
100,000
150,000 -
130,000 -
Which makes exactly
480,000 -
Carried forward
Dd-a
/. 1,270,000 —
CHAP. XXIV.
Brought forward
/. 1,270,000 — —
Still let me not forget what is yearly paid for what is called the fupport of the common or grafs fields, viz.
For a houfe, according to its fize.
For a coach - - - 20 — — For a whifkey - - 10 — — For a faddle-horfe   -    -      - 10--
Which add to the above importions again -
12,000 — —.
And thefe, if fummed together, make a yearly revenue of no lefs than - -
/. 1,282,000
Having now clearly demonflrated, partly by the aflifl-ance of Dr. Fermyn's Tableau de la Colonie de Surinam, and partly by my own experience, that the intrinfic value of this fettlement is worth yearly above one million of Rerling money, which, by proper management, might be Rill increafed ; alfo that the greater part of it goes to the republic, while the people are thus burthened on their eRates by almoR infupportable taxation, which induces many to be rogues, who would perhaps otherwife be ho-neR ; I mail, by way of appendix, give fome ftiort account of the trade carried on in this colony by the North Americans ; — Thefe people arrive with fmall brigs, Roops, and fchooners from Virginia, Rhode Ifland, New York, BoRon, Jamaica, Grenada, Antigua, Barbadoes, Sec. from which places they export flour, beef, pork, herrings, fait, mackarel, and leaf-tobacco for the negroes; alfo fir-boards, Englifh rum, and other fpirits ; loaf-fu-
gar*, fpermaceti-candles, onions, &x. Befides each vcffel is bound to bring in one horfe t, which they often fupply by a head only; affirming, that they put on board a horfe, but that he died on the paffage. For the above commodities the American traders export all the melafles of this colony to diRil into rum at home, and frequently (hip-loads of other productions and merchandize, though this is done in a clandefline manner, by which both the feller and buyer are coniiderable gainers, being ready cafli for the one, and a cheap bargain for the other. From the Leeward lilands thefe veffels alfo import private mulatto and quaderoon flaves, which being generally young and handfome, whatever may be their moral character, fell for coniiderable prices.
Having thus fliewn, according to the beR information I was able to acquire, in what the commerce and intrinfic wealth of this fine colony confift ; I will now take my leave of the fubject, and continue my narrative.
On the 21R of February, Mr. Reynfdorp, the fon-in-law of Mrs. Godefroy, took me in his fail barge for change of air to Nuten-Schadclyk, one of his own coffee eftates ; where I law a white man who had lately loR both his eyes in one night by the bats or vampires, as they are called ; and the following day, failing up Come-wina River, we proceeded to the delightful Cacao plan-
* I have faid they can make no rum here ; neither do they refine fugar. t Mr. Hartzink mentions four horfes, but this is a mifhke.
tation
CHAP, t&X\o\\ Alkmaar, the property of the above lady; where XXIV. tne negro fiaves are treated like children by the miftrefs, to whom they all look up as to their common parent.— Here were no groans to be heard, no fetters to be met with, nor any marks of feverity to be feen—but all was harmony and content. The fuperb houfe and other offices of this charming eRate, where pleafure and hofpi-tality ever reign, I have already reprefented in plate N° X.; while the fields and gardens, nay, even the negro houfes, bore all the marks of perfect peace and plenty.
The cacao-trees are fupplied from nurferies for the purpofe, like orchards in England, and planted very regularly at ten or twelve feet diRance from each other, where they grow to the height of our Englifh cherry-trees. But thefe plantations muft be well flickered, both from the hard winds and fedrching fun, when young ; the roots not entering deep into the ground to fuccour them, nor can they at that time bear extraordinary heat; on which account the groves are filled up with caiTava-fhrubs or plantain-trees for their fhelter, and which at the fame time anfwer the purpofe of killing the weeds, which grow fo luxuriantly in all the tropical climates ;■— by thefe attentions the trees will bear fruit before they are three years old, when they afford two crops annually, but they are in the higheft perfection at the age of twelve or fourteen. The leaf of the cacao-tree is above eight inches long, and nearly three broad, thick-pointed, ribbed like the laurel-time, and of a bright green-colour.
The
The fruit is about the fame fize, and when young refem-   C H bles a cucumber ; but when ripe it becomes yellow like v a large lemon, with ribs like the melon, and tubercles which enclofe the feed or nuts, near thirty in number : they lie longitudinally in the fruit, and when fit for ufe are of the fize of olives, and purple-coloured.   The trees are fuppofed to bear at each crop from thirty to three hundred pods, each containing about thirty nuts, weighing one pound, from which a calculation may be made how much will be the produce of each harvcft*   After a few days the nuts are extracted from the pods, and dried in the fhadc ; during which time they undergo a very Rrong perfpiration, when they are put into barrels and fit for tranfportation, to be converted into that well-known and agreeable beverage called Chocolate.
It is faid the cacao-trees are natives of Guiana, and grow wild in large quantities near the river Amazon : be that as it may, Governor Chatillorfz ion planted the firR tree in Surinam in 1684, and the firR crop was exported to Holland in 1733. A great advantage in cultivating cacao-trees is, that fewer flaves are required than in any other branch of the planting bufinefs. How confidcr-able arc the profits will appear by the accounts of the year 1774, when 506,610 lbs. were exported to Amfterdam alone, which produced 202,614/. Dutch money, being equal to £. 18,419 fterling. The prices have been fluctuating from ^d. to yd. per lb. the average being 6 about
about 6 Id. The beR eftates, of which Alkmaar is one, produce yearly above 8o,ooolbs. weight.
In the plate annexed, A is the leaf above, B below*; C, the wood ; jD, the flower ; E, the young pulp ; F, the fame in perfection ; and G, the feeds or nuts to make the chocolate.
On the 27th we returned to town, where the day before a Society foldier was Riot for mutiny ; and the day following a (hip was burnt in the roads. At this time the celebrated free negro Qwafi, who was the prophet, priefl, and king of the rangers, 8cc. went to Holland on a vifit to the Prince of Orange, with letters of recommendation from Fourgeoud, whofe praifes he was to re-found, as well as to complain of the Governor for not treating him with due rofpect. This being the period for the fefflons, another negro's leg was cut off for fculk-ing from a talk to which he was unequal; while two more were condemned to be hanged for running away altogether. The heroic behaviour of one of thefe men before the court deferves particularly to be noticed;—He begged only to be heard for a few moments ; which being granted, he proceeded thus !
t* I was born in Africa, where, defending my prince " during an engagement, I was made a captive, and fold f« for a Rave on the coaft of Guinea by my own country-
* Dps, Bancroft and Brooke fay, the leaf is light above and dark, beJow4 which in my original drawing is (iuite the reverie,
" men,
l.i'H.lon, rubtùhi.l D.r.'i-'ij,)!,/; ■ J. .I,.l,„s,m .X'f.uils Chin;* >■',;/. ti3
" men.—One of your countrymen, who is now to be one cha p. " of my judges, became my purchafer, in whofe fervice %J^^mJ " I was treated fo cruelly by his overfeer, that I deferted, " and joined the rebels in the woods.—Here again I was *J condemned to be a Rave to Bonny, their chief, who treat's ed me with even more feverity than I had experienced *f from the Europeans, till I was once more forced to elope, " determined to fhun mankind for ever, and inoffeniîvely " to end my days by myfelf in the foreft. Two years " had I perfevered in this manner quite alone, undergoing u the greateft hardfhips and anxiety of mind, preferving u life only for the poflibility of once more feeing my " dear family, who were perhaps ftarving on my account, " in my own country; I fay two miferable years had juft " elapfed, when I was difcovered by the rangers, taken, u and brought before this tribunal, who are now ac-<e quainted with the hiftory of my wretched life, and " from whom the only favour I have to afk is, that I " may be executed next Saturday, or as foon as it may " poflibly be convenient."
This fpeech was uttered with the utmoft moderation, by one of the fineft-looking negroes that was perhaps ever feen ; to which his former mafter, who, as he obferved, was now one of the judges, made the following laconic reply — " Rafcal ! that is not what we want to " know ; but the torture this moment fliall make you confefs crimes as black as yourfelf, as well as thofe of Si your hateful accomplices." To which the negro, who i Vol, II. E e now
CHAP,   now AveJJed in every vein with indignation and ineffable-XXIV
,__^  contempt : f* Maffera, the tigers have trembled for thefe
4* hands," holding them up ; " and dare you think to " threaten me with your wretched inurnment? No, i " defpife the utmoft tortures you can now invent, as M much as i do the pitiful wretch who is going to in-" fliet them." Saying which, he threw himfelf down on the rack, where amidit the moft excruciating torments he remained with a fmile, without uttering a fyllable; nor did he ever fpeak again, until he ended his unhappy days at the gallows.
What good man can * reflect the tear-ftain'd eye, " When blood attefts" even flaves for freedom die ? "On cruel gibbets, high difclos'd they reft, " And fcarce one groan efcapes one bloated breaft, " Here fable Cafars* feel the Chriftian foci, ,f There Afric Pktos, tortur'd hope a God> " While jetty Brutus for his country fighs, " And footy Cato with his freedom dies l'r
Having dined with Colonel Fourgeoud on the 8th of March, when we celebrated the Prince of Orange's birthday, while Mr. Reyndorp gave a treat to all the foldiers^ he acquainted me that the rangers were now alone encamped at the Wana Greek; that the peftilential fpot Devil's Harwar was at laft entirely forfaken; and that the two lately
* The above names, with fuch as Nero, flaves, in exchange for ^uacoo, ^nacy^ Pluto, Charon, Cerberus, Projcrfme, Me- ghiamy, famine, $uaftba, Adjubay iuja, tic are i. foully ç'iYm to negro &c,
7 raifed
raifed companies of fable volunteers had taken a few prifoners, and killed others on the Wanica path, behind Paramaribo. I was at this time a good deal better, but ftill, not being quite recovered, he who had formerly treated me fo feverely, now even infifted on my Raying fome longer time at Paramaribo : nay, gave mc an offer to return to Europe, which I abfolutely refufed; in fliort, about the middle of the month, I was as well as ever I was in my life. At this time Colonel Fourgeoud and myfelf were daily vifitors of the ladies, in whofe company no man could behave better, while I could often not avoid difguft ; indeed fo languid were many in their looks, and fo unre{trained were fome in their converfation, that a
Mrs. N-even afked me, fans cérémonie, to fupply the
place of her hufband ; while flie might as well have afked me to drink, for a relifh, a tumbler of faits.
On the 17th, however, my eyes were better feaftcd, when, going to dine with Colonel Texicr of the Society troops, I firft took a walk in the orange grove and the governor's gardens; here, peeping through the foliage, I foon difcovered two moft elegant female figures after bathing, the one a fine young Samboo, the other a blooming guaderoon, which laft was fo very fair complexioned, that flie might have pafled for a native of Greece, while the rofes that glowed in her cheek were equal to thofe that bloffomed in the fhrubbery *.   They were walking
* It is to be remarked, that though Eu-    nefs  peculiarly engaging, particularly ropeans look pale under the torrid zone,    mula.ttoes and ^iuderoons. tlK native inhabitants hayc often aÇrefli-
hand in hand, and converiing with frniles near a flowery bank that adorned the fide of a cryftal brook, in which they plunged the inflant they heard me ruftling amongft the verdure, like two mermaids :
Cf Then to the flood they rufh'd ; the parted flood " Its lovely guefts with doling waves receiv'd, " And every beauty foit'ning, every grace " Flufhing anew, a mellow luftre Ihed.
Leaving them to enjoy their innocent amufement of bathing, I fpent the remaining hour before dinner amongft the fliady fruit-trees, blooming bowers, and ferpentine gravel walks ; where indeed I faw greater variety of European plants than I imagined were produced in a tropical climate, Rich as mint, fennel, fage, rofemary, golden-rod and jeffamine, the fenfitive plant, pomegranates, rofes, figs, and even fome grapes.—Of the pomegranate flowers, a fpecimen may be feen in plate, N° XXIX. The figs are both within and without of a beautiful crimfon colour ; but the rofes are rather pale.   Here were fome beautiful pine-apples and melons, which, though they are fo generally known, I will neverthelefs give fome account of.   The imperial fruit, called Anana or pineapple  grows in the centre of an elegant fea-green plant, on a ftalk of the fame hue, about eight inches in length, its leaves diverging near the furface of the earth,, which are fmooth, long, ftrong, pointed, and dentulated with hard prickles.   The fliape of this fruit is nearly oval, the fize of a fugar-loaf, all over chequered, and of
a moft
CHAP.
XXIV. v---%_I
a moR beautiful orange or golden colour, being crowned chap.
XXIV
with a fea-grcen tuft, of the fame leaves as the mother ',
plant, and which when put in the ground produces another pine-apple in the fpace of about eighteen months. The delicious taRe and flavour of this fruit has in the fpace of half a century become fo well known, that I have introduced it merely to notice its plenty in the country I write of; for fo fpontuneoufly indeed do the former grow in this climate, and of fuch different kinds, without any cultivation, that on many effates they ferve as a common food for hogs.
The mujk and water melons grow alfo plentifully in this country ; the firR is of a globular form, large, like the crown of a fmall hat, ribbed, buff colour, orange and green. The pulp is yellow, Arm, fweet, and fucculent; Rill it is eaten with Rigar, but more frequently with black pepper and fait—the fmell of this fruit is excellent.
The water-melon is of an oval or cylindrical Hi ape, its colour is a bright polifhed green, and partly a very pale buff; the pulp of this fruit is a pink colour, and of a mellow watery fubflance ; its tafte is fweet, exceedingly cooling, and of a moft agreeable flavour.
Both the above melons are of the cucumber kind, growing on rough ftalks, with large leaves, that creep along the ground. It is remarkable that the water-melon, which maybe freely eaten in all diftempcrs without the leaft pernicious confequence, thrives beft in very dry and fandy
places*
places.—In the annexed plate may be feen the Anana or pine-apple, with the mufk and water-melon, beftdes the feed from which this laft is produced.
I fent about this period, to a Mr. lleygerfman in Holland, a moft elegant collection of Surinam butterflies, which are here caught in great abundance and variety, and by which alone lome people make no fmall profit; but the very idea of pinning them alive to a fheet of paper, was jfufllcient to prevent me from becoming a fly-catcher ;
■*c Lo ! the poor beetle that we tread upon t( Feels a like pang, as when a giant falls."
Now Captains Van Geurick and Fredericy, with Serjeant Fowler, were fent on an embafly to the Owca and Saramcca free negroes, if poflible to procure their af-flftance againft the rebels, which they always continued to promife (while Colonel Fourgeoud gave them prefents) but never yet performed. A few of the other officers ftill ftayed with us gallanting at Paramaribo, amongft •Whom were Major Medler and Captain Hem met*, who had both been with General Defalve's regiment, in the colony Berbicl, and previous to that the firft was in the Fruflian fervice,   It was no fmall change of appearance
* The latter gentleman, in the year    throned alfo the king of Salangoo, whofc 1783, failed from the Texel to the Mo»    land he captured for the Dutch Eaft-Jn-lucca iflands; where, as commander in    dia Company, bcfidcs taking 127 pieces chief, he killed the king of Pongue, with    of cannon, &pt his three fons, and 600 men ; and de-
for
l.ouA.'t, , i'uhli.rl„d   l>„-rr?ij,>i. /'I ./ John./
S.<t',wl.f Outrch Y.ir.l.
for us, who had fo little a time before appeared like wild C n A P. men, now to ft rut through Paramaribo, drcifcd like si0^^j fo many French marquees.
Being a particular favourite of Governor Ncpveu, I one day was induced to afk him for a piece of uncultivated foreft ground ; when he readily granted me 400 acres : but when I inconfiderately afked it of him, I had not calculated how large a capital it required to clear away woods, purchafe negroes, and provide other necef-farics for fuch an undertaking; and when a little reflection convinced me how difficult it would be to find a partner of abilities to aflift me, I declined accepting this mark of the governor's regards
Having on the 26th once more faved a poor black girl from receiving fome hundred lafhes, by replacing a dozen of china, which flie had broken by accident ;. while another was ftabbedby a Frenchman, who immediately cut his own throat from remorfe, and his companion, an overfeer, hanged himfelf; and having vifited the- poor negro whofe leg had lately been cut off by law, I packed my boxes to fet out next morning on my lixth campaign; and once more take the command of the River Comewina : at which moment arrived at my lodgings Rx loaded negro flaves with prefents from my hofpitable friends, of every kind that Guiana could produce, and the colony of Svirinam could afford me.
c h a r.
CHAP. xxv.
Singular Method of detecting a Theft—Rencounter between the Rangers and Rebels—Amazonian Aclion of a black Girl—Wonderful Sagacity in wild Bees—The Regiment receives a fécond Order to return to Europe,
n the 27th of March, 1776, adieu once more Paramaribo, my Joanna, and my boy !
This morning, a little before I fat out, I faw a Mr. d'Halbergh terribly bitten by a large iguana or lizard, at the very moment he was preffing me and my companions to Ray a few days, to be prefent at the celebration of what he called his Silver-feaf, being the twenty-fifth anniverfary of his marriage ; but after condoling with him upon account of the accident, we embarked in a tent-barge, and arrived that evening at the Sporkfgift eftate in Matapica. Here we were entertained two days by Captain Mac Neal, with the greateft hofpi-tality. I was however nearly fuffocated by the fleam of fome green coffee, which was fpread on the floor of the lodge where I had Rung my hammock.
Late on the evening of the 29th, we arrived at the Gold-mine plantation, where we found a negro boy and girl, fufpended by each others fide from a high beam, by a rope fattened to their thumbs, which were tied behind.
their
their backs, this almoft diflocated their (boulders, and chap.
xxv
muft have occafioned the moft agonizing tortures. Thus I cut the miferable victims down, without leave or ceremony, and fwore that in (tant to demolifh the tyrannical overfeer who had inflicted this new mode of puniih-ment, unlefs he promifed immediately to forgive them ; which he miraculoufly did in my prefence.
On the 30th, a little before we landed at the Hope, I difcovered that all my fugar, with the grcateft part of my rum, was gone ; and detected the thief by the following laughable ftratagem (though not my own invention) ^-1 told the negroes, fix in number, that a parrot's feather was to grow within fix minutes upon the tip of his nofe who was moft guilty ; at the fame time pronouncing a few incoherent words, and making two or three circles with my fabre, I flint myfelf within the tilt: here, peeping through the key-hole, and obferving the rowers with great attention, without their perceiving me, I foon faw one of them, at every ftroke of the oar, put up his hand, and feel the tip of his nofe ; upon which I inftantly ran up to him, and cried, " I fee the parrot's feather ! Thou " art the thief, thou rafcal !" To which the poor fuper-ftitious fellow inftantly anfwered, " Taw, me majjera then kneeling to the forcerer for mercy, and the others alfo intreating me to fpare him, I pardoned the credulous thief and his accomplices, who by their candid confef-flon obtained a piece of fait beef for their dinner, and a gourd full of good grog in the bargain.
Vol. II, f f Immediately
Immediately on my arrival I took the command of the whole river, and now was once more the Prince of Comewina. I alfo built an elevated palace, in imitation of Prince Bonny s at Boofy-Cry, on twelve Rrong Rakes; which aerial habitation I found very necefTary, the whole poft being almoft under water by the inundations, and by neglect become a perfect mire-pool, while of my former cottage not a veftige was to be feen. Here I found the marines in perfect mifery, being almoft naked, and having fold their very Rioes for a mouthful of frefti provifions. Thefe grievances, however, by my labour and intercelRon with Colonel Fourgeoud, whofe favourite t now became more and more, were fpeedily redrefTed, and the Hope, in a little time, appeared like a paradife, when compared with its former Rate.
Shooting was now, as formerly, my favourite diverfion ; and on the 4th I brought home a kind of plover, a couple of red-breajls, and near a dozen grafs-fparrozvs.
The plover of Guiana is the Rze of a pigeon, its colour a dark-brown and white, with tranfverfe bars. The wet favannahs are full of them, and they are delicate eating.   The red-breaft is a kind of large bull-finch, with the upper part of its body a deep chefnut ; and all the reft a blood-colour : this is reckoned as good as an ortolan, and abounds on all the plantations.   The grafs-fparrow, which I think is by fome called the anaca, is a beautiful little creature, like a paroquet ; thefe birds are perfectly green, with a white bill and red eyes.  They do y much
much damage amongft the rice and Indian corn, flying in prodigious flocks upon the plantations.
At the Hope the irocbulus, or humming-birds, were fo thick among the tamarind-trees, that they refembled a fwarm of bees ; a Lieutenant Swildens daily fetching-down feveral of them, by blowing fmall peas or Indian corn through a hollow reed.
Of all the tropical birds, this little creature is particularly worth attention, not only on account of its beauty, but for its diminutive fize, being fmaller than the firft joint of a man's finger ; and when deprived of its feathers not larger than a blue-bottle fly. However, there are feveral fpecies, and fome twice as large. Thefe birds vary much in their colour : in the fliade they appear generally of a deep fhining green; which, by the reflection of the fun, produces a fplendid purple brown and azure. The head is crefted with a fmall tuft of feathers, green, black, and gold ; the tail and wings are a gloffy black ; the bill is not much thicker than a pin, it is long, black, and crooked at the end ; the tongue is forked, and refembles a red filk thread ; with this they fip the nectar or honey from the flowers, during which time they are ftationary, exactly like bees, and this juice feems to be the only nourifhment of thefe little creatures. They often make their neft on the leaf of a wild pine-apple, or dwarf aloe, which is conftructed moftly of cotton, and not larger than the hufk of a walnut ; their eggs are about the fize of peas, and only two in number.   Madam Merian fays, that the hum-
f f a ming-
C hap. ming-bird fits on four eggs; which, for my part, I never xxv*     faw or heard of during my refldence in Guiana.
In the annexed plate I have endeavoured to reprefent them and their little habitation in natural fize ; though I found it impofliblc to make the drawing more perfect, their motion upon the wing being fo very quick, that the feathers arc hardly perceptible; and this motion occa-fions that humming noife, from which this delicate little creature derives its name.
Here were alfo immenfe flocks of monkies : I have feen above two hundred of them in a field of fugar-canes, where they make great devaftation. Thefe wary animals place fcntinels all round the field to give the alarm ; and I myfelf have been a witnefs with what fagacity and fidelity they perform this duty, when the whole company hop into the foreft, each with his plunder in his paw.
Swimming was another of my favourite amufements, which contributed to make me more nealthy, and ftronger than moft of my companions; as it is beautifully expreffed by the author of the Seafons :—
'< This is die pureft exercife of health,
4-
11 The kind refrefher of die fummer heats:
" ,--Hence die limbs
« Knit into force, and the fame Roman arm " That rofe victorious o'er die conquer'd earth, " Firft learn'd when tender to fubdue the wave."
On the 14th I fhot an alligator; but returning from this excurfion in a boat, a packet of letters from Colonel
Fourgeoud
Fourgeoud being readied me,,unfortunately fell over- CHAP, board into the water, and Tank immediately; fome t 1t-* j officers, however, the next day coming to the Ifipe, informed me of the principal content*, viz* that Colonel Fourgeoud, being determined once more to fcour the woods, had ordered me to fend up all my fpare men and provifions, as alfo the Society troops who were now at Oranjebo, the former to Magdenberg, and the hitter to the river Pirica; which I performed,, retaining only twelve crippled foldiers at the Hope, and as many at Cla-renbeek, without either furgeon or medicines; nc^erthc-lefs, with this fmall number, I made daily patroles by land and water—they alfo informed me of the death of enfign Van Halm, and that another fhip with fick was ordered fliortly to fet fail for Holland.
Colonel Fourgeoud, though he himfelf remained Rill at Paramaribo, yet continued attentively to command. Thus, on the 23d, he ordered a detachment of one hundred men to reconnoitre from Magdenberg to the Wana Creek and Marawina river ; but they returned without any new difeoveries»
As I was now likely to be continued at the Hope for fome time, I fent for my fheep and poultry, from the eftate where 1 had left them, prefentfng. Mr. Gourly with a ram and a ewe, as being of a breed fuperior to any in the colony ; and 1 found with joy that my llocks had confiderably encreafed in numbers.
On the 26th one of my men brought me a fnake,
which
CHAi».  which he had juft killed; it was about four feet long, I i xxv' . and not thicker than the barrel of a mufket ; when per-
ceiving a knob near its middle, larger than my fift, I had the curiofity to cut it open, and an enormous frog made its appearance, perfectly alive and entire, a fmall fpot on the back of its head and neck excepted, which was blue and Rimy, as if beginning to putrify. For the fake of experiment, I faftencd him with a Rring to his foot upon a grafs-plat near the river for three days ; when finding the poor animal hearty and well, I gave him his liberty, with a caution to keep a better look-out for the future.
On the 28th I paid a vifit to Thomas Palmer, Efq. late King's counfellor at MafTachufett's Bay, upon his eftate called Fairfield. Here both the mafter and his flaves were perfectly happy and contented, chiefly owing to Mr. Palmer's juft and equitable adminiftration to all around him ; and fuch were the confequences of his wife government, that few plantations in the Weft Indies could boaft of greater profperity, cither in point of produce or population; while the courtefyand hofpitality of the gentlemanlike proprietor to ftrangers, completed his happy character, which flione confpicuoufly throughout the colony.
Upon my return to the Hope I received a letter from the commander in chief, informing me that Mr. Vinfack with his rangers had killed feveral rebels, and taken eleven prifoners ; but that another party of the rangers fiad been furprized by the enemy, and feveral of them flio.t dead while afleep in their hammocks.
During
During thefe Ikirmifties, an inftance of prefence of chap, mind was exhibited by a rebel negro, I think but feldom . XXV' . equalled:—A ranger having levelled his piece was juft going to fire at him, when the man called out, holding up his hand, " What, Sir, do you mean to kill one of " your own party r" Which the ranger believing him to be, replied, j* God forbid !" and dropping the muzzle of his piece, inftantly received a ball through the body from his adverfary, which killed him; and who, having thus faved himfelf, difappeared like a flafti of lightning. One of the captive negroes related, that the eveningbefore they were taken, a rebel, who had formerly deferted from Fauconberg was cut to pieces with fabres, by Bonny's command, as two others had been before we took Gado-Saby.
On the 6th of May it blew a violent hurricane, accompanied with thunder and lightning, fo that many trees were torn up by the roots, and moft of the houfes on the Hope blown down or unroofed ; my aerial palace, however, by good fortune, withftood this gale; and upon the 8th, Joanna, with her boy, arriving at this place, I promifed myfelf a fcene of happinefs equal to that I experienced in 1774; efpecially as my family, my Rieep, and my poultry, were now doubled ; befides, I had at this time a beautiful garden, and if I could not with propriety be called a planter, I might at leaft claim, with fome degree of juftice, the name of a little farmer.
On the 9th we all dined with Mr, de GraaJJ\ at, his beautiful
N A R R A T ï V E   OF   A N
tiful plantation Knoppemombo, in CafTawina Creek, where this worthy man had foretold, before the birth of my boy, that both he and his mother mould one day be happy and free. Here i faw the following roots and plant?, which i have not yet obferved.-—The tayers, which are the hearts of a farinaceous green fhrub, not above two or three feet high, with remarkable large leaves, in the form of a heart, the trunk fomething refembling that of a banana-tree. This plant being cut down, and with a knife diveRed of its outer tegument, has the appearance and confiRcncy of a yam or potatoe, but is better eating, having a much finer grain. The tayers are of different kinds ; the fmalleft is preferred, and made ufe of in the fame manner as the above roots. i have here alfo found a kind of real potatoe, and in large quantities, but they are only ufed by the negroes, being inferior to the hog-potatoes in Great Britain,
The tobacco plant grows here with large downy leaves, full of fibres; it Rowers almoft continually, and will laft for twelve or fourteen years, but is fo inferior to the Virginia tobacco, that it is only ufed by the Raves. This plant derived its name from the ifiand Tobago, where it was firft difcovered, in .1560.
They have here alio a kind of wild tea, which is accounted very wholefome, but in my opinion is no better than Englifti ground-ivy. i found plenty of tomate, which being produced in many Britifli gardens, i will not attempt to defcribe ; but only obferve
that
that the lews are particularly fond of it, and Rew it CHAP.
XXV.
with butchers meat inftead of onions. Lf
The phvfic-nut tree is likewife to be met with here; this is a knotty flirub, that grows about ten or twelve feet in height, and very ilender; the nut that it produces has a kernel like an almond, and taftcs as well, provided it be deprived of a thin white fkin that adheres to it, otherwife a violent vomiting and purging is the immediate confe-quence of fwallowing it. They alio ftiewed me lèverai kinds of peas and beans, and other fruits growing in pods ; fuch as the cafjia, a fhining hard yellow feed inclofed in a woody fhell near fixtccn inches long, and very fmall, with a black foft pulp as fweet as honey : this is conii-dered as a very fafe laxative : the caRia grows on a tree very common in Guiana, and which is called foete bounties and coiiaan. Another kind of pod, named feve-yaars boon tie, is fo called, becaufe it is faid to be in bloflbm feven years before it produces. The ihrub called fnakee weeree-weeree alfo grows here ; they told me it was a fo-vcreign remedy for fevers, and I take it to be the fame as the ferpentaria Virginian a, or Virginian fnake-root. Laftly, I faw a vegetable or flower here called feven-boom, which is too frequently ufed by the young negro girls to promote abortion, as are alfo the green pineapples, which are faid to have the fame effect.
Thus having fpent not only an agreeable but an in-ftructive day at Knoppemombo, we took leave of our very good friend in the evening, and rowed contentedly Vol. It. G g back
CHAP,   back to the Hope, our boat being nearly loaded with pre-
XXV
'^j fents of every kind, amongft which were fome fine cocoa-nuts, that one of his flaves, after walking, I may fay-more properly than climbing*, up the tree, had brought down in my prefence, and after a fierce engagement with a black ferpent upon the very top of it, which by the help of his knife he vanquiihed, and to our admiration dropped it down dead at our feet.
The flaves of the Hope and Fauconberg alfo testified their refpett for Joanna and her boy, by bringing in prefents of fowls, fruit, eggs, venifon, and fifh ; and Mr. Palmer handfomely prefented us with a large quantity of Indian corn to feed our poultry. Thus every thing feemed to contribute to our felicity, which was however confiderably allayed by the difagreeable news we received on the 18th, informing me of the death of my dear friend, Mr. Walter Kennedy, ihortly after his arrival in Holland!: it was now alfo confirmed that the Dutch had refufed the Scots Brigade to his Britannic Ma-jefty ; which greatly furprized me, as I confidcred it as a y     claim not only from affinity, but alfo by treaty.
To amufe my mind from thefe unpleafing fubjects, I now paid a fhort vifit to my French acquaintance Mon-
* See Vol. II. page 69. plate L.
t This gentleman a little before his ing him with his diflblution (which lie
departure (hewed me a letter from the un- had felt approach) was figned, w Your's happy youth Campbell\ which, after thank-       to eternity, R. C " aind to his father
ing him for every civility, and acquaint- he had wrote the fame.
6 fleur
fieur Cavheïieu, at his plantation Egmond. Here, amongft c other company, I met with an Italian, a planter called -DX)—s, who had but one arm; with which, however, he took up a knife at table, and without the fmalleft provocation, as 1 fat next him, made a back thruft at me, to the altoniihment of all who were prefent. Having fortunately parried the blow by beating up his elbow, which occafioned the point of his knife to pafs over my fhoulder, i Rafted up, and was going to put him inftantly to death; but this being prevented, I offered to fight him with one hand tied behind me, and with any infiniment he chofe, fift, bludgeon, fword, piftol, or even knife ; this the cowardly affaffin having refufed, Was kicked out of company, and fent home to his plantation called Hazard.
So violent was this unhappy man's difpolltion, that fome little time before, he ordered a poor negro woman, who was advanced eight months in her pregnancy, to be flogged, until her interlines appeared, and that only for breaking a tumbler. One of his male flaves, trying to evade his feverity, was Riot dead on the fpot ; and there was not a flave belonging to his eftate but was cut by the lafli of his whip from the neck to the heel.
Colonel Fourgeoud now fending a proper fupply of men, with a furgeon and medicines, the Hope wore a more pleafing afpect, and health and content began to be vifible in every countenance. Amongft other things, I encouraged the men to catch fifh, which were he-e in abundance, and the negroes taught them how to make
G g 2 the
c h A P, the proper fnares, fuch as the fpring-hook, and manfoa or x_xv" fpring-bafkct. I have given a reprefentation of both thefe in the plate annexed, where the fpring-hook is exprelfcd by the letter A, being a long claftic pole, like a Rrong fifliing-rod, Ruck in the ground tinder water, at the other end of which is fixed a double line, the fliortcft having fattened to it a fmall itick, ten inches long, and the other the fame, but a little lower; while at the extremity of this line is hooked a fmall fiih by the lins, in fuch a manner as to fwim to and fro, and be a bait for the larger fpecies. Two long Ricks being next placed in the ground fo as to appear above water, a third Rick much fliorter, forms them like a gallows ; above this gallows is bent and fixed the elaftic pole, by means of the double line and its beams ; but in fo very Right a manner, that upon the leaft touch the whole apparatus gives way, and the large pole creels itfelf, when the fifh that occafioncd the fpring, by taking the hair, is fufpended to the hook in the air, as exhibited by the figure B.
The manfoa or fpring-bafltet is much upon the faoie conftruclion, and may be feen by referring to letter C, where it is reprefented open and under water, with the bait fwimming in it. This bafket is made of warimbo reeds, in the form of a fugar-loaf (the above apparatus being fixed to the middle) in the fmall end of which the elaftic pole is fattened, while at the other end is an open trap-door, the whole being fupportcd in an creel pofhion
by
by a forked Rick. No fooner has a large fifh entered and taken the bait, than this pole, as in the former, erects itfelf with a fpring, and the fnap or trap-door flints on the invader, and he is taken, as may be feen by letter D. This differs from the former, no hook of any kind being necefîàry. An idea of the ingenuity of the negroes may be formed from thefe conftruc~lions, as this mode of catching their fiih requires no attendance, for the maps being fet at night, the fifli is found in the morning, which is generally the newmara or barracota already defcribed.
Among the variety of fifh caught here was the fiUba, a fmall oval fifh, marked not unlike a pine-apple ; the fokay, which is a large fiih, and very good eating ; the torro-torro, and another called tarpocn ; the firft three feet in length; the other, which is white, about two feet fix inches.
On the 26th, I faw a moft furprifing difplay of activity, ftrength, and courage by a young female negro, called Clardina, at the Hope ; where a wild flag having ftrayed from the Rock, at the moment it came bounding over the foot-path flie feized it in full fpeed by the hinder leg, but not being able to flop it, fhe fuftercd herfelf to be dragged to a confidcrahle diftance, nor until flic was terribly wounded would (he let go her hold.
The Hope wras now truly a charming habitation, being perfectly dry even in fpring-tides, and wafhed by pleating canals that let in the frefh-watcr every tide ; while the hedges furrounding the fields and gardens were
neatly
neatly cut, and produced fruit and vegetables of many fpecies for our ufe. The houfes and bridges were alfo all repaired, while the ftridteft adherence to cleanlinefs was recommended and enforced among the men : by thefe means not one fick perfon out of fifty was now to be found, where Roth, ftench, and difeafe had fo lately fpread their deftruétive influence, and to which the laud and fea-fcurvy had given the moR fatal affiftance. Of the above fcorbutic complaints, the former covers the body over with blotches, and the latter chiefly affects the teeth and gums.
I now enjoyed the greateft flow of health and fpirits, while moft of my old ihip-mates were either dead or returned to Europe ; not a Angle officer at this time being in rank above me, except only fuch as had been formerly inured to the Weft India climate.
Rut to return to my garden—this at prefent exhibited carrots, cabbages, onions, cucumbers, lettuces, radiihes, pepper, creffes, &£c. all thriving as well as in Europe ; befides forrel of two kinds, the common and the red, this laft grows upon a fhrub, and is excellent for making jam or marmalade. The jeflamine alfo was found here of different fpecies, that growing on a fmall tree being moft admired : it is of a pale but beautiful red colour, and a moft agreeable fmell ; the leaves are thick, Ih'ining, and filled with a milky juice. A fpecies of fenlitive fhrub they call Jbame -Jhame, grew alfo here, as did the fleep-ing plant, fo called from its leaves, which are fet in pairs,
dapping
clapping clofe together from fun-fet to fun-rife, and ap- CHAP.
XXV
pearing as if the two were but one; but as foon as the fun . is up they again open, and refume their double form. The above-mentioned fhrubs were all difperfed through my hedges, befides pomegranates and Indian rofes, which blow every day ; while a few elegant red-lilies, which alfo grow wild in the favannas, adorned the banks of my canals, the leaves of which flower have a very bright and beautiful green polifh.
Thus fituated, we were vifited, amongft others, by a Madame de Z—<?, in company with her brother, and a Mr. Schadts, who were lately arrived from Holland ; this lady was fuppofed the fineft woman that even Europe produced, as well as the moft accomplilhed. She fpoke feveral languages, and was a perfect: miftrefs of mufic and painting ; fhe danced elegantly, and rode vaftly well on horfeback ; flie even excelled in fliooting and fencing, Sec. In order to make her perfect miftrefs of all the fa-fhionable exercifes, I offered her my affiftance in teaching her to fwim, which, however, with a fmile, flie thought proper to refufe.
My foldiers, and even negroes, feemed now completely happy, amongft whom the moft perfect harmony fub-fitted ; while I frequently indulged them with a merry evening, and a grey-beard of rum.
One night, in the midft of this feftivity, I fecretly ordered the fentinel to fire his piece, and caufe a falfe alarm, as if the enemy were on the eftate ; when I had
the
CHAP, the fatisfaction to fee them feizc their arms, and rufh ^J^j^, out with the utmoR order and intrepidity. This experiment I was the rather inclined to put in practice, as it was reported that the rebels intended foon to pay ?.. vifit to the River Comewina. But we foon experienced that no fcene of per feci: felicity can be lading, for the dry feafon now fuddenly fetting-in, difcafe and mortality once more began to rage among us, ten or twelve men dying daily at the Java Greek and Magdenburg, while thofe under my command at the Hope diminiihed hourly.
On the 3d, the furgeon made me the following report, (i That my Enfign, Mr. Decahanes, had his anchor-a-u peek, and would certainly fet fail for the other world " with the ebb-tide which was really the cafe, for he died that very evening. This grieved me the more, as he had obtained his commiffion through my intcreft, and bore an excellent character.
On the 4th of June, the fpring-flood broke down my dams while we were drinking the King's health, and laid the whole poft under water, which created vaft confusion ; and in this diftrefs the overfeer Blendcrman re-fufed to lend me any aihltance, which occafioned fo violent a quarrel, that he was glad to take to his heels, and make his efcape from the plantation. I fliall never have done mentioning the infolence of thefe favage brutes, who moftly are the refufe of the earth, brought up in Germany, or elfewhere, under the cane of a corpora].
ral. " Well," faid one of thefe mifcreants ironically to an c ma?. old free negro, ** don't you believe that the monkies are t_^X_V'_, " a race of damnVl ChriRians, who have been thus traits-" formed for ftiewing fo much lenity to fuch as you?" —" No, fir," replied the black man, " we do not think that u the monkies are damn'd ChriRians; but I, and all of us, " believe that many who call themfelves ChriRians are a ** r^ack of damn'd monkies."—■ Which pointed repartee afforded me infinite fatisfaclion.
Of the adminiftrators I fliall fay nothing, nor of the appraifers of eftates ; having, I believe, already mentioned that the firR got ten per cent, of all the produce, and many of the latter enrich the purchafers and themfelves by felling under the value fuch property as is entrufled to their care.
On the 7th, Mr. Moryn, adminiftrator of the Hope, being in a piece of newly-cultivated ground on the op-polite fliore, I rowed over to obtain fatisfaction of the impertinent Blenderman, who was along with him ; but this fellow's cowardice being equal to his infolence and barbarity, he made every conceffioii, and promifed like-wife to repair my dams, rather than run the rifque of broken bones—thus a reconciliation was eftabliflied.
Walking through thefe new fields, where a neat houfe was already built, I faw fome beautiful birds, amongft which was the wood-pecker. I ought indeed to have de-fcribed this bird before, and another, the name unknown to me, having had an opportunity of doing it when I was at Magdenburg, but T then took only drawings of them.
Vol. II. H h The
234 N A R R> T i V E   of AN
c h à p7 The wood-pecker is about the 11 ze of a thruRi, and of an xxv' elegant cinnamon-colour, fpeckled with dark brown and yellow ; near the rump it is entirely yellow ; the head is: ere (led with a fine crown of fmall feathers, of the fame colour as the body : the tail is long and black ; the bill is Rraight, and of a fea-green colour, as are the leg: and iris of the eyes, under which on each fide are two fpots of beautiful crimfon.
The anonymous bird, which, however, the negroes^ called ivoodo - httjo - fazv/o, from its feeding on wood-lice, is kirger than the former, and uncommonly brilliant in its plumage ; the head and upper part of its body being of a rich grafs green ; the breaft and belly crimfon, divided by an aih - coloured bar. The tail is long, and of a dark blue, as are the prime feathers in the wings, which are alfo divided from the green by another afli-coloured bar ; the bill is yellow and hooked, being furrounded by a number of fmall black feathers, as are the eyes, the iris of which is of a blood colour. (Both thefe birds may be feen in the annexed plate.)—As i have already obferved, however rich and beautiful the plumage may be which decorates the groves of Surinam, the melodious fong there is but feldom heard. They had alfo here the tame galinas, or Guinea-hens, called tokay, which being fo well known in England, require no particular defcription.
Among the plants which i faw here was the Ame-rican aloe, above half a foot in thicknefs, and twenty feet high ; it is an ever-green, pithy within and without, covered
I.oiulon.hiblUht.l /',rrr"i;,,i./;y J.Johirfon   Xtl'ouls i7uu\1tY<ird.
vered with fharp-pointed follicles, growing lefs as they ap- c ir a p. proach the fummit. This tree has numerous thick leaves t xxv* -diverging at its bafe, like the pine-apple plant; which arc very long, broad pointed, and dentulated with ftrong prickles. On the top grows a clufter of yellow flowers, whofe pedicles contain the feed of future aloes, and which never fail to come to perfection in the fpace of two months.
In the fkirts of the furrounding woods I faw alfo the vanillas, or banilla, which is a fhrub that climbs up along the trunks of other trees, adhering to the back like ne-bees or ivy, by the help of its tendrils : the leaves are prodigioufly thick, and dark green, the fruit con lifting of a triangular pod fix or eight inches long, and filled with fmall polifhcd feeds. Thefe pods, being dried a fortnight in the fun, become brown, and have a fat rich aromatic tafte, and moft agreeable flavour ; on which account they are ufed to fcent the chocolate. There are different kinds of vanilla, but that is moft efteemed which has its pods the moft long and moft Render. The negroes Riewed me here alfo a fmall fweetifh feed, which they called bongora.
As I returned to the Hope, I met Gojo, Joanna's uncle, who bad ihot one of the howling baboons, which he brought to the Hope to ftiew it me. Thefe animals arc the fize of a fmall bull-dog, and the colour a reddifh-brown, with long hair; they have alfo a beard, and are xipon the whole extremely ugly ; but what chiefly dif-ringuifhes them from other monkies is their abominable
H h 2 howl,
t
chap, how], which they perform in chorus whole groupes to-
XXw &etner> anc* ^° lou(^ R maY DC heard above a mile ; thefe difcordant concerts, the negroes told mc, they generally repeat, both night and day, at the time of high water, which, it is fuppofed, the baboons know by in-ftinct.—When fpeaking of inftinct in animals, I cannot omit relating the following lingular fact ; after which I fhall return to the hiftorical part of my narrative.
On the 16th I was vifited by a neighbouring gentleman, whom I conducted up my ladder ; but he had no fooner entered my aerial dwelling, than he leapt down from the top to the ground, roaring like a madman with agony and pain, after which he inftantly plunged his head into the river; but looking up, I foon difcovered the caufe of his diftrefs to be an enormous neft of wild bees or wciffce-wajfee, in the thatch, directly above my head, as I ftood within my door; when 1 immediately took to my heels as he had done, and ordered them to be de-moliflied by my Raves without delay. A tar mop was now brought, and the devaluation juft going to commence, when an old negro ftepped up, and offered to receive any punifhment I fliould decree if ever one of thefe bees fliould fting me in per/on. " Maflera," faid he, " they " would have ftung you long ere now had you been a * ftranger to them ; but they being your tenants, that is " gradually allowed to build upon your premiffes, they " affuredly know both you and your's, and will never " hurt either you or them."  i inftantly affented to the
propofltion,
propofition, and tying the old black man to a tree, ordered my boy Quaco to afcend the ladder quite naked, which he did, and was not Rung; I then ventured to follow, and I declare upon my honour, that even after making the neft, which made its inhabitants buz about my ears, not a fingle bee attempted to Ring me. I next releafed the old negro, and rewarded him with a gallon of rum and five fthllings for the difcovery. This fwarm of bees I fmce kept unhurt, as my body-guards, and they have made many ovcrfeers take a defperate leap for my amufement, as 1 generally fent them up my ladder upon fome frivolous mefTage, when I wifhed to punifh them for injuftice and cruelty, which was not feldom.
The above negro affured me, that on his mafter's eftate was an ancient tree, in which had been lodged ever fince he could remember, a fociety of birds, and another of bees, who lived in the greateft harmony together ; but fhould any ftrange birds come to difturb or feed upon the bees, they were inftantly repulfed by their feathered allies, and if ftrange bees dared to venture near the birds nefts, the native fwarm attacked the invaders, and flung them to death : that his mafter and family had fo much refpec~l for the above affociation, that the tree was confidered as facred, and was not to be touched by an axe until it fliould yield to all-deftroying time.
On the in\, a patrole arrived from Rietwyk, in Pirica, who informed me, that a party of our troops were juft returned to Java Creek from a cruize to Vredenburg, at 9 the
CHAP, the Marawina; and that, in conjunction with the rangers, L \_i they had during this campaign deRroyed many fields of provifions belonging to the rebels : alfo, that for their faithful fervices, our fable allies had been complimented by the Society with new arms, and, for the firR time, cloathed in green uniform jackets. I further learned that the ambaffadors to the Owe a and Serameca negroes were returned after a fruitlefs journey, as neither of thefe aflbciations would lend the fmalleft afTiftance. In confe-quence of this refufal, Colonel Fourgeoud, being wearied himfelf, and having exhaufted his troops in deftroying mofl of the rebel fettlements, at length determined to re-linquifh the whole expedition ; which refolution he pre-vioufly communicated to his Serene Highnefs the Prince of Orange at the Hague.
On the 23d I received pofitive orders to prepare and be ready on the 15th of July, to break up, with all the troops tinder my command, leave the River Comcwina, and row down to Paramaribo, where the tranfport fhips were put in commifTion to convey us back to Holland. This order I inftantly read before the front to all my men, who received it with unbounded joy and three cheers—but I alone lighed bitterly. — Oh my Joanna! Oh my boy! who were at this time both dangerouily ill, the one with a fever, the other with convulfions, fo that neither were expected to furvive. Add to this, that I ran a nail quite through my foot—thus was completely miferable.
During this fcene of ficknefs and diftrefs,      Jirix or
nisbt-
0
night-owl of Guiana regularly paid us his nocturnal vi- c ha p. fits, even in the apartment where we lay, pouring out his XX1'_, melancholy hootings, until he was killed by one of my black attendants. This bird is here called Ooroocoocoo, from its note, to which this word has fome affinity. It is about the fize of a pigeon ; the bill is yellow, and hooked like that of a fparrow-hawk ; the eyes are alio yellow; the tongue is cloven;, the ears very vifible; the legs Rrong, fliort, and armed with fliarp claws : the general colour of this bird is a pale brown, except the breaft and belly, which are white, intermixed with fome fpots of amber. The fuperftitious negroes generally believe that where the night-owl makes his appearance mortality muft cnfue: which prejudice is the more excufable, as this creature only frequents the apartments of the lick ; but the real caufe which attracts the animal, I ap* prebend to be the lights that upon thefe occafions are generally kept burning all night, or poflibly the morbid and putrid air, which excites its appetite for prey.
An old Indian woman of Joanna's acquaintance being now fent for to the Hope, I myfelf was foon cured by her fkill and attention; but my little family continued fo very unwell, that I thought it right to fend them to Paramaribo before it was too late. And on the 10th of July I fent all my flieep and poultry to Fauconberg, one couple of fat ewes excepted, which i killed, and with which, by the addition of fiih and venifbn, I entertained for two days following twenty-four of the moft refpectable inhabitants
CHAP, bitants in the river, while the white bread, fruit, and ^ Spanifh wines to help out the feaft, T received as a pre-
fent from my very worthy friend, Mr. James Gourland, at Berghoven.
On the 13th I ordered down the troops from Claren-beck, where an hofpital had been a fécond time erected, and they this evening anchored off the Hope.
On the 14th, an officer of the Honourable Society troops arrived to relieve me in the command of the river; and his men from that moment began to perform the duty.
I now removed my flag from the Hope to the barges; and in the evening took my laft farewel of Joanna's relations on the Fauconberg eftate; who, crouding round me, exprefled their forrow aloud for my departure, and with tears invoked the protection of Heaven for my fafe and profperous voyage.
On the 15th we finally left the Hope, having marched my troops on board the barges at ten o'clock, A.M.; and at noon I fired my piftol as a fignal to weigh anchor, when we immediately proceeded down the River Come-wina for the roads of Paramaribo, to be embarked on board the tranfport fhips for Europe,
CHAP,
CHAP. XXVI.
The Troops on Board—Again ordered to difembark—Great DejeBion—Mutiny—Infolent Conducl of an Owca Negro Captain—Near two hundred Sick fent to Holland—Gene-ral Defcription of the African Negroes.
ON the evening of the 15th of July, we anchored off chap. the eRate Berkfhoven, where I fpent the night afliore with my friend Gourley ; and in the morning we continued to row down the river, when I took my laft farewel of Mr. Palmer. I paffed the evening of the 17th with Captain Mac Neyl ; and, on the 18th, the whole fleet, confifting of my own barges, together with three from Magdenberg, and thofe from the River Cottica, arrived fafe at anchor in the roads of Paramaribo, where three tranfports lay ready to receive us, on board of which veffels I immediately embarked all the troops that had come down under my command.
This fervice being accompliflied, I went afliore, and made my report to Colonel Fourgeoud ; after which I went to viflt Joanna and her boy, whom, to my great joy, I found very much recovered.
The following day 1 was again fent on board, to make the neceftary arrangements for the voyage ; and on the aoth I dined with Colonel Fourgeoud, where, to my Vol. II. I i furprize.
furprize, I found two fpecies of fifh, which I have never mentioned; the one is called the haddock, being much like ours, but rather larger and whiter coloured : the other the feparee, which a little refembles the fikait. At the deflert was a fruit called in Surinam zurzacka, which I believe by the Engliih is called the four-Jap. It grows upon a tree of a moderate fize, with a grey bark, and leaves like thofe of the orange-tree, but fet in pairs ; the fruit is of a pyramidical form, heavier than the largeft pear, and all covered over with inoffenfive prickles : the Run is very thin, the pulp a foft pithy fubRance as white as milk, and of a fweet tafte, mixed with a moft agreeable acid, in which are feeds like the large kernels of an
apple. Another fpecies of fmall zurzacka grows in this country, fomething refembling hops, but is of no ufe
whatever. We had alfo the fruit called fabatille, which grows on a large tree, the leaves like thofe of the laurel. This fruit is the fize of a peach, very round, and of a brown colour, covered over with a foft down : when cut in two, the pulp is not unlike marmalade, in which are found the feeds ; it is fuch a lufcious fweet, that to many palates it is even difagreeable.
On the 21ft we once more received our clearance, but in card money, by which we all loft very confiderably ; however, I inftantly went to Mrs. Godefroy, and again gave her all the money that was in my pocket, being no more than JT. 40. This excellent woman now renewed her entreaties that I fliould carry my boy and his mother
with
with me to Holland, but to no purpofe ; Joanna was perfectly immoveable, even to a degree of heroifm, and no perfuafion could make the leaft impreflion upon her, until her redemption fliould be made complete by the payment of the very laft farthing. In this fituation we affected to buar our fate with perfect refignation, though what each of us felt in particular may much more eafily be imagined than dcfcribed.
The regiment's colours were now carried on board on the 23d in great ftate, which put a final clofe to the expedition, but without receiving any honours from Fort Zealandia, not a fingle gun being fired, nor even the flag hoifted on the occafion, to the great mortification of Colonel Fourgeoud, though in effect it was chiefly owing to his own neglect, as he had never given the Governor official notice of his intended departure. The baggage was alfo fent on board the fhips ; and a gentleman of the name of Van Ilcyjl entertained the marines at his private expence with three hundred bottles of wine, fruit, 8cc.
I have often remarked the hofpitality and generofity of thefe people, which I now alfo once more experienced, receiving various prefents of fruits and preferves from my numerous friends, to refreûh me at fea while on the voyage ; amongft the preferves were the female pappayas, the male bearing no fruit. This grows on a grey trunk, near twenty feet high, ftraight, and pithy within, the top being covered with a crown, and only fourteen or fixteen diverging leaves, extremely large and digitated. The fruit grows clofe to the trunk; the flower or bloflbm has
I i 2 a moft
CHAP, a moft delicious fragrance. When ripe, it is the fize and {XX^1', fhape of a water-melon, and turns from green to yellow, but its pulp is more firm and folid : the inner pulp is foft and Rimy, filled with innumerable feeds. This fruit at full maturity is cut in pieces and boiled, when it eats like Englifh turnips ; but they ufe it principally for confectionary and fweetmeats, when young, and with its blof-foms being both extremely delicate and wholefome. I had alfo fent me fome fine preferved ginger ; this is the root of a kind of reedy Ralk, that never exceeds two feet in height, with long, narrow pointed leaves. Thefe roots are tuberous, flattifh, fmall, and cluftered in many different fhapes, not unlike pig-potatoes, and of nearly the fame colour in the infide, but fibrous, acid, hot, and aromatic ; the fmell is highly fragrant : it is well known to be not only an agreeable preferve, but in many cafes an excellent medicine.--But to proceed.
On the 24th of July, the fails being bent to the yards, we at laft proceeded in corps to take leave of his Excellency the Governor of the colony, who, while he ftill received us with the greateft politenefs, yet gave our hero to undcr-Rand, that were his colours now to be fent on board, they ftrould mofl certainly be faluted with thofe honours which indifputably were their due. After which he fent the whole corps of Society officers to the head-quarters in Rate, to wifh us a profperons voyage to Holland ; and in this conteft of etiquette his Excellency moft affuredly led the van ; for hinting which, however, to fome of Four-geoud's favourites, I had nearly engaged myfelf once more
in
in a ferious quarrel. Our men, who had been on board Rnce the 18th, being now joined by their officers, the poor remains of this fine regiment were thus finally embarked, and in the highefl flow of fpirits, expecting to fet fail the following day for Europe ; while (one alone excepted) every countenance wore the appearance of happinefs and joy; and nothing indeed could equal the exultation of the few furviving troops, when the next morning the orders were iflued for the fhips to weigh anchor and put to fea.
But it was by fate ordained that their eager hopes and expectations once more fliould be blafted : for on the very moment of departure, a fliip entered the river with difpatches, inclofing an order for the regiment immediately to re-enter the woods, and remain in the colony until relieved by freih troc^s to be fent out from Holland for that purpofe. The sincere thanks of his Serene Highnefs the Prince of Orange were now read to the men from the quarter-deck of each veflel, " for the manly and fpirited conduct they had difplayed f! during fo long a trial, and fo many great and unpre-¥ cedented hardfliips ;" but as they concluded with orders for the troops to difembark, and remain in this dreadful fervice, I never faw -dejection, difappointment, and defpair fo Rrongly marked : while at this moment I, who but juft before had been completely miferable, was now in turn the only one who was not deprefTed with forrow.
In
In the midft of this gloomy fcene, the men were ordered to give three cheers, which the marines on hoard one of the veffels abfolutely refufed to comply with : Colonel Seyburg, and unluckily myfelf, were in confe-quence ordered to compel them; which he undertook, with a cane in one hand, and a loaded piftol cocked in the other. Knowing his temper to be fiery and irafcible, what did I not feel at this moment? I fuddenly leapt into the boat that lay along-fide, where, after haranguing thofe few that leaned over the gunwale, I pro mi fed the Jhiffs crew twenty gallons of Holland's gin if they would only begin the melancholy chorus. Then mounting again the quarter-deck, I acquainted the Colonel that all were now ready and willing to obey his commands ; we then re-entered the boat, and in flioving off had the fatisfadion to receive three hearty cheers from the failors, in which joined a few marines, but with fuch languid looks and heavy hearts as cannot be defcribed.
At this time however the Prince of Orange's goodnefs of heart appeared in a confpicuous light, as he ordered all private accounts due by the troops to furgeons and phyficians to be paid by the treafury; which, however trifling it may appear, was no trifle to many of the officers, 8cc. and evinced an attention in his Serene Highnefs which is not always to be found in princes, while all knew his forrow for the hard lot of his foldiers, but which could not yet be difpenfed with, confifient with the general good.
5 If
If our difembarkation diRreffèd the troops, it afforded c H A P. joy to moR of the coloniRs ; as indeed a petition, figned ^ ^ by the principal inhabitants, had been prefented to Colonel Fourgeoud but two days before, " praying that our " regiment might Ray fome time longer, and give the " finiming Rroke to the rebels, as we had fo glorioufly u begun, and perfevered in routing and harafhng them which indeed was certainly true, for our regiment, in conjunction with the Society and rangers, had demolilhed moR fettlements the rebels poffelfed in the colony, and had driven them to fo confiderable a diftance, that their depredations, and the defertion of Raves, were incomparably lefs than upon our arrival ; and this was afturedly much better than the Dutch making a ftiameful peace with them, as had been done with the rebels of the Owca and Saratneca fettlements before, yet which would probably again have been the confequence had we not landed in Guiana.
As an inftance of the infolence of favages, when per-feétly indépendant, i muft relate a conversion which pafled between one of this defcription and myfelf at Paramaribo, where the troops were allowed fome time to refrefh themfelves before they again retook the field :— Dining one day at Captain Mac Neyl's, who was now come to town from his eftate, a captain of the Owca negroes, our fuppofed allies, came in to demand money from his lady ; and being very importunate, i defired her in Englifti to " give him a dram, and he would be gone;" which the fellow underftanding, called me without the ~ door*
door, and lifting up his River-headed cane, afked me," If " that houfe was my own ? and if not, what bufinefs I "had to interfere? I am," faid he, in a thundering voice, " Captain Fortune Dago-So ; and, if I had you in M my country at Owca, I would make the very earth
drink up your blood." To which I replied, drawing my fword, " That my name was Stedman ; and that if he " dared to utter one infolent expreflion more, my wea-" pon fliould find the fliorteft way through his body." Upon which he fnapped his fingers, and marched off, leaving me much difpleafed, and blaming Fourgeoud for fliewing fo much indulgence to fuch a fet of banditti. In the evening, as I returned from dinner, I met the fame black fellow again, who, Repping fliort up to me, faid, " Maflera, you are a man, a very brave fellow ; won't " you now give fome money to the Owca Captain ?" This 1 fternly refufed ; he then kiffed my hand, and fliewed his teeth (he faid) in token of reconciliation, promising to fend me a prefent of piflachio-nuts, which, however, never did arrive, nor indeed fliould I have tafted.
Though we continued in Surinam fome time longer, our future fervices could add but very little to its pro-fperity, as our numbers were now fo very few, and out of this number, fmall as it was, nine officers and above one hundred and fixty privates, all fick and incurable, embarked again for Holland on the ift of Augufl, I was ill with an ague at this time, and had the offer of making one of the party, but declined it, being determined to fee the end of the expedition if I could; I however availed myfelf
of
N
of the opportunity to fend fome prefents to my friends chap. in Europe ; amongft thefe were a couple of beautiful ^X^L parrots, two curious monkies, an elegant collection of fine butterflies, three chefts of fweet meats, and fome pickles, all fhipped on board the fhip Paramaribo, and under the care of Serjeant Fowler, who was, poor fellpw, one of the invalids bound for Amfterdam.
Major Medlar being quite emaciated with fatigue and hardihips, now alfo failed for Holland ; thus, during his abfence acting as major, I began to entertain an expectation that I fliould one day carry home the regiment myfelf, fo very rapidly were our officers daily diminifh-ing; and yet amongft thofe few who remained two had the courage at this time to venture upon matrimony, and married two Creole ladies, both widows.
Every thing now being peaceable and quiet, I recovered my ftrength fo far as on the 10th to walk to Mrs. Godefroy, when i acquainted her that I wifhed much to emancipate at leaft Johnny Stedman; and requefted her to become bail before the court, for the ufual fum of £< 300, as he fliould never be any charge to the colony of Surinam. But this (lie peremptorily declined, though there was no rifquc, it being only a matter of form ; at which I could not help, feeling fome aftonifhment, till I was acquainted that fhe had actually refufed the fame favour to her own fon.
The mention of flavery reminds me of a debt which I feem to have incurred to my reader. I have from time to time given fome account of the mode in which
Vol. II. K k flaves
chap.  Raves are brought to this market, and of the man-
XXVI
i *_j ner in which they are treated—But I feel that I have not been fufliciently full upon this fubject ; and I am the more difpofed to bring forward all the information that I have gained concerning the negroes, becaufe I flatter myfelf that I fhall be able to bring fome truths to light, that have hitherto been un obferved or imperfectly related, at leaft to the generality of Europeans.
In the firft place, as to the complexion of a negro, this, as I have obferved before, is I am perfuaded entirely owing to the burning climate in which he lives,, and an atmofphere ftill more heated by the fandy defarts,., over which the trade winds pafs before they reach the habitable parts. The Indians of America, on the contrary, who indeed live under the fame degree of latitude, have this wind refreshed by the Atlantic Ocean, and are copper-coloured ; and the inhabitants of Abyflinia, who receive it cooled by the Arabian and the Indian Seas, are entirely olive. Thus north of the great River Senegal the complexion changes from black to brown amongft the Moors, as it does toward the fouth amongft the Caftiarians and the Hottentots ; and I am of opinion, that the woolly texture of their hair is an effect proceeding from the fame caufe. The epidermis or cuticle of the negroes I have feen dhTected more than once ; it is clear and tranfparent, but between this and the real fkin lies a thin follicle, which is perfectly black, which being removed by fevere flagellation, or by Raiding, expofes a complexion not inferior to that of an European,
M On
EXPEDITION   TO   SURINAM. 251 On the eftate Vqjfenbergh, in Surinam, were born two chap.
XXVI
white negroes, whofe parents were both perfectly black ; v_ L ^ the one was a female, fent to Paris in 1734 5 tne other a boy, born in March 1738. And in 1794^ a fimilar woman, Emelia Lew/am, was exhibited in England, whofe children (though fhe is married to an European) are all mulattoes. The fkin of thefe people is not of the European white, but more refembles chalk; their hair the fame; their eyes are often red *, and they fee very little in the fun-fhine, neither are they fit for any kind of labour; while their mental faculties, I have been told, ufually correfpond with the debility of their bodies.
With refpedl to the JJjape of the African negroes, it is from head to foot certainly different from the European mould, though not, in my opinion, in any degree inferior, prejudice being laid afide. Their ftrong features, flat nofes, thick lips, and high cheek bones, may appear deformities to us, and yet amongft themfelves may be ef-teemed the reverfe; their bright black eyes, and fine white teeth, we are forced to admire; and one decided advantage in a black complexion is, that all thofe languid pale fickly-looking countenances, fo common in Europe, are never exhibited among them, nor are the wrinkles and ravages of age equally confpicuous ; though I muft confefs that when a negro is very ill, his black changes to a very difagreeable fallow olive.
* This is well known to be the cafe &c. that arc perfectly white, Co have their with many other animals, as rabbits, mice,    eyes blocd-cohured.
K k 2 For
For exertion and activity, their ftiape is afluredly preferable to ours, being generally Rrong and mufcular near the trunk, and Render towards the extremities; they have moRly a remarkable fine cheR, but are fmall about the hips ; their buttocks are more prominent, and their necks are thicker than ours ; the thighs are Rrong, as alfo the arms above the elbow, but the wrifts and lower part of the legs are very flender; and a good deal indeed of the Herculean make of the late Brougbton the pugilift may be traced in the form of a vigorous negro. As to the crookednefs of their limbs, it is to be accounted for by the manner in which they are carried whilft infants upon the mother's back, their tender legs being tied clofe round, each fide of her waift, which occafions that unnatural bent, with which they are not born : nor are their children ever taught to walk, but left to creep amongft the fand and grafs, until they gradually acquire ftrength and inclination to erect themfelves, which they do very foon; by this cuftom, however, the pofition of their feet is much neglected, yet by exercife, and daily bathing, they acquire that ftrength and agility, for which they are fo remarkable.
Another cuftom which, in their opinion, conduces much, to their health and, vigour is, that, during the two. years in which the mothers fuckle their children* they, frequently make them fwallow large quantities of water> after which they fhake them twice a clay, with much violence; they are then taken by a leg or an arm, and
tofted
EXPEDITION   TO  SURINAM. 253 toffed into the river, to be well fcoured outwardly ; nor CHAP.
XXVI
are the females exempt from this mode of rearing youth? t which renders them not inferior to the men, in fize alone excepted, while fome in running, fwimming, climbing, and dancing, as well as wreRling, are even their for pernors ;. thus, that it depends on education to form a race of Amazonian females, is a proposition of which I have very little doubfr
Nor are thefe hardy daughters of the Torrid Zone lefs remarkable for propagation. I knew a female fer-vant at Mr. de Graaf's, called Lefperanzay who actually bore nine children in the courfe of three years,, the firR. year four, the next two, and the third three. They bring,their offspring into the world without pain, and like the Indian women refuming their domcftic employments even the fame day. During, the firR week their infants are as fair as any Europeans, except that in? the males there is a little appearance of black in a certain part, and the whole body becomes gradually of that colour. Their females arrive early at the age of puberty; but, as in. the. fruits .of this climate, this early maturity is fucceeded. by a fudden decay. Many of the negroes,, however, live to a,very confiderable age : Lhave feen one or two that were above one hundred; and the London Chronicle for October 5, 1780, makes mention of a negro woman, called Louifa Truxo, at Tucomea,, in South America, ftill living, at the furprizing age of one hundred and feventy-five years. In what tables of longevity is there fuch an European to be found? though moft probably
\
CHAP,   bably this venerable perfon fpent her youth in hard XXVI
t labour, like other flaves ; which, though a negro can
bear rnuch better in a tropical climate than a native of Europe, yet cannot be natural, either on the coaft of Guinea or Guiana, where, without toil, the neceflaries of life are produced, and vegetation flourifhes fponta-neoufly for ever.
In the conftitution of the negroes I have Rill obferved this Angularity, that while they bear the fatigue of labour in the hotteft days, they can alfo bear the cold and damp better than an European, at leaR better than I could ; flceping all night on the wet grafs, perfectly naked, without any injury to their health, while I have been glad, efpecially early in the morning, to have a fire lit under my hammock, and while the marines for want of it lay in a fhiver. They alfo bear hunger and thirft, and pain or ficknefs, with the greateft patience and refo-lution.
I have formerly mentioned the names of more than a dozen of negro tribes : all thefe know each other by the different marks and incilions made on their bodies — for inftance, the Coromantyn negroes, who are moft efteemed, cut three or four long gafhes on each of their cheeks, as reprefented in the face of the armed free negro or ranger, in plate VII.
The Loango negroes, who are reckoned the worft, dif-tinguilh themfelves by puncturing or marking the fkin of their fides, arms, and thighs with fquare elevated figures, fbmething like dice.  (See plate LXVUI.) Thefe
alfo
alfo cut their fore-teeth to a fharp point, which gives them a frightful appearance, refembling in fome degree thofe of a Riark : and all their males are circumcifed, after the manner of the Jews.
Among the Rrange productions of nature, a fpecies of people known by the name of Accorees, deferves to be particularly noticed.—The Accorees, or Two-fingers, live amongft the Seramaca negroes, in the very upper parts of the river of that name. This heterogeneous tribe are fo deformed in their hands and feet, that while fome have three or four fingers and toes on each hand and foot,, others have only two, which refemble the claws of a lobfter, or rather limbs that have been cured after mutilation by fire, or fome other accident. This deformity in one perfon would caufe but fmall admiration; but that a whole community mould be afflicted with this fingula-rity, is certainly a moft wonderful phenomenon. Having feen but two myfelf, and that at too great a diftance to take a drawing of them, I cannot pretend to vouch for the truth of what I have only heard; but an engraving of one of thefe figures was pofitively fent to the Society of Arts and Sciences at Haerlem ; while I beg leave to introduce, as a further voucher, the following extract from an old book of furgery and anatomy, procured me by the ingenious and learned Owen Cambridge, Efquire, of Twickenham.
" After Michaelmas term, in the year 1629, a body was «* brought from the place of execution to the College of 4fi Phyficians, to be cut up for an anatomy; and by chance
*' the
CHAP.   " the officer of the college brought the body of a cruel XX^'    u wretch, who had murdered the foil of one Mafter Scot, u a furgeon of good note in this city.   This wretch was 44 of a very truculent countenance and afpect; his hair ¥ was black and curled, not very long, but thick and
" bufhy ; his forehead little above an inch high; his ** brows great and prominent; his eyes fet deep 111 their u foekets; his nofe crooked, with a round knob or button " at the end, which alfo fomewhat turned upwards ; on " his upper lip he had fome quantity of black hair, on " his chin very few, ftraggling, black and ftiff ; and his " nether lip was as big as three lips. Such was his face : " but the greateft deformity was his feet, and that almoft " to admiration ; for they were both cloven, but not " alike. One foot was equally divided between four and i( five inches deep into two toes, jointed like other men's " toes, but as large each of them as half the foot could « make them, with nails proportionable. The left foot « was divided likewife in the middle, but the divifion " was not above three inches deep, or fcarce fo much ; " the one half, which was towards the body, made one " large toe, with a nail proportionable, like the inward ** half of the right foot ; but the outward half was com-" pounded of two toes, yet growing clofe and faft to-" gether. This monftrous fltape of aman I have thought " good to give this relation of, from certain knowledge, " for there were a thoufand witneffes of it prefent." With the languages of the African negroes I am but
little
EXPEDITION  TO   SURINAM. 2,57 little acquainted ; as a fpecimen, however, I will iniert a CHAP.
xx vt
few fentences of that called the Coromantyn, upon the u credit of my boy Quaco, who belonged to that nation, together with a tranilation in Englilh ; and only obferve, that they break off their words very ftiort, in a kind of guttural manner, which I cannot eafily defcribe :—For in-ftance — " Co fa anfyo, na baramon bra, Go to the "river, and bring me fome water."—" Mee yeree, naco-
« meda mee, My wife, I want fome food."-So much
for the Coromantyn language, as fpoken by the negroes on the coaft of Guinea.
But as to that fpoken by the black people in Surinam, I confider myfelf a perfect mafter, it being a corn-pound of Dutch, French, Spanifli, Portuguefe, and Eng-lifli. The latter they like beft, and confequently ufe the moft. It has been already obferved, that the Englilh. were the firft Europeans who poffefled this colony, hence probably the predilection for that language, which they have ftill retained. In this mixed dialect, for which 1 have feen a printed grammar, the Words end moftly with a vowel, like the Indian and Italian, and it is fo fweet, fo fonorous and foft, that the genteelefl Europeans in Surinam fpeak little elfe ; it is alfo wonderfully exprefhve and fentimental, fuch as, " Good eating, fweety-muffo?— " Gun-powder, man fanny"—" I will love you, with all <£ my heart, fo long as I live, Mee faloby you, langa alia « mee batty, fo langa me leebyr—" A pleafing tale, ananaffy
Vojl. 11. L 1 « tory:'
XXVI.
Il      "U " ' I
chap, "tory"—" i am very angry, me batty brun.*—" Live " long, fo long until your hair become white as cotton, " Lebee langa, tay, tay, ta-yyou wee r ce weeree tan witylikee " catvo."—" Small, peekeen"—" Very fmall, peekeenee-*,* nee"—<c Farcwel 1 Good-bye ! i am dying, and going to "my God, Adiofo, cerroboay, mee de go dede, me de go na iC mee Gado"—In this fample, many corrupt Englifli words are perceptible, which however begin to grow out of ufe near the capital, but are Rill retained in the diftant plantations ; for inftance, at the eftate Goet-Accoord, in Cottica, i have heard an old negro woman fay, " We lobee fo lebee " togeddere," by which flie meant, we love to live together ; and at Paramaribo to exprefs the fame fentence, 16 Wee looko for tannc macandera"
Their vocal mufic is like that of the birds, melodious, but without time, and in other refpects not unlike that of a clerk performing to the congregation, one perfon con-ftantly pronouncing a fentence extempore, which he next hums or whittles, and then all the others repeat the fame in chorus; another fentence is then fpoken, and the chorus is a fécond time renewed, &c.
This kind of finging is much practifed by the barge rowers or boat negroes on the water, cfpecially during the night in a clear moonfliine ; it is to them peculiarly animating, and may, together with the found of their oars, be heard at a coniiderable diftance. As a fpecimen, i have tried to fet the following words • to
to mufic, fuppofing a ranger going to battle, and thus chap. taking leave of his girl :
XXVI.
--V—-J
___J!L *___3_
0<3« bus ndioji - 0 da   fo       adioffo    me de - go me hby fo fighty me man 0
One bufs good-by o 'tis fo    good-by girl I muft go     I love for to fight like a mauo
0    da    fo        adioffo    me   do go.
good-by girl, I muft go.
Amimba tne   dego na boofy Amimba I go to the woods    o   'tis fo
Such is their vocal melody ; and of their inftrumental mufic, and dancing, which is perfectly to time, I fliall fpeak hereafter, having already given a fliort account of that which is practifed by the Loango negroes. That thefe people are neither diverted of a good ear, nor poetical genius, has been frequently proved, when they have had the advantages of a good education. Amongft others, Phillis Wheatley, who was a flave at Bqflon in New England, learned the Latin language, and wrote thirty-eight elegant pieces of poetry on different fubjects, which were publifhcd in 1773. As a fpecimen, I cannot refrain here inferting the following extract: from that entitled, " Thoughts on Imagination^
" Now here, now there, the roving fancy flies, " Till fome lov'd obje<5t ftrikes her wand'ring eyes, " Whofe filken fetters all the fenfes bind, . " And foft captivity invades the mind.
L 1 2 , * Imagi-
" Imagination ! who can fing thy force ?
" Or where defcribe the fwiftnefs of thy courfe ?
" Soaring through air to find the bright abode, " Th' imperial palace of the thundering God,
" We on thy pinions can fur pafs the wind,
ft And leave the rolling univerfe behind.
" From Rar to ftar the mental optics rove,
*{ Meafure the fkies, and range the realms above j
" There in one view we grafp the mighty whole,
*f Or with new worlds amaze th' unbounded foul."
What can be more beautiful and fublimc ? -
Ignatius Sancho, a negro, many years fervant to the Duke of Montagu, whofe fentimental letters, fo generally known, would not difgrace the pen of an European, may alfo be mentioned on this occafion ; and with regard to their powers of memory and calculation, I fliall only notice Thomas Fuller, a negro, the property of a Mrs. Cox in Maryland, North America ; and quote one Angular anecdote, as it is related by Dr. Rufh of Philadelphia, in a letter to a gentleman at Manchefter.
" Being travelling," fays the Doctor, " with fome other u gentlemen of this city, through Maryland, and having u heard of the aftonifhing powers of memory in arith-" metical calculation poffefled by Thomas Fuller, a negro, " we fent for him; when one of the gentlemen in com-u pany afked him, how many féconds a man of feventy « years, fome odd months, weeks and days, had lived ? '< He told the exact number in a minute and a half.
" When
u When the gentleman who had afked the queRion took " his pen, and having calculated the fame by figures, told " the negro he muft be miftaken, as the number he had " mentioned was certainly too great. « Top, MafTera,' faid " the negro, « you have omitted the leap-years ;' when " having calculated the féconds contained in the number " of leap-years, and added them, the number was found " exactly the fame as that calculated by the negro. This " fame man multiplied nine figures by nine, by me-u mory, before another company." Another lately repeated the Alcoran from recollection only.—Wtiat amazing mental faculties in African negroes, who could neither read nor write ! Yet that fuch things are, is well authenticated.
To what I have already advanced,, I may add, that all negroes firmly believe the being of a God9. upon whofe goodnefs they rely, and whofe power they adore, while they have no fear of death, and never tafte food without offering a libation. In the rivers Gambia and Senegal they are moftly Mahometans ; but generally the worfhip and religious ceremonies of the Africans vary, as do the num-berlefs fuperftitious practices of all favages, and indeed of too many Europeans. Perceiving that it was their cuftom to bring their offerings to the wild cotton-tree-"-,
* This tree grows to a confiderable height and thicknefs, very ftraight, and covered with a ftrong grey prickly bark. The boughs fpread very much, with fmall digitated leaves.   The cotton, which it
produces tricnnnlly, is neither white nor plentiful, which makes it little (ought after. It bears fome refemblancc to the Briufh oak, the largeft of which it fur-pafles both in elegance and magnitude.
i enquired
C H A p. I enquired of an old negro, why they paid fuch particular r  ^-,lf reverence and veneration to this growing piece of timber.
" This proceeds (faid he) mafTera, from the following ct caufe : having no churches nor places built for public H worfhip (as you have) on the Coaft of Guinea, and " this tree being the largeft and moft beautiful growing " there, our people, affembling under its branches when " they are going to be inftructed, are defended by it from " the heavy rains and fcorching fun. Under this tree our " gadoman, or prieft, delivers his lectures ; and for this " reafon our common people have fo much veneration " for it, that they will not cut it down upon any ac-" count whatever."
No people can be more fuperftitious than the generality of negroes ; and their Locomen, or pretended prophets, find their intereft in encouraging this fupcrftition, by felling them obias or amulets, as I have already mentioned, and as fome hypocrites fell abfolution in Europe, for a comfortable living. Thefe people have alfo amongft them a kind of Sibyls, who deal in oracles ; thefe fage matrons dancing and whirling round in the middle of an affembly, with amazing rapidity, until they foam at the mouth, and drop down as convulfed. Whatever the pro-phetefs orders to be done during this paroxifm, is moft facredly performed by the furrounding multitude; which renders thefe meetings extremely dangerous, as Rie frequently enjoins them to murder their mafters, or defert to the woods ; upon which account this fcene of excefflve fanaticifm is forbidden by law in the colony of Surinam,
upon
upon pain of the moR rigorous puniftiment : yet it is chap. often prarftifed in private places, and is very common amongft the Owca and Seramica negroes, where captains Fredericy and Van Geurick told me they had feen it performed. It is here called the winty-play, or the dance of the mermaid, and has exifted from time immemorial; as even the claflic authors make frequent mention of this extraordinary practice. Virgil, in his fixth book, makes Eneas vifit the Sibyl of Cuma; and Ovid alfo mentions the fame fubject, lib. 14. where Eneas wifhes to vifit the ghoft of his father.
But what is ftill more ftrange, thefe unaccountable women by their voice know how to charm the ammo-dytes, * or papazv ferpent, down from the tree. This is an abfolute fact ; nor is this fnake ever killed or hurt by the negroes, who, on the contrary, efteem it as their friend and guardian, and arc happy to fee it enter their huts. When thefe fibyls have charmed or conjured down the ammodytes ferpent from the tree, it is common to fee this reptile twine and wreathe about their arms, neck and breaft, as if the creature took delight in hearing her voice, while the woman ftrokes and careffes it with her hand. The facred writers fpeak of the charming of adders and ferpents in many places, which I mention
* This creature is from three to five     liancy of its colours may be another feet long, and perfectly harmlefs ; it has     inducement for the adoration of th« not the leaft apprchenfion of being hurt negroes. even by man; while the unparalleled bril-
onîy
only to prove the antiquity of the practice*; for nothing is more notorious, than that the Eaflern Indians will rid the houfes of the moft venomous makes by charming them with the found of a flute, which calls them out of their holes. And it is not many years fince an Italian woman brought over three tame fnakes, which crawled about her neck and arms : they were four or Ave feet long, but not venomous.
Another inftance of fupcrftition amongft the negroes I muft relate ; there is a direct prohibition in every family, handed down from father to fon, againft the eating of fome one kind of animal food, which they call treff\ this may be either fowl, fiih, or quadruped, but whatever it is, no negro will touch it ; though I have feen fome good Catholics eat roaft-beef in Lent, and a religious Jew devouring a flice from a fat flitch of bacon.
However ridiculous fome of the above rites may appear, yet amongft the African blacks they are certainly necef-fary, to keep the rabble in fubjection; and their gadomen or priefts know this as well as the infallible Pontiff of the Roman church. Thefe illiterate mortals differ, however, in this refpect from the modern Europeans, that whatever they believe, they do it firmly, and are never ftaggered by the doubts of fcepticifm, nor troubled with
* See the 58th Pfalm, ver. 4, and 5 • « They are like the deaf adder, that li floppeth her ear j which will not heark-" en to the voice of charmers, charm-
" ing never fo wifely."—Jerem.. chap, viii. ver. 17,—and the Book of Eccle-fiaftes, chap. x. vcr. u,&c.
the
the qualms of confcience ; but whether they are, upon this account, better or worfe, I will not pretend to determine. —I however think that they are a happy people, and pofTefs fo much friendfhip for one another, that they need not be told to " love their neighbour as themfelves;" fince the pooreft negro, having only an egg, fcorns to eat it alone ; but were a dozen prefent, and every one a ftranger, he would cut or break it into juft as many fliares; or were there one fingle dram of rum, he would divide it among the fame number : this is not done, however, until a few drops are firft fprinkled on the ground, as an oblation to the gods.—Approach then here, thou canting hypocrite, and take an example from thy illiterate fable brother ! — From what I fometimes throw out, however, let it not be underftood that I am an enemy to religious worfliip—God forbid ! But I ever will profefs myfelf the greateft friend to thofe whofe actions heft corrcfpond with their doctrine; which, I am forry to fay, is too feldom the cafe amongft thofe nations who pretend moft to civilization.
If favage nations be commonly generous and faithful, they are not, however, without their dark Riades; and among thefe, the moft confpicuous is a pronenefs to anger and revenge. I never knew a negro indeed forgive thofe who had wilfully offended him. The ftrength of this paffion can only be equalled by their gratitude ; for, amongft them, it may be truly faid, that
Vol. IL
M m
" a generous
O IIA P
XXyr * " A generous friendfhip no cold medium knows,
V-*—v~~*J f< But with one love, with one rëfontment glows."
Their abominable cruelties alfo, like thofe of all barbarous nations, are truly ihocking. In the colony.of Ber-bicè, during the late revolt, they made no fcruple of cutting up their miftreffes with child, even in their mailer's prefence, with many other favage devices too dreadful to relate *.—In the art of poifoning, not even the Accawaw Indians are more expert; they can carry it under their nails, and by only dipping their thumb into a tumbler of water, which they offer as a beverage to the object: of their revenge, they infufe a Row but certain death t. Whole eftates, as well as private families, have become the victims of their fury, and experienced their fatal vengeance, even putting to death fcores of their own friends and relations, with the double view of depriving their
* It is a well-known fa&, that a ne- out to them that he was now fully rc-
gro, having been ill-treated by the family venged, lfcaped down himfelf, and dafhed
in which he lived as a fervant, one day out his own brains amongft the amazed
took the following defperate revenge:—    fpectators--Another (tabbed the in-
The mafter and miftrefs being from home, ofFcnfive hufband to be revenged on the
he, having locked ail the doors, at their guilty wife ; declaring, that to kill herfelf
return prefented himfelf with their three was only temporary, but to lofe all that
fine children on the platform on the top was dear to her muft be eternal bittcr-
of the houfe. When afked why he did not nefi, while to himfelf it was the fwecteft
give admittance, he only, anfwered by fatisfa£Lion. throwing an infant baby to the ground:
they threatened—he toiled down the bro- f After the moft fcrupulous enquiry,
ther: they intreated, but to no puipofe, and even ocular denionftration, lean af-
the third fharing the fame fate, who all lay fert the above as literally true.
dead at their parents' feet—then calling
proprietors
proprietors of their moft valuable poffeflions.   Thefe C monfters are diftinguifhed by the name of Wijfy-men, u perhaps from wife, or knowing, and by their fatal genius carry deftruclion to a moft dreadful length before they are detected.
All barbarous and uneducated people have indiftinct notions of property ; nor can we wonder that flaves, who in their own perfons fuffer the moft flagrant violation of every right, fhould be difpofed to retaliate. The flaves on the plantations are therefore too commonly thieves, plundering whatever they can lay their hands upon with impunity ; nor can any bounds be fet to their intemperance, efpecially in drinking. I have feen a negro girl empty a china-bowl at one draught, containing two bottles of claret, which I had given her by way of experiment, till flie could no more ftand.
I fliould not forget to mention that the Gango negroes are fuppofed to be anthropophagi or cannibals, like the Caribbee Indians, inftigated by habitual and implacable revenge. Amongft the rebels of this tribe, after the taking of Boucou, fome pots were found on the fire with human flefh ; which one of the officers had the curiofity to tafte, and declared it was not inferior to fome kinds of beef or pork.
I have been fince aftured by a Mr. VangiUs, an American, that having travelled for a great number of miles inland in Africa, he at length came to a place where human legs, arms, and thighs hung upon wooden fliam-
M m 2 bles,
chap,  bles, and were expofed to fale, like butchers meat in
XXVI
i". . Leadenhall market. And Captain John Keene, formerly of the Dolphin cutter, but late of the Naimbana fchooner, in the Sierra Leona company's fervice, pofitively affured me, that when he, a few years fince, was on the coaft of Africa, in the brig Fame, from Briftol, Mr. Samuel Biggs owner, trading for wood, iron, and gold-duft, a Captain Dunnigen, with his whole crew, belonging to the NaJJau fchooner, which was her tender, were cut in pieces, falted, and eaten by the negroes of Great Drewin, about thirty miles North of the River St. Andreztfs^ who having torn the copper off her bottom, burned the vefTel.
But from thefe deformities of character i will now relieve the attention of the reader, and proceed in juftice to difpel the gloomy cloud, by introducing the fun-fhine of their virtues.
Their genius has been already treated of, fo has their gratitude ; which laft they carry to fuch a length, that they will even die for thofe who have fhewn them any particular favour. Nothing can exceed the fidelity and attachment they have for thofe mafters who ufe them well, which proves that their affection is as ftrong as their hatred. Negroes are generally good-natured, particularly the Coromantyn, and thofe of Nago. They are alfo fufceptible of the tender paflion, and jealoufy in their breafts has produced the moft dreadful effects. The delicacy of thefe people deferves likewife to be noticed : i do not remember, amongft the many thoufands i have
feen
feen during feveral years refidence among them, ever to CHAP.
XXVI
have obferved even an offer to kifs a woman in public. ; * Maternal tendernefs for their children is alio natural to the females, for in general, during the two years which they ufually fuckle them, they never cohabit with their hufbands ; this they confider as unnatural, and prejudicial to the infants : and the cafe of Lefperanza (who bore fo many children in a fliort time) is no exception, as her children died almoft as foon as they came into the world. The cleanlinefs of the negro nation is peculiarly remarkable> as they bathe above three times a day. The Congo tribe in particular are fo fond of the water, that they may, not improperly, be called amphibious animals.
The negroes are likewife fpirited and brave, patient in adverfity, meeting death and torture with the moft undaunted fortitude. Their conduct, in the moft trying fituations, approaching even to heroifm; no negro lighs, groans, or complains, though expiring in the mid'ft of furrounding flames. Nor do I remember, upon any occafion whatever, to have feen an African flied a tear, though they beg for mercy with the greateft ear-neftnefs when ordered to be flogged for offences which they are confcious deferve to be punifhed ; but if they think their punifhment unmerited, immediate fuicide is too often the fatal confequence, efpecially amongft the Coromantyn negroes, who frequently, during the act of flagellation, throw back their heads in the neck, and
/wallow
CHAP, fwallow their tongue, which choaks them upon the fpot,
XXVI
*   _ _ ' j when they drop dead in the prefence of their mafters.
But when negroes are fenfible of having deferved correction, no people can be more humble, or bear their unhappy fate with greater resignation. The fwallowing of the tongue, which they only practife during the moments of fevere difcipline, has of late been prevented in Surinam by the humane method of holding a fire-brand to the victim's mouth, which anfwers the double purpofe of burning his face, and diverting his attention from the execution of his fatal determination. Some have a practice of eating common earth, by which the ftomach is prevented from performing its ordinary functions, and thus difpatch themfelves without any immediate pain, but linger perhaps for a twelvemonth in the moft debilitated and fhocking condition. Againft thefe ground-eaters the fevereft punifliments are decreed by the laws, but without much effect, as they are feldom detected in this act of defperation.
After thefe general remarks upon the mental and bodily faculties of the African negroes, we fliall next proceed to view them in a ftate of bondage, under all the opprefîion they are expofed to from the rod of barbarous tyranny ; then, refcuing them from this horrid fcene, we will next confider them as protected by impartial juftice, and foftered by the mild hand of tendernefs and humanity.
The reader may remember that I have already introït d viced
duced the flaves as landing from on hoard the Guinea CHAP, fhips, and generally fhocking inftances of debility and ^XX^L, mifery :—•
« Their vifage is blacker than a coal, they are not known in " the ftrcets, their fkin cleaveth to their bones, it is withered, it is " become like a ftick*"
i have alfo obferved, that under the care of fome old negroes, appointed for that purpofe, they foon become fat and fleek, and learn the language of the colony : they then are fent to work in the fields, to which they chear-fully fubmit ; though i have feen fome inftances of newly-imported negroes refufing to work, nor could promifes, threats, rewards, nor even blows prevail ; but thefe had been princes or people of the firft rank in their native country, who by the cafualties of war had the misfortune to become flaves, and whofe heroic fentiments ftill preferred inftant death to the bafenefs and miferies of fervitude. Upon thefe occafion s i have feen the other ilaves fall upon their knees, and in treat the mafter to permit them to do the work required, in addition to their own talks ; which being fometimes granted, they continued to Ihew the fame rcfpect for the captive prince that he had been accuftomed to receive in his. own country. i remember once to have had a remarkable good-looking new negro to attend me, whofe ancles and wrifts being much galled by chains, i enquired the caufe. "My " father,1' faid he, " was a king, and treacheroufly mur-
** dered
" dered by the fans of a neighbouring prince. To re-" venge his death, I daily went a hunting with fome u men, in hopes of retaliating upon his afTaflins ; but I " had the misfortune to be furprized, taken, and bound ; u hence thefe ignoble fears. I was afterwards fold to ** your European countrymen on the coaft of Guiana—a " puniftiment which was deemed greater than inftant « death."
The hiftory of Quaco, my black boy, was ftill more extraordinary :—" My parents," faid he, rt lived by hunt-u ing and fUhing : I was ftolen from them very young, <* whilft playing on the lands with two little brothers ; « I was put into a fack, and carried for feveral miles. I w afterwards became the Have of a king on the coaft of " Guinea, with feveral hundreds more. When our mafter " died, the principal part of his ilaves were beheaded " and buried along with him ; I, with fome other chil-" dren of my age, were beftowed as prefents to the dif-*' ferent captains of his army; and the mafter of a Dutch " fhip afterwards had me, in exchange for a mufket and " fome gun-powder." — Each loves his country beft, if mild its laws, or rigid :
" The naked negro, panting at the line,
" Boafts of his golden funds and palmy wine j
« Bafks in the glare, or Hems the tepid wave,
" And thanks his gods for all the good they gave :—
4< Such is the patriot's boalt, where'er he roam,
" His firft beft country ever is at home,"
No
No fooner do thefe wretched ftrangers begin to flag at their labour, than whips, cow-fkins, bamboos, ropes, fetters, and chains are introduced, until they are ready to link under accumulated opprelîion. With fome matters their talks can never be performed, as they muft toil on, day and night, even Sundays not excepted. I recollect a ftrong young negro, called Marquis, who had a wife he loved, with two fine children ; he laboured hard, and generally finifhed his talk of digging a trench of five hundred feet by four o'clock in the afternoon, that he might have fome time to cultivate his little garden, and go to fifh or fowl to fupport his beloved family : hard did Marquis ftrive to earn this additional pittance, when his humane mafter, apprized of his induftry, for his encouragement informed him, that if he could delve five hundred feet by four o'clock, he could certainly finifh fix hundred before fun-fet ; and this tafk the unfortunate young man was condemned from that day ever fince to perform.
In Surinam the Ilaves are kept nearly naked, and their daily food confifts of little more than a few yams and plantains ; perhaps twice a year they may receive a fcanty allowance of fait-fifh, with a few leaves of tobacco, which they call fweety-muffo, and this is all : but what is peculiarly provoking to them is, that if a negro and his wife have ever fo great an attachment for each other, the woman, if handfome, muft yield to the loathfome embrace of an adulterous and licentious manager, or fee her hufband cut to pieces for endeavouring to prevent it.
Vol. II. N n This
This, in frequent inftances, has driven them to diftrac-tion, and been the caufe of many murders.
It is in confequence of thefe complicated evils, that lb many alfo deftroy themfelves by filicide, run away to the woods to join their countrymen in rebellion, or if they ftay, grow fad and fpiritlefs, and languifh under difeafes, the effects of bad ufage; fuch as the/ota, which is a white fcorbutic fpot that externally covers the body. The craffy-crajy, or itch, which with us comes from poornefs of diet, is of courfe very common with them. The yaws, a moft difagreeable diforder, by many compared to the venereal difeafe, which renders the patient a fhocking fpec-tacle, all covered over with yellow ulcers. To this laft-mentioned loathfome malady moft negroes are fubjcct, yet but only once in their lives, in which, and being very infectious, it refemble s the fmall-pox : indeed if a fly which has been feeding upon the difeafed (and they are generally covered with them) lights upon the ilighteft fcratch on a healthy perfon, it communicates this dreadful diforder, which always confines him for feveral months. The moft general cure for the yaws in Surinam, is falivation and fpare diet, with continual exercife to promote perfpiration ; and, during this procefs, the poor wretches abfolutely look like decayed carcafes.
Still more dreadful is the boajjy, or leprofy, which is deemed incurable : the face and limbs in this complaint fwell, and the whole body is covered with fcales and ulcers ; the breath ftinks, the hair falls off, the fingers and
toes
toes become putrid, and drop away joint after joint. The worlt of which is, that though the difeafe is hopelefs, the unhappy fnfferer may linger fometimes for many years. The lepers are naturally lafcivious, and the difeafe being infectious, they are of neceflity feparated from all fociety, and condemned to a perpetual exile in fome remote corner of the plantations.
The clabba-yaws, or tubboes, is alfo a very troublefome and tedious diforder ; it occafions painful fores about the feet, moitly in the foles, between the fkin and the flefh. The ufual remedy in this cafe is, to burn out the morbid part with a red-hot iron, or cut it out with a lancet ; and then the warm juice of roafted limes is introduced into the wound, though with great pain yet with great fuccefs.
The African negroes are alfo fubject to many fpecies of worms, both extraneous and internal, owing to the wading much in flagnated waters, and to the crudity of their diet. Of the former fpecies is the Guinea or tapeworm, which breeds between the fkin and the flefli, and is fometimes two yards in length, of a fliining filvery colour, and not thicker than the fécond firing of a bafs-viol. It occafions dangerous and painful fwellings where-, ever it inferts itfelf, which is moftly about the legs. The method of cure, is to feize the head of the worm when it appears above the fkin, and extract it by winding it gently round a flick or card ; this operation cannot be performed with too much caution, for if it breaks, the
N n a lofs
lofs of the limb, or even of life itfelf, is frequently the fatal confequence. Some are infefted with feven or eight of thefe worms at a time.
Befides thefe dreadful calamities, peculiar to themfelves, the negroes are fubject to every complaint common to the Europeans ; who, in their turn, are not exempt in Guiana from the afflicting and dangerous dif-tempers I have juft defcribed.
It is therefore not to be wondered at if many of the plantations are crouded with miferable objects, left under the care of the drejjy negro or black furgeon only, whofe whole fkill confifts in adminiftering a dofe of faits, or fpreading a plaifter. As to the numbers who are excoriated from their neck to their heel, by confiant whipping, they may cure themfelves, or do their work without a fkin, if they think proper.
Thus from accumulated miferies, fome naturally fuc-ceeding from the climate and their poor diet, but more from the inordinate cruelty of managers, it muft follow that numerous Haves become unfit for work, many from weaknefs and depreflion of fpirits, and others from extreme labour becoming old before their time. But for all thefe evils, this plantation defpot finds an infallible remedy, which is no other than to put them to death at once : the lofs does not affect him but his mafter, and he is proud of fhe wing only fuch negroes as are able to do their talk, affuring the owner that they moftly died by
the
the venereal difeafe ; and the word of the human carcafe-butcher is quite fufTicient, as no negro is allowed to give evidence in any cafe whatever.
" Di&io tcftimonii non eft fervo homini.""
Yet mould fome fair European by accident prove the murder, the delinquent efcapes, as I have obferved, by paying a fine of £. 50 and the value of the Have, if the owner requires it; and for this price of blood he may {laughter the poor wretches whenever a temporary paf-fion or a habit of cruelty, which is too commonly generated in this fituation J -prompts his rage.
They have moreover many ftratagems to evade the penalty, fliould even the magiftrat.es be prefent. I have known it happen when one of thefe fcourges of the human race became tired of a negro, that he has taken him out with him a {hooting ; and ordering him to difcover the game, the firft bird that ftarted he has fhot the poor man dead upon the fpot. This was called an accident, and no farther enquiry was made concerning it. Others have been difpatched by the following method 1—A flake being fattened in the middle of an open plain, the flave is chained to it, and expofed to the burning fun, where one jill of water and a fi-ngle plantain is brought him daily, until he pines to death. But this is not called flarving, as his mafter declares that he neither wanted victuals nor drink until he expired—thus he is honourably acquitted.
Another
CHAP. XXVI. V-'
\
CHAP. Another plan of murdering with impunity has often iJ^Y1^ ^cen Put *n Prac^ice« Tne ^ave îs fattened naked to a tree in the foreft, with his arms and legs extended, under pretence of ftretching his limbs ; but here he is left, and regularly fed, until he is actually flung to death by the mufquitoes and other infects—a moft infernal punifli-ment, and fuch as may be with truth afcribed to the in-ftigation of the devil ! Drowning them, by kicking them overboard with a weight chained to their legs, is called accidental death. It has been known that by the orders of a woman, negro flaves have been privately burnt to death, miferably chained in a furrounding pile of flaming faggots. As to the breaking out of their teeth, merely for tailing the fugar-cane cultivated by themfelves, flitting up their nofes, and cutting off their ears, from private pique, thefe are accounted mere fport, and not worthy to be mentioned.
By fuch inhuman ufage this unhappy race of men arc fometimes driven to fuch a height of defperation, that to finilh their days, and be relieved from worfe than Egyptian bondage, fome even have leaped into the caldrons of boiling fugar, thus at once depriving the tyrant of his crop and of his fer vaut.
From thefe fketch.es can it be a matter of furprize, that armies of rebels are affembled in the foreft, and at every opportunity thirfting for revenge ?
I fhall now conclude this dreadful fcene by one general * remark,
remark, fhewing how far population is affected by this c H molt infamous treatment.
In Surinam there are, upon an average, about 7^,000 negro ilaves, as I have ftated ; from which if we fubtract children, and fuperannuated men and women, there will not be found above 50,000 really fit for kibour. There are from fix to twelve Guinea mips, that import from 250 to 300 flaves each from Africa annually : we may therefore compute the yearly importation at an average of 2,500, neceffary to fupply and keep complete the above 50,000 ; fo that the annual deaths exceed the births by the number of 2,500, though each man negro has a wife or two if he chufes, which is, upon the mafs, juft 5 per cent. and confequently proves that the whole race of healthy ilaves, confifting of 50,000, are totally extinct once every twenty years.
Truth and juftice however oblige me to declare, that the inhuman barbarities I have been juft defcribing are not univerfal. Companionate Heaven has ordained fome exceptions, as I fhall impartially ihew, by reverfing the picture : not, like fome writers who have treated this fubject, and carefully concealed the moft pleafing touches of goodnefs and humanity, whilft only the darkeft fhades have been expofed to the public eye, but by candidly exhibiting both fides with equal juftice and precifion ; and it is indeed with pleafure I can affirm, that the negro flaves on fome eftates are treated, in my opinion, as men
ought
chap, ought to be treated ; and this mode of conduct might xxvi. ftill be more general, by amending the laws, which ought not corruptly to invefl human nature with what it is certain to abufe—an authority completely defpotic. No mafter furely ought to be entrufted with the dangerous power of taking away the life of his flaves with impunity ; and it ought to be confidered an equal crime in the eye of the law to kill a negro or a white man, as it is equally murder in the fight of God.
i (hall now introduce to the reader's acquaintance a negro family in that ftate of tranquil happinefs, which they always enjoy under a humane and indulgent mafter. The figures in the plate are fuppofed to be of the Loango nation, by the marks on the man's body, while on his breaft may be feen J. G. S. in a cypher, by which his owner may afcertain his property. He carries a bafket with fmall fifh, and a net upon his head, with a large fiih in his hand, caught by himfelf in the river. His wife, who is pregnant, is employed in carrying different kinds of fruit, fpinning a thread of cotton upon her dif-taff, and comfortably fmoking her pipe of tobacco. Be-fides all this, fhe has a boy upon her back, and another playing by her fide. Thus, under a mild mafter and an honeft overfeer, a negro's labour is no more than a healthy exercife, which ends at the fetting-fun, and the remaining time is his own, which he employs in hunting, filhing, cultivating his garden, or making bafkets
and
h om ton,Published DtcT.i'Hjffé, l>\ ■/. .//<////.»>//,.i?Dmls fkurth Tard.
ms
and fifh-nets for fale ; with this money he buys a hog chap, or two, fometimes fowls or dueks, all which he fattens ^ 3?VI* upon the fpontaneous growth of the foil, without ex-pence, and very little trouble, and, in the end, they afford him coniiderable profit.  Thus pleafantly fituated, he is exempt from every anxiety, and pays no taxes, but looks up to his mafter as the only protector of him and his family.  He adores "him, not from fear, but from a conviction that he is indebted  to his goodnefs for all the comforts he enjoys.   He breathes in a luxurious warm climate, like his own, which renders clothes unneceffary, and he finds himfelf more healthy, as well as more at his eafe, by going naked.   His houfe he may build after his own fancy.   The foreft affords him every neceffary material for the cutting.   His bed is a hammock, or a mat called papaya.   His pots he manufactures himfelf, and his dilhes are gourds, which grow in his garden.   He never lives with a wife he does not love, exchanging for another the moment either he or fhe becomes tired, though this feparation happens lefs frequently here than divorces do in Europe.   Befides the regular allowance given him by his mafter weekly, his female friend has the art of making many favoury dilhes ; fuch as braf, or a hodge-podge of plantains and yams boiled with fait meat, barbacued fiih, and Cayenne pepper.   Tom-tom is a very good pudding, compofed of the flour of Indian corn, boiled with flefh, Vol, II. O o fowjj
CHAP, fowl, fifh, Cayenne pepper, and the young pods of the ocra or althea plant. Pepper-pot is a dim of boiled^ fifh and capficum, eaten with roafted plantains. Gangotay is made of dried, and afofoo of green plantains. Acanfa and doqucnoo are compofed of the flour of maize, and the latter is eaten with molaffes. His common drink is the limpid ftream, fometimes corrected by a little rum. If he is accidentally wounded or indifpofed, he is cured for nothing; but it is very feldom he troubles the faculty, being tolerably lkilled in herbs and ftmples, befides fcari-fying and puckering the fkin, which ferves inflead of bleeding. The inconvenience of vermin he remedies without a comb, by plaiflering up his hair with clay, which being dried on the head, and then wafhed with foap and water, makes him clean beyond conception ; his teeth are constantly kept as white as ivory; for this purpofe he ufes nothing but a fprig of orange-tree, bitten at one end, until the fibres refemble a fmall brufh; and no negro, male or female, is to be feen without this little inftru-ment, which has befides the virtue of fweetening the breath.
So much for his body ; and with regard to his foul, it is feldom troubled with any qualms of confcience, or fear of death, as I have ftated, being firm and unfhaken in what he was taught to believe, which is indeed little, but plain ; and when he is no more, his companions or relations carry him to fome grove of orange-trees, where he
is,
is not interred without expence, being generally put in a coffin of the very beft wood and workmanfhip, while the cries and lamentations of his furviving friends, who fing a dirge, pierce the fky. The grave being filled up, and a green turf neatly fpread over it, a couple of largç gourds are put by the fide, the one with water, the other with boiled fowls, pork, cafTava, 8cc. as a libation, not from a fuperftitious notion, as fome believe, that he will eat or drink it, but as a teftimony of that regard which they have for his memory and afhes ; while fome even add the little furniture that he left behind, breaking it in pieces over the grave. This done, every one takes his laft farewell, fpeaking to him as if alive, and tcftifying their forrow at his departure ; adding, that they hope to fee him, not in Guinea, as fome have written, but in that better place, where he now enjoys the pleafant company of his parents, friends, and anceitors ; when another dif-mal yell ends the ceremony, and all return home. Next a fat hog being killed, with fowls, ducks, 8cc. a general feaft is given by his friends to all the other negroes, which concludes not till the following day. The neareft connections and relations of the deceafed, both male and 'female, now cut their hair * and fhave their heads, round which having tied a dark blue handkerchief, they wear this mourning for a whole year; after which, once more vifiting the grave, they offer a laft libation, and taking Iheir final farewell, another hog and fowls being killed,
* We arc told Job did the fame.
o O 2 thc
CHAP,   the funeral rites are quite ended by a fécond feaft, which XXVI.
i_ finifhes with a joyful dance, and fongs in memory and
praife of their dear departed friend or relation.
No people can more efteem or have a greater friendfhip for one another than the negro Haves ; they appear to have unbounded enjoyment in each other's company, and are not deftitute of focial amufements, fuch as the foe/a, which confifts in footing oppofite to each other, and clapping with their hands upon their fides to keep in time. So very eager are they at this animating play, in which fometimes fix or eight couple are engaged at once, that the violent exercife having been known to kill fome of the negroes, it is forbidden by the magiftrates at Paramaribo. Awaree is an innocent amufement, confifting in pitching with a large kind of marbles, in defect of which they ufe the awaree nuts or large pebbles.
The men alfo cudgel and wreftle ; yet at this I think them inferior to either thofe of Cornwall or Devon. Moft negroes are ftrong and active But fwimming is their favourite diverfion, which they practife every day at leaft twice or thrice, promifcuoufly, in groupes of boys and girls, like the Indians, when both fexes exhibit afto-nifhing feats of courage, ftrength, and activity, I have not only feen a negro girl beat a hardy youth in fwimming acrofs the River Comewina (while I was one of the party) but on landing challenge him to run a two mile
* Witncfs Ja* Jackfon> the equeftrian rider* London, &c»
race,
race, and beat him again, naked as they were ; while all ideas of fhame on the one fide, and of infult on the other, are totally unknown.—I fliall now fay fomething of their inftrumental mufic and dancing. I have already mentioned the finging and the dancing of the Loango tribe in particular ; and will now defcribe that practifed by the other negro nations in general.
Their inflruments of mufic, which are not a little ingenious, are all made by themfelves, and conflit of thofe reprefented in the annexed plate ; where
n° i, which is called qua-qua, is a hard founding-board, elevated on one iide like a boot-jack, on which they beat time as on a drum, with two pieces of iron, or two bones.
N° 2, is the kiemba-toetoe, or hollow reed, which is blown through the noftrils, like the nafal flute of Ota-heite : it has but two holes, one at each end, the one ferving to found it, the other to be touched by the finger.
n° 3, is the Anjokko-balna, which is a hard board, fup-ported on both fides like a low feat, on which are placed fmall blocks of different iizes, which being ftruck with two fmall flicks like a dulcimer, give different founds, that are not at all difagreeable.
N° 4, is the great Creole drum, being a hollow tree, open at one end, and covered at the other with a flieep-fkin, on which they fit amide, and fo beat time with the palms of their hands ; anfwering the effect of a bafs-viol to the qua-qua board.
n- 5»
n9 5, is the great Loango drum, being covered at both ends, and ferves the fame purpofe as a bafs drum.
n° 6, is the Papa drum, beaten as the others.
N* 7, is the fmall Loango drum, beaten together with the great one.
N° 8, the fmall Creole drum, for the fame ufe.
n* 9, is called coeroema; this is a wooden cup, ingeniously made, covered alfo with a fheep-fkin, and beaten with two fmall rods or drum-flicks, after the manner of the qua-qua board.
N° io, is the Loango-bania. This I thought exceedingly curious, being a dry board, on which are laced, and kept down by a tranfverfe bar, different fized elaflic fplinters of the palm-tree, like pieces of whalebone, in fuch a manner that both ends are elevated by two other bars that are fixed under them; and the above apparatus being, placed on
N° n, which is a large empty callebaflj to promote the found ; the extremities of the fplinters are fnapt by the fingers, fomething in the manner of a piano-forte, when the mufic has a foft and very pleafing effect.
n* 12, is called by the negroes faka-faka, being a hollow gourd, with a flick and handle fixed through it, and filled with fmall pebbles and peafe, not unlike the magic fliell of the Indians. This they hold above their heads, and while they dance rattle it to meafure.
n* 13, is a conch, or fea-fhell, which by blowing they
found,
found, for pleafure, or to caufe an alarm, Sec. but is not chap. ufed as an accompaniment to dancing. wSLi
N" 14, is called benta, being a branch bent like a bow by means of a flip of dry reed or warimbo ; which cord, when held to the teeth, is beaten with a fliort flick, and by being fhifted backwards and forwards founds not unlike a Jew's-harp.
NQ 15, is the Creole-bania, this is like a mandoline or guitar, being made of a half gourd covered with a fheep-fkin, to which is fixed a very long neck or handle. This infiniment has but four firings, three long and one fliort, which is thick, and ferves for a bafs ; it is played by the fingers, and has a very agreeable found, but more fo when accompanied by a fbng*
N° 16, is the trumpet of war, to command advancing,, retreating, &c. and is called by the negroes the too-too.
N° 17, is a horn ufed to fupply the place of the other, or on the plantations to call the flaves to work.
N° 18, is the Loango too-too or flute, which they blow as the Europeans do, after the common way. It has but four holes for the fingers, and yet they make it produce a variety of founds.—Such are the mufical inflruments of our African brethren, to which they dance with more fpirit than we do to the beft band in Europe.
To what I have flated, I will only add, that they always life full or half meafure, but never triple time, in their/ dancing mufic, which is not unlike that of a baker's
bunt,
bunt, when he feparates the flour from the bran, founding tuckety-tuck and tuckety-tuck ad perpetuum. To this noife they dance with uncommon pleafure, and moft times foot it away with great art and dexterity.
tc Saltantes fatiros imitabitur Alphifiboeus."
Every Saturday evening, the flaves who are well treated clofe the week with an entertainment of this kind, and generally once a quarter are indulged with a grand ball, to which the neighbouring flaves are invited ; the mafter often contributing to their happinefs by his pre-fence, or at leaft by fending them a prefent of a few jugs of new rum.
At thefe grand balls the flaves are remarkably neat, the women appearing in their beft chintz petticoats, and many of the men in fine Holland trowfers. So indefatigable are they at this diverfion, that i have known the drums continue beating without intermillion from fix o'clock on Saturday night till the fun made its appearance on the Monday morning ; thus had paffed fix-and-thirty hours in dancing, cheering, hallooing, and clapping of hands. The negroes dance always in couples, the men figuring and footing, while the women turn round like a top, their petticoats expanding like an umbrella ; and this they call waey-cotto. During this, the by-ftanding youths fill about the liquor, while the girls encourage the performance, and wipe the fweat from the brows and fides of the unwearied muficians,
It is indeed upon the whole aftonilhing to fee with what good-nature and even good-manners thefe dancing fbcieties are kept up, of which I repeat it they are fo fond, that I have known a newly-imported negro, for want of a partner, figure and foot it for nearly the fpace of two hours, to his fhadow againft the wall.
If to what I have ftatcd relative to negro flaves, when under a candid and humane mafter, we further add, their never being feparated from each other; parents feeing their children around them, fometimes till the third and fourth generation, befides the confidence that they are all provided for to the end of their lives ;—then if we draw the comparifon between this clafs of people, and the num-berlefs wretched objects that difgrace the meets of Europe, we can affuredly not call thofe Africans who fall under the above defcription—tin happy.
And now, to fum up all I have to fay on the fubject of flaves in the feweft words, for the fake of the reader, and alfo for my own, left I fhould feem to contradict; myfelf, by having fo frequently animadverted on the mocking cruelties of fome maiters, and occafionally done juftice to the humane and liberal difpofitions of others, I beg leave to fay one word more on the projected abolition.—Gould we perfuade all our commercial neighbours to join in that meafure, the cafe would be different: but fince 1 have feen cruelties exercifed fo commonly in Surinam, which I never heard of in the Britifh iflands, and from my certain observation have declared the foil
Vol. II. P p of
c h a P. of that country to be fo much more rich and productive xxvl tnan our Weil Inclies, fliall we not drive our planters from their worn-out lands, to fettle on the more fertile fpot, under a government which will allow a free importation of negroes, while our object (if we knew how to compafs it) is to reduce an unlimited infliction of punifh-mcnt, which indeed our planters have by their own laws molt humanely reftrained * ?
Such is indeed the love and confidence of fome planters for their Haves, that they often entruft their infants to a negro wct-nurfe, in preference to an European, where both may be had; and fuch the attachment of fome ilaves to their mailers, that I have known many refufe to accept of their emancipation, and even fome, who had their liberty, voluntarily return to dependence. No one is perfectly free in this world, all mankind is depending upon one another—while I will beg leave to conclude this laborious chapter, by this general remark, that all fublunary happinefs exifls only in imagination, and may ever be obtained, where health of body and peace of mind are not crufhed by defpotic opprcflion.
* By a law pafTed in the council of hare known two hundred inflicted on a Jamaica, the punifhment of a negro is female; and was once the unfortunate ufually limited to twelve hfhes, but never occafion of feeing it immediately repeat-exceeding thirty-nine,   In Surinam I ed. (See Plate XXXV. Vol. I.)
c h a p.
C II A P. XXVII.
The Rape of the Sabines—Shocking Execution, cjid African Fortitude — Defcription of an Indigo Plantation — The Spanfo Bocko, a Piinifljmenl—The Troops again re-enter the Woods—The Expedition draws to a Conclufion.
NOTWITHSTANDING the fucceflivc defeats and repeated diftrefTes of the rebels, news was brought to Paramaribo, on the 12th of Auguft, that they had fallen upon the eftate Bergen da I, or the Blue Bergh, which is alfo called Mount Parnajfus, fituated in the higher parts of the River Surinam, and carried away all the black women, although a military poft was ftationed near the above place, but without committing any kind of cruelty, as too generally had been their cuftom. Upon this intelligence a party of the rangers was inftantly detached thither to aiTift in purfuing them; and about this fame time the long-projected cordon, or path of circumvallation round the colony, was alfo began to be cut, by feven hundred negro flaves ; which path was henceforth to be manned with military piquets at proper diftanccs, to defend the eftates againft any farther invalions from without, and to prevent defertion to the enemy from within.
Mount Parnaffus, which was the fcene of the late rape of the Sabines, is fituated on the weft fide of the River
P P* Surinam,
Surinam, diftant from Paramaribo, if we include the windings of the river, above one hundred miles ; and as the fituation is pleafant, 1 prefent the reader with a view of it, in the plate annexed, as alfo of the village, called the Jews Savannah, which is diftant from town, in a ftraight line, fomething more than forty, but by water above iixty Englifh miles. Here the Jews have a beautiful fy-nagogue, and keep their folemn fails and feflivals ; here they alfo have their capital fchools and feminaries, for at this village refide fome very refpectable Jcwifh families. Thefe people poffefs particular rights and privileges in this colony, with which they were endowed by King Charles the Second, when the fettlement of Surinam was Englifh; and fuch are thefe privileges I never knew Jews to poITefs in any other part of the world whatever.
From Paramaribo, or rather from the fortrefs New Amfterdam, the River Surinam, like thofe of Cottica and Comawina, is beautifully bordered with fugar and coffee plantations, as are alfo feveral creeks or fmall rivers that communicate with it ; fuch as the Paw/us, the Para, the Cropina, and the Pararac creeks ; but above Mount Par-naifus not a iingle eftate, that may be fo called, is to be found ; neither is the river any longer navigable, even for fmall craft, on account of the prodigious rocks, and cafcades or water-falls, with which it is obitrueted as it winds through exceffively high mountains and an impenetrable foreft. While therefore they form an enchant-ingly romantic fcene to the eye, thefe natural bulwarks
prevent
London, 1'ul'li.chnl /'iv.'V:'';;,y/,/T ./. Joliit.<;<u . X1 f'.iuLt i'ltitivh Tari.
40
XC
prevent the poffcfTors of the colony from making fuch difcoveries as might perhaps reward their labour with very coniiderable riches.
If, as I have juIt mentioned, cruelties were become lefs common in the rivers by the rebels, barbarities ftill continued in a fhocking degree in the metropolis ; where my ears were deafened with the clang of the whip, and the fhrieks of the negroes. Among the moft eminent of thefe tyrants was a Mifs Sp—n, who lived next door to Mr. de Graav, and who I faw with horror from my window give orders that a young black woman mould be flogged principally acrofs the breafts, at which flie feemed to enjoy peculiar fatisfaction. To diffipate the im-preflion this fcene had left on my mind, I got into a whifkey, and rode out ; when the firft thing I faw was a negro girl fall naked from a garret window on a heap of broken bottles : this was indeed an accident, but (lie was fo mangled, though not dead, that flie exhibited a fpecta-cle nearly as wretched as the other.—Curfing my unlucky fate, I turned the horfes, and drove to the beach, as the only place to avoid every fcene of cruelty and mifery ; but here I had the mortification to fee two Philadelphia failors (while they wrere fighting on the forecaftle of their veifel) both fall over the fhip's bow into the ftream, where they funk, and were no more feen. On board another American brig, I difcovered a little tar defending himfelf from the crofs-trees with a hatchet, againft a ferjeant and four armed men, for a considerable time ; till they threatening
to
294
N A R R A T 1 V E   OF AN
CHAP,  to flioot him out of the rigging, he at laft furrendered, and
being brought afhore, was dragged to fort Zelandia, in company with two others, by a file of muiketeers, where, for having been drunk on duty, they received a fire-cant each, at the captain's requeft ; that is, they were baftinadoed or beaten on the fhoulders by two corporals with bamboo canes, till their backs were black, and fwclled like a cufhion. However arbitrary this mode of correction, the captain endeavoured to explain the necefîity of it; the private American failors being of a turbulent fpirit indeed When drunk, although when fober they may be fairly claffed among the beft feamen in the world.
Early the next morning, while mufing on all the different dangers and chaftifements to which the lower clafs of people are expofed, i heard a crowd pafs under my window. Guriofity made me ftart up, drefs in a hurry, and follow them : when i difcovered three negroes in chains, furrounded by a guard, going to be executed in the favannah. Their undaunted look, however avcrfe I may be to the fight of cruelties, fo attracted my attention, as to determine me to fee the refult, which was thus :—The fentence being read in Low Dutch (which they did not underftand) one was condemned to he flogged below the gallows, and his accomplice to have his head ftruck off with an ax, for having ihot a Have who had come to fteal plantains on the eftate of his miftrefs. The truth however was, that this had been done by that lady's ablblute command ; but the murder bcing
difcovered,
difcovered, flie, in the hopes of laving her character, be-  c h a p. fides the expence of paying the penalties gave up her y^^j valuable flave, and permitted the unhappy man to be thus facrificed.   He laid his head upon the block with great indifference, ftretching out his neck ; when, with one blow of the ax, it was fevered from his body.
The third negro, whofe name was Neptune, was no flave, but his own mafter, and a carpenter by trade ; he was young and handfome, but having killed the overfeer of the eftate Altona, in the Para Creek, in confe-quence of fome difpute, he jujlly forfeited his life. The particulars, however,are worth relating: This man having ftolen a fliccp, to entertain a favourite young woman, the overfeer, who burnt with jcaloufy, had determined to fee him hanged; to prevent which, the negro fhot him dead among the fugar-canes ; for thefe offences of courfe he was fentenced to be broken a/he upon the rack, without the benefit of the coup de grace or mercy-ftroke. Informed of the dreadful fentence, he compofedly laid himfelf down on his back on a ftrong crois, on which, with arms and legs expanded* he was fattened by ropes : the executioner, alfo a black man, having now with a hatchet chopped off his left hand, next took up a heavy iron bar, with which, by repeated blows, he broke his bones to fhivers, till the marrow, blood, and fplinters flew about the field ; but the priibner never uttered a groan nor a figh. The ropes being next unlaflied, 1 imagined him dead, and felt happy; till the magiftrates 6 ijirring
ftirring to depart, he writhed himfelf from the crofs, when he fell on the grafs, and damned them all, as a fet of barbarous rafcals ; at the fame time removing his right hand by the help of his teeth, he reded his head on part of the timber, and afked the by-flandeiù for a pipe of tobacco, which was infamoufly anfwered by kicking and fpitting on him ; till i, with fome American feamen, thought proper to prevent it. He then begged that his head might be chopped off ; but to no purpofe. At laft, feeing no end to his mifery, he declared, " that though u he had deferved death, he had not expected to die fb " many deaths : however, (faid he) you chriftians have a miffed your aim at laft, and i now care not, were i to " remain thus one month longer." After which he fung two extempore fongs (with a clear voice) the fubjects of which were, to bid adieu to his living friends, and to acquaint his deceafed relations that in a very little time he fliould be with them, to enjoy their company for ever in a better place. This done, he calmly entered into converfation with fome gentlemen concerning his trial ; relating every particular with uncommon tranquillity— " But?" faid he abruptly, (t by the fun it muft be eight 11 o'clock ; and by any longer difcourfe I fliould be forry " to be the caufe of your lofing your brcakfaft." Then, catting his eyes on a Jew, whofe name was De Vrks, " A-propos, fir," faid he, " .vont you pleafe to pay me the " ten fhillings you owe me?"—" For what to do ?"—" To " buy meat and drink, to be fure—dont you perceive I am
" to
1.,,<.).-,<.I'mMi.■/„•,/ Ih,!-•)•{ /•! T.fnftrirrn; l**TlMifr fttui-./i >;„■./. '7'
<
*f to be kept alive ?" Which fpcech, on feeing the Jew flare like a fool, this mangled wretch accompanied with a loud and hearty laugh.   Next, obferving the foldier that flood fentinel over him biting occafionally on a piece of dry bread, he alked him " how it came to pafs, that he, " a white man, fliould have no meat to eat along with it ?"—i6 Becaufe I am not fo rich," anfwered the foldier. —« Then I will make you a prefent, fir," faid the negro; " firft, pick my hand that was chopped off clean to the " bones, next begin to devour my body, till you are " glutted ; when you will have both bread and meat, " as beft becomes you  —which piece of humour was followed by a fécond laugh; and thus he continued, until I left him, which was about three hours after the dreadful execution.
Wonderful it is indeed, that human nature mould be able to endure fo much torture, which affuredly could only be fupported by a mixture of rage, contempt, pride, and the glory of braving his tormentors, from whom he was fo foon to efcape*.
Though I never recal to my remembrance, without the moft painful fenfation, this horrid fcene, which muft revolt the feelings of all who have one fpark of humanity, I cannot forbear exhibiting to the public the dreadful fpectacle in the annexed drawing.   If the reader,
* At Demerary, fo late as O&obcr, in the manner juft defcribed, with no lefs 1789, thirty-two wretches were executed fortitude, and without uttering one fingle Ùi three days, fixteen of whom fufFered complaint.
Vol. II. Q q however,
however, mould be offended with this fhocking exhibition, and my dwelling fo long on this unpleafant fubject, let it be fome relief to his reflection, to confider this pu-nifhment not inflicted as a wanton and unprovoked act of cruelty, but as the extreme feverity of the Surinam laws, on a defperate wretch, ftvffering as an example to others for complicated crimes ; while at the fame time it cannot but give me, and I hope many others, fome confolation to reflect that the above barbarous mode of punifhment Was hitherto never put in practice in the Britifh colonies.
I mult now relate an Incident, which, as it had a momentary effect on my imagination, might have had a laft-ing one on fome who had not inveftigated the real caufe of it, and which it gave me no fmall fatisfaction to difcover. About three in the afternoon, walking towards the place of execution, with my thoughts full of the affecting fcene, and the image of the fufferer frefh in my mind, the firft object I faw was his head at fome diftance, placed on a flake, nodding to me backwards and forwards, as if he had really been alive.   I inftantly flopped Ihort, and feeing no perfon in the favannah, nor a breath of wind fuflicient to move a leaf or a feather, I acknowledge that I was rivetted to the ground, where I flood without having the refolution of advancing one flep for fome time ; till reflecting that I muft be weak indeed not to approach this dead fkull, and find out the wonderful phenomenon, if poflible, I boldly walked up, and inftantly difcovered the natural caufe, by the return of a vulture to the gallows, § who
who perched upon it, as if he meant to difpute with me for this feaft of carrion ; which bird, having already picked out one of the eyes, had fled at my firft approach, and ftriking the fkull with his talons, as he took his fudden flight, occafioned the motion already defer ibed. I fhall now only add, that this poor wretch, after living near fix hours, had been knocked on the head by the com-miferating fentinel, the marks of whofe mufket were perfectly vifible by a large open fracture in the fkull.
Vultures are compared by fome to the eagle, though thofe of Surinam poflefs very oppofite qualities. They are indeed birds of prey, but inftead of feeding on what they kill, like the other noble animal, their chief pur-fuit is carrion ; wherefore they generally refort to burial-grounds and places of execution, which they difcover by their very acute fmell, fo much fo, that by the negroes they are called tingee-fowlo, or the ftinking bird. The Guiana vultures are the fize of a common turkey; they are of a dark-grey colour, with black wings and tail ; the bill is ftraight with a crooked point, and very ftrong ; the tongue is cloven, the neck without feathers, and the legs very fhort. Befides carrion, thefe birds will often deftroy and eat ferpents, and indeed every thing that comes in their way, until they are fo much gorged that they can hardly fly.
The bird called the king of the vultures is not very common in Surinam, though fometimes the Indians bring one or two to Paramaribo for fale, on account of its great
Q q 2 beauty.
'il      . — '
chap,   beauty.   This is larger than any turkey-cock, with a
YVUTT
naked head and neck, the fkin of which is partly brown, yellow, and fcarlet : round its neck it has a dufky, long, feathered collar, in which it can at pleafure withdraw, and fo far hide its neck, that nothing but part of the head is perceptible. This bird likewife feeds on carrion, ferpents, rats, toads, and even excrements.
Among the other birds of prey in the foreft of Surinam, is found the crefled eagle. This is a very fierce bird, and alfo very ftrong; the back is black, but yellowifh at the bafe; the breait and belly white, with black fpots, as are its thighs, and even the feathers of its legs ; the reft of the body is entirely brown, and the claws perfectly yellow. The head of this bird is flat, ornamented with four feathers, two long and two fliort, which it can erect or deprefs at pleafure.
About this time the Hind, an Englifh frigate, with her tender, were on the coaft, looking out for American prizes.
The 24th, being the Prince of Orange's birth-day, the whole corps of officers were entertained with fait beef, fait pork, barley puddings, and hard peafe, by Colonel Fourgeoud. And this day (poor Joanna being inflexible in her refolutions) I ratified the agreement with the good Mrs. Godefroy, in prefence of her mother and other relations, whereby the above lady bound herfelf " never to <* part with her, except to myfelf alone, as long as fhe liv-« ed ; and that upon her death, not only her full liberty,
but
« but a fpot of ground for cultivation, befides a neat houfe " built upon it, fliould be her portion for ever, to difpofe " of as flie pleafed." After this flie returned my remaining bond of 900 florins, and gave Joanna a purfe with gold containing near twenty ducats, befides a couple of pieces of Eafl India chintz, advifing me at the fame time u to "give in a requeft to the court for little Johnny's imme-" diate manumiflion; which," flie obferved, " was a ne-<< ceffary form, whether I fhould be able to obtain the bail " ufually required or not; and without which formality, " even if I had the bail ready to appear, nothing would u be done in the courfe of bufinefs."
Having both of us thanked this mofl excellent woman, I went to fup with the Governor, where being transported with joy, I gave him my requeft in full form, which he coolly put in his pocket with one hand, while he gave me a hearty fqueeze with the other; andfhaking his head, told me frankly, " that he would lay it before " the court ; but at the fame time was perfectly con-" vinced my boy muft die a flave, unlefs I could find the " neceffary bail, which he was at the fame time well per-" fuaded very few people would wifh to appear for." Thus, after fpencling lb much time and labour, befides the expence of above a hundred guineas already paid, I had ftill the inexpreflible mortification to fee this dear little fellow, of whom I was both the father and the mafter, expofed to perhaps eternal fervitude ; as for Joanna, fhe was now perfectly fafe, to my heartfelt fatisfaction.
One
One confutation, however, in the midft of this difap-pointment, mofl: opportunely prefented itfelf. The famous negro, Graman-^wacy, formerly mentioned, who was juft returned from Holland, brought the news, that partly by his intereft a new law was there enacted, by which all flaves were to be free fix months after their landing at the Texel ; which, indeed, on application of their matters, might be extended to twelve, but not a fingle day longer on any account whatfoever.—Thus being perfuaded that I fliould one day joyfully carry both him and his mother over the Atlantic, my heart was greatly relieved.
Of this Graman-Qwacy I will beg leave to give a fliort account, before I take farewell of the reader. Suffice it for the prefent to fay, that the Prince of Orange, befides paying his out and homeward paffage, and giving him feveral prefents, fent him back to Surinam dreffed in a fuit of blue and fcarlet, trimmed over with broad gold lace : on his hat he wore a white feather, and looked upon the whole not unlike one of the Dutch generals ; which goodnefs made this king of the negroes, however, very proud, and even frequently very faucy.
On the 35th, the Governor of the colony gave a very fumptuous feaft to feveral of his friends at his indigo-plantation, which was fituated but a few miles at the back of his palace, where I had the honour to be invited as one of the party, and had the pleafure of infpediing the
procefs
procefs of making indigo, a detail of which will probably be acceptable.
In the firft place, therefore, I fliall prefent the curious with a drawing of the indigo plant, which is a knotty fhrub produced from feed, which grows to about two feet from the ground, and comes to perfect:ion in the fpace of two months. This plant requires a very rich foil, which befides ought to be kept perfectly clean from weeds. In the plate, A is the colour of the fprig ; B, the leaves above ; C, the fame below ; D, the feed inclofed in fmall brown pods ; E, the fize of the leaf as it grows ; F, a piece of indigo ready made for ufe. The above fprig was defigned from nature on the fpot, but on a fmall fcale : it has fomething the appearance of the tamarind branch, principally in the fize of the leaf, which alfo grows in pairs, and is darker above than below ; but at the extremity of each (hoot in this fhrub, one leaf grows fingle, which is not the cafe in the other. The young fhoot in the tamarind-trees alfo appears at the extremity of the branches ; but in this they fpring forth, as may be feen, from the bafe.
The mode in which this plant is converted into indigo is as follows When all the verdure is cut ofF, the whole crop is tied in bunches, and put into a very large tub with water, covered over with very heavy logs of wood by way of preffers : thus kept, it begins to ferment ; in lefs than eighteen hours the water feems to boil, and becomes of a violet or garter blue colour, extracting all the grain or colouring matter from
the
P.  the plant : in this fituation the liquor is drawn off into l'   another tub, which is fomething lefs, when the remaining trafli is carefully picked up and thrown away ; and the very noxious fmell of this refufe it is that occafions the peculiar unhcalthinefs which is always incident to this bufincfs.   Being now in the fécond tub, the mafh is agitated by paddles adapted for the purpofe, till by a fkilful maceration all the grain feparates from the water, the firft finking like mud to the bottom, while the latter appears clear and tranfparent on the furface : this water, being carefully removed till near the coloured mafs, the remaining liquor is drawn off into a third tub, to let what indigo it may contain alfo fettle in the bottom ; after which, the laft drops of water here being alfo removed, the fediment or indigo is put into proper vefTels to dry, where being diverted of its laft remaining moif-ture, and formed into fmall, round, and oblong fquare pieces, it is become a beautiful dark blue, and fit for exportation.   The beft indigo ought to be light, hard, and fparkling.   In Surinam but little of it is cultivated, for what reafon I know not, fince one pound is fold for about four florins, which is about feven fhillings in fterling money.
It is faid this article was firft introduced by one Degrades, who called himfelf a French officer, and muft have brought it from the ifland of St. Domingo very lately, fince I myfelf was well acquainted with this poor fellow, who fince fliot himfelf through the head with a piftol at Demerary.—As the circumftances of his
death
death were fomewhat remarkable, I cannot refift the c ri A P. temptation of relating them. Having involved himfelf xx^\ in debt, he turned to ready money his remaining effects, and fled from Surinam : next fetting up in the Spanifh contraband trade, his all was taken. Deprived of every thing, he now applied for protection to a friend at De-mer ar y, who humanely gave him fhelter : at this time an abfcefs gathering in his fhouldcr, every afriflance was offered, but in vain, Mr. Deftrades refilling to let it be even examined ; his moulder therefore grew worfe, and even dangerous, but he perfifted in not permitting it to be uncovered; till one day, having dreffed himfelf in his beft apparel, the family was alarmed by the report of fire-arms, when they found him weltering in his blood, with a piftol by his fide; and then, to their furprize, having ftripped him, the mark of V. for voleur, or thief, was difcovered on the very fhoulder he had attempted to conceal.—Thus ended the life of this poor wretch, who had for years at Paramaribo fupported the character of a polite and well-bred gentleman, where he had indeed been univerfally reflected.
Dinner being over at the Governors indigo-plantation, 1 now departed in his excellency's coach to the water-fide, where a tent-barge and eight oars lay in waiting to row me down to the eftate Catwyk, in the River Gome-* wina, whither I was invited by Mr. Goelzee, a Dutch naval officer, who was the proprietor of this beautiful country-feat. In this charming fituation, no amufements
Vol. It R r were
were wanting. There were carriages, faddle -horfes, fail-boats, billiard-tables, &tc. all ready for immediate ufe. But what embittered the pleafure was, the inhuman difpofition of Mr. Goetzee's lady, who flogged her negro flaves for every little trifle. For inftance, one of the foot-boys, called Jacky, not having rinfed the glaffes according to her mind, flie ordered him to be whipped the next morning ; but the unfortunate youth foon put himfelf beyond the reach of her refentment : for, having taken farewell of the other negroes on the eftate, he went up flairs, laid himfelf down upon his maflefs own bed, where, placing the muzzle of a loaded fowling-piece in his mouth, by the help of his toe he drew the trigger, and put an end to his exiftence. A couple of flout negroes were now fent up to fee what was the matter; who, finding the bed all over befpattered with blood and brains, got orders to throw the body out of the window to the dogs, while the mafter and miftrefs were fo very much alarmed, that they never got the better of it* ; nor would any perfon confent to lie in the fame apartment, till I chofe it in preference to any other, being afTuredly the moft pleafant room, and the very beft bed, in the houfe. What added much to the alarm of the family, was the circumftance of a favourite child lying faft afleep in the fame apartment where this fliocking cata-ftrophe happened.   They were, however, relieved from
* The above unhappy people were poifoned by their flaves about fix years after this happened,
c their
their alarms on this fcorc, by being informed that it had chap. not received the fmalleft injury. xxvjz,
I had not been fourteen days on this plantation, when a female mulatto flave, called Vettee, for having jocofely laid <* her miftrefs had fome debt as well as herfelf," was ftripped ftark naked, and in a very indecent as well as inhuman manner flogged by two flout negroes before the dwelling-houfe door (while both her feet were locked to a heavy iron bolt) until hardly any fkin was left on her thighs or fides. Five days after this I had the good fortune, however, to get her relieved from the iron-bolt, which was locked acrofs her fliins : but a Mrs. Van Eys, alledging flie had affronted her alfo by her fancy looks, prevailed on Mrs. Goetzee to renew the puni (liment the fame week; when flie was actually fo cruelly beaten, that I expected flie could not have furvived it.
Difgufted with this barbarity, I left the eftate Catwyk, determined never more to return to it : but I ftill accompanying Mr. Goetzee to vifit fome of his other plantations from curiofity, in Cottica and Pirica Rivers, at one of thefe, called the Alia, a new-born female infant was prefented me by way of compliment, to give it a name, which I called Charlotte. But the next morning, during breakfaft, fe-ven negroes were here again tied up and flogged, fome with a cow fkin, which is very terrible.—Hence I made my retreat to the eftate S graven-Hague, and there, meeting a mulatto youth in chains, whofe name was Douglas, I with horror recollected his unhappy father, who had
R r 2 been
been obliged to leave him a flave, and was now dead* Heartily tired of my excuriion, I was now glad to make hafte back to Paramaribo; where, as foon as I arrived, the firft news I heard was that Colonel Fourgeoud's French valet-de-chambre, poor MonJJeur Laurant, had actually been buried before he was quite dead ;—and that, for having been found drunk in an ale-houfe, no lefs than thirteen of our men had moft feverely run the gauntlet, and as many been terribly baftinadoed, the greateft number of which no more fawEurope ;—alfo, that a Quaderoon youth and a Dutch failor were found murdered on the beach.— I was now proceeding to take a walk on the plain or efpla-nade, but here I was called in by Mr. St—k—r, who conducting me three ftories high : " From this window (faid he) a " few days fince, leaped one of my black boys, to ef-*« cape a gentle flogging ; however, having only fainted u in confequence of his fall, we foon brought him to life " again by a hearty fcouring on the ribs, fo he did not " efcape ; after which, for having rifked himfelf, that is " to fay his matter's property, and frightened my wife, flie " ordered him to be fent to Fort Zelandia, where he re-« ceived the intereft, that is a moft confounded fpanfo-« hoc kor
The punifhment called fpanfo-bocko is extremely fe-vere indeed, and is executed in the following manner :— The prifoner's hands being laftied together, he is laid down on the ground on one fide, with his knees thruft between his arms, and thefe confined by a ftrong ftake,
which
which feparates them from his wrifts, and is driven perpendicularly into the ground, infomuch that he can no more ftir than if he was dead. In this locked pofition, truffed like a fowl, he is beaten on one fide of his breech by a ftrong negro, with a handful of knotty tamarind branches, till the very flefh is cut away ; he is then turned over on the other fide, where the fame dreadful flagellation is inflicted, till not a bit of fkin is left, and the place of execution is dyed with blood : after which the raw lacerated wound is immediately wafhed with lemon-juice and gun-powder to prevent mortification, and then he is fent home to recover as well as he can.
The above cruel and indecent punifhmcnt is fometimes repeated at every ftreet in the town of Paramaribo, to men and women indifcriminately, which is a feverity abfo-lutely beyond conception ; however, it is never thus inflicted without a condemnation from the court. But a fingle Jpanjo-bocko, without regard to age or fex, as I have juft mentioned, may be ordered by any proprietor, either at home, or by fending the victim to the (brtrefs, with a note to the public executioner, to whom fome trifle in money is paid as a fee of office. '
I next was addreffed by a Monfieur Rochet aux, whofe Coromantyn cook, having fpoiled his ragout, had juft cut his own throat to prevent a whipping; and Mr. Charles Reynfdorp's lately did the fame.
After thefe facts, can it be a matter of furprize, that
.the
CHAP, the negro flaves rife up in rebellion againft mafters who xxvii.    treat tncm with. fQ very rnuch feverity ?
As I do not recollect that I have defcribed in what manner thefe infurgents generally attack the eftates, I cannot introduce it on a more proper occafion.
Having lain during the night lurking in the bufhes that furround the eftate, they always appear a little before day-break, when unexpectedly falling on and maf-facring the Europeans, they plunder the dwelling-houfe, which they next fet on fire, and then carry off the negro women, whom they load with the fpoil, and treat with the utmoft infolcncc fliould they make oppofition *.
And now farewell, I hope, ye wretched objects, who have not made the leaft confpicuous figure in thefe bloody pages ! for which I fhould be more ready to apologize to the reader, had I not been induced to make cruelty afhamcd of itfelf, and humanity gain ground : that at laft, in fome meafure, my motive may be crowned with fuccefs, I moft fince rely wifli, abhorring every act of barbarity from the very bottom of my foul.
u Why, Chriftians, rage thine infolence and fcorn, (( Why burft thy vengeance on the wretch forlorn ?
* For minute particulars I cannot do American Indians, which are almoft
better than refer the curious to Mr. Bel- perfectly fimilar to thofe of the African
knap's Hiftory of New Ha?npjhire ; where negroes, he   defcribes the infurreclion of the
« The
<f The cheerlefs captive, to flow death confign'd, <f Weigh1 d down v't.'b chains, in prifon glooms connVdj "Of hope bereft, who, by thy minions curs'd, <c With hunger familh'd, and confum'd with thirft, ' " Without one friend, when Death's lad horror flung, " Roll'd the wild eye, and gnaw'd the anguifh'd tongue."
I have already ftated that on the 24th of Auguft I gave in a hopelefs requeft to the Governor for my boy's emancipation ; and on the 8th of October I faw with equal joy and furprize the following advertifement ported up, " That if any one could give in a lawful objection why " John Siedman, a Quaderoon infant, the fon of Captain " Stedman, fliould not be prefented with the blefîing of " freedom, fuch perfon or perlons to appear before Ja-" nuary lit, 1777."—I no fooner read it, than I ran with the good news to my good friend, Mr. Palmer, who af-fured me, " that the above was no more than a form, put " in practice on the fnppofition of my producing the bail " required, which undoubtedly they expected, from my " having fo boldly given in my requeft to the Governor of " the colony."—Without being able to utter one fyliable in reply, I retired to the company of Joanna, who, with a fnhle, bid me " never to defpair, that Johnny certainly one ** day would be free;" nor did flie ever fail in giving me fome confolation, whatever defperate were my expectations.
About this time we were informed, that in the Utrecht paper an impertinent libel had appeared againft the good
Four-
CHAP.
xxvir. y—
CHAP.   Fourgeoud, ridiculing him for his embaiTy to the Owca t xx^[j  and Serameca negroes : which gentleman, though he had no affiftance from thefe allies to expect, and his troops now melted down almoft to nothing, neverthelefs fcorncd to keep thofe that could ftand upon their feet inactive. Thus, having provided the few remaining privates with new cloathes (the firft. they had received fince 1772) ■ befides new fabres, bill-hooks,        he fent them all once more up, accompanied only by the. fubalterns, to be encamped at the mouth of the Gaflipore Creek, in the upper parts of the Cottica river; the ftaff officers and captains being ordered foon to follow : and on the 7th we were treated by our commander, for the firft time, with a fnloin of good roaft-beef, which, however, was fent him from Amfterdam, prepared as I have already defcribed. At the defïèrt was a kind of fruit called in Surinam pomme de canelle, or cinnamon-apple : it grows on a fhrub in moft gardens at Paramaribo, and has fomething the appearance of a young artichoke, being covered with a kind of green fcales.   The fkin of this fruit is half an inch thick, and the pulp like clotted cream mixed with brown fugar : it is very fweet, but not much elteemed by many palates, being rather too lufcious ; the feeds, which are black, hard, and large, are contained in the pulp or creamy fubftance.
Having now prepared myfelf once more for actual fervice, and again received a profufion of wine, fpirits, and refrelhments of every kind, to carry with me to the
woods,
woods, from different friends at Paramaribo; I left my CHAP, dear mulatto and her boy to the care of that excellent *XV*L. woman Mrs. Godefroy, in order the following day to fet out on my fevenib campaign, and help, if poffible, to compleat that bufinefs we had fo long and fo ardently undertaken, for the fafety and welfare of this valuable colony, and its lawful inhabitants of every denomination ; while happily my health and my fpirits were at this time-once more juft as vigorous and as ftrong, with all my -limbs as perfectly found, as the very firft day that I landed, with Colonel Fourgeoud and his regiment of marines, in Terra Flrma.
Vol. II.
Sf
C HA P.
CHAP. XXVIII.
The Rebels fly for Pro teal ion to Cayenne—Third March to Gado-Saby—A fécond Re-infor cement of Troops arrive from Holland—Shipwreck of the Tranfport Paramaribo —March to Rio Comewina—Difmal Piclure of Diflrcfs and of Mortality—The Peace of the Colony refiorcd.
CHAP. IotQ of November, in company with feveral
XX?^j other gentlemen, I now once more fet out in a tent
barge for the encampment at the Cafjeepore Creek ; and this day the whole colony was full of fmoke, the woods having taken fire near the feafide by fome unknown accident. On our paffage we met Colonel Texier, who came from the poft Vredenburgh, at the Marawina, with a detachment \ and affuredus, that fince the blow we gave to the rebels at Gado-Saby, they were moltly fled to the other fide of that great river, where they found refuge amongft the French who were fettled in Cayenne ; he had, however, taken a woman, and lieutenant Keen took two men, and killed two more, while the two new black volunteer companies fupported the honour of their colours, which they had received with fo much ceremony from the governor, by occafionally bringing in captives from the fea fliore behind Paramaribo, in which they were aflifted by the Indians, who had voluntarily fought and defeated the enemy
there*
there, more than once. Thus every thing promifed fair to crown our endeavours with fuccefs, and finally to re-eftablifti fafety and tranquillity in the colony.
On our paffage we flopped at the eftate Saardan, the proprietor of which (by a late marriage) was our Lieutenant Colonel Des Borgnes. I found here an American failor who came to load molaffes, and having an inclination to try the fkill of the new planter (and his overfeer) in rum, I defired the tar to colour a couple of gallons of kill-devil made at the very fame plantation, and bring them afliore as rum brought from Antigua. He did fo, and they gave him in exchange for it a fix gallon keg of the very fame fpirits; declaring it was much better than their own, and then drank the contents in punch, to my very great entertainment. The failor faid he fhould colour the fix gallons alfo, and did not doubt of loading his boat to the water's edge before he reached Paramaribo. —Such, in all countries, is the force of prejudice.
Having been very well entertained at Saardan, we fet forward, and arrived fafe in the encampment at the Caffeepore Creek, in Cottica River, on the 13th ; where, in ftepping afhore, being without fhoes and ftockings, I narrowly efcaped being bitten by a land-fcorpion. This infect is of the fize of a fmall cray-fifli, and has an oval body; its colour is like that of foot, and it is jointed in moveable rings : it has eight legs, divided by joints, and two jointed claws projecting from the head, appearing like part of the body, with fuch fmall eyes that they are
S f 2 hardly
chap, hardly perceptible : the tail is formed by feven globular xx viir
t ^ f,   divifions like beads, which terminate in a double fting ;
this it bends over its back, to protect its young ones from the attacks of other infects: for to the creature's back the young refort, after being hatched from eggs like pin-heads, in a fmall web fpun by the female. The fting of the land-fcorpion is not accounted fatal, but occafions a violent pain, and throws the patient into a fever: it is faid they change their fkins, as crabs do their fhclls. The fcorpions generally frequent old trees and old furniture,, and are often found amongft dry rubbiih and faded grafs.
Almoft the firft accidents that I faw here was a poor fellow, a marine, going to bathe in the river, who was inftantly fnapt away by a large alligator. I no fooner beheld him fink and difappear, than having ftripped, I actually dived after the poor man, by the help of a long oar, which a negro held perpendicular under water for the purpofe, conftantly taking care to keep all my limbs in motion. However I found him not, and tugging the oar as a fignal to pull it up, the fellow, by mifcomprehen* fion, puflied both it and myfelf down with fuch violence, that we did not rife again to the furface till near the middle of the ftream, which carried down the oar, while I regained the fhore by fwimming and very great exertion.
On the 20th, being now once more ordered to march on difcovery to Gado-Saby, I fet out at fix o'clock in the morning, with two fubaltern officers, three ferjeants, * feven.
feven corporals, and fifty privates, befides a furgeon, and the noted free negro Go u far y (whom we loff for three or four hours) and encamped near the banks of the fame creek, not having been able to advance above fix. miles due weft from its mouth.
On the 21 ft we marched north for about feven or eight miles, without meeting with one drop of water to alleviate our burning thirft, it being at this time in the very heart of the dry feafon, which this year was more fcorcrw ing than I ever remembered it before.
Having now changed my courfe to the north-eaft, and pafTed the quagmire, about noon the following day we marched dry through the late fatal marfh, and an hour after we kept due weft ; when, falling in with a large field of yams, we demolifhed it; then proceeding forward, I encamped in the old fettlement Cofaay, almoft choked for want of water, not having met with any thing like it from the moment we fat out. Here, however, the negro flaves found means to procure us fome,, which, though ftagnant and ftinking like a kennel,, wei drank, ftraining it through our fhirt-fleeves..
During this march, I neverthelefs took notice of the following trees, not yet defcribed, viz.. the canavatepyr and the berklack, which arc extremely fit for domeftic ufe.. The firft is beautifully ftriped, black and brown, and has, much the appearance of that ufually called brazil, while k diffufes a fmell in working not inferior to that of a. carnation. The fécond is a pale red or pink colour, and is
equally
equally good for almoft every purpofe. t was this day alfo prefented with a lingular kind of fruit, called here the marmalade box, being about the fize of a large apple, rather oval, and all covered over with down. This fruit in the beginning is green, and when ripe it turns to a brown colour : the hulk is hard, and by a certain motion opens in halves like a walnut, when the pulp appears like that of a medlar, being a fweet brown fubftance, and adhering to large kernels, which the inhabitants fuck off with avidity ; and from this it derives the above name. As I took no particular notice of the tree, I am forry not to have it in my power to give any account of it whatfoever.
The 23d I marched eaft from Cofaay, with a view of obtaining fome frefh accounts of the rebels ; and proceeded by a path of communication through cultivated fields, but fell in with nothing, fome delightful views, and a large herd of warree hogs, excepted, which from the gnafhing of their teeth and their flam ping the ground before we faw them, we had actually miftaken for a ftraggling party of the enemy, and had consequently frefh-primed, and prepared to engage them.
About noon we returned to Gado-Saby, where, fitting-down to reft from' our fatigue, a tall old rebel negro appeared fuddenly in the very midft of us, with a long-white beard, a white cotton fheet tied about his fhoulders, and a broken cutlafs in his hand. Seeing this venerable apparition, I inftantly started up, and forbidding my
people
people to fire at him, I civilly deiired him to approach CHAP, me, pledging myfelf that no perfon under my command ,XXYUl\ fhould dare to hurt him ; but that he fhould have every thing for his relief that I could afford.—He anfwered, " No, no, maffia !" with the utmoft deliberation, and making his head in an inftant difappeared ; while two of my men (contrary to my orders) fired after him, at the diftance of perhaps fix paces only, yet both miffed their object, to my great fatisfactkm, he being a poor for-faken creature, that had been left behind the reft, gleaning a precarious fubfiftence from his own deferted fields which we had formerly deftroyed.   What renders the negroes fo difficult to hit with a ball is this, that they never run ftraight forward, but zig-zag, like the forked lightning in the elements.
I now, to fulfil my orders, once more ranfacked Cofaay, with its adjoining plains, though with a fore heart, on account of the poor lonely old rebel. Here, having cut down feveral cotton and plantain-trees, okeor or althea, pigeon-peafe, maize, pine-apples, and fome rice, moft of which had fpontaneouily fprung up again fince our laft devaluation, I could not help leaving, before a little jloed, where was fome frefh allies and banana fLdls, a few rufk bifcuits and a good piece of fait beef, as alfo a bottle of new rum, for the unfortunate folitary old man, this being his retreat; after which we once more encamped in the fields of Gofaay.
Having fo frequently mentioned rice, it may be expected
peeled that I fhould fay fomething concerning its growth and cultivation. It rifes to the height of four feet, with furrowed ftalks, and in appearance is not unlike wheat, but the llalks are knotted by intervals, and ltrongcr ; the leaves are like thofe of reeds : the feeds are produced fomewhat like barley, and grow on each fide of the fpikes or ears alternately. The oryza or rice is cultivated in a warm and marfliy foil; the grains are oval, and if good ought to be white, hard, and tranfparent. As for the ufe of this commodity for food, it is fo well known, that I fliall only fay, that without this grain our poor marines muft long ago have all been ftarved, particularly in Au-guft 1775 ; when, for all allowance, they got per day one rufk bifcuit, and three fpikes of maize or Indian corn, for Jive men ; rice alone fupplying, as I have intimated, the reft of the allowance.
Having now fully compleated my commifïion, I, with my detachment, marched back for the Caffeepore Creek, directing my courfe through the ruined fields of Gado-Saby, which were at prefent choked up to a perfect: wildernefs. Hence we kept firft to the fouth-weft, and then due fouth, after which we flung our hammocks near a former encampment. It is to be obferved, that at this time all the marflies were nearly dry, on account of the hotteft feafon I ever remember; while the foetid fmell occafioned by the quantities of dead warrapa fifh, that had been deferted by the water, was an intolerable nuifance.   From amongft thefe putrid fifties, our negro
flaves
Raves neverthelefs feledted the mod tolerable, which, fried in the evening, ferved them for a delicate morfel.
The morning following we again marched fouth-weft by weft, when we flung our hammocks not above four miles from the Caffepore Creek; and on the 26th (keeping fouth-fouth-weft) we arrived in the grand camp, much fatigued and emaciated, myfelf with a fwelled face or eryfipelas ; when I gave in my journal to Lieutenant-Colonel de Borgnes, who commanded * : and I believe, upon my honour, that had we been ordered to remain twenty years on this expedition, with a poilibility of faving our lives, the different difeafes, plagues, and torments, would ftill have accumulated and varied without end.
A detachment of fifty men was next fent out to reconnoitre at Jerufalem, 8cc. ; and on the 6th of December the long-expected relief, con lifting of three hundred and fifty men, arrived in the river Surinam from Holland, after a voyage of nine weeks and three days, of which they fpent a fortnight at Plymouth.
By thefe the unfortunate account was brought, that Captain Jocbem Meyer (who had on hoard a coniiderable fum of money for our troops) was taken by the Moors, and carried with his crew to Morocco, where they were condemned to be flaves to the emperorf ; and that the
« Sec the above route, and all the others to Gado-Saby, in Plate LVI. where they >re by different lines diftinclly marked.
Vol. II.
•f- The above captain and his crew were fince fet at liberty, having been ran-fomcd by the Dutch.
T t fhip
c h a p. fhip Paramaribo, Captain Spruyt (being one of the veffels xxvnr. tnat carried over the fick in the beginning of Auguft) was wreekcd and entirely loft in the channel, on the rocks of UJJjant ; but that, by the exertions of fome French fifhing-boats, the crew and troops had all been faved, and carried into Breft, whence they had taken a frefh paffage for the Texel ; after which the Prince of Orange (who was ever diftinguifhed for benevolence, and doing good and humane actions) ordered the officers and private men, above one hundred in number, to receive the following fums, by way of defraying their lofs, viz* each marine received about four, the fubalterns thirty, the captains forty, and Major Medlar, who commanded, fifty pounds fterling. However, by this fhipwreck, I loft all my three chefts of fweet meats and pickles, befides parrots, butterflies, monkies, Sec. intended as prefents to my friends in Europe, which indifcriminately went to*the bottom, to my no fmall mortification.
Having now for above a month been lodged in a paltry hut, beaten by the wind and fhowers of rain (which began to fet in unexpectedly) ; and being informed, that notwithstanding the arrival of the relief, we were ftill to itay fome time longer in the woods, which broke many hearts; I, on the 12th of December, earneftly fet about building for myfelf a comfortable houfe, and which was finifhed, without either nail or hammer, in lefs than fix days, though it had two rooms, a piazza with rails, and a
fmall
XXVIU.
fmalL kitchen, befides a garden, in which I fowed, in c 11 a P, pepper-crefTes, the names of Joanna and John ; while my next-door neighbour, who was my friend Captain Bolts, made fliift to keep a goat, and thus we lived not altogether uncomfortably. Others kept hens and ducks, but not a cock was to be feen in the camp ; for thefe, having firft had all their tongues cut out to prevent their crowing (though to no purpofe) had been fince condemned to lofe their heads. In fhort, our gentlemen built a row of very curious houfes indeed, all projecting from the beech ; while, on the oppofite fide, above a hundred green huts being conitrudted to receive the new-come troops, the whole together formed no contemptible ftreet, though it muft be confeffed its inhabitants were little better than fcare-crows.
What was moft remarkable in my own habitation, however, was its entry, which was not by the door, nor yet by the window, but only by the roof, where I crept in and out, allowing abfolutely no other admittance ; and by this contrivance alone I was effectually guarded from thofe frequent vifitors who fmelt my pancakes, and ufed to make too free with my eggs and bacon, befides interrupting me while I was drawing, writing, or reading. Upon the whole, I muft acknowledge, that this encampment was agreeable enough (more fo as being on elevated ground), had it not been for the peftilential damps and mephitic vapours that exhale conftantly from the earth, and had already fent numbers to the other world.
T t 2 During
chap. During this fhort fpace of tranquillity I conftru&ed in xxvnr. miniature my cottage in which I lived at the Hope, on an oblong board of about eighteen inches by twelve, which being entirely made of the manicole-tree and branches, like the original, was efteemed a mafter-piece ; and this I fent as a prefent to my friend Mr. de Graaff at Paramaribo, who fince placed it in a cabinet of natural curiofities at Amfterdam. As I am upon this fubjecf, 1 am tempted to prefent the reader with a view of two of my habitations, the one that at the Hope, where I fpent fuch happy days ; and the other temporary, fuch as in the woods we conftrucfed to be fheltered from the weather :—the firft may be confidered as the emblem of domeftic felicity; the fécond of ruftick hardihip and fatigue.
The troops of the Society of Surinam, who had been encamped at the Wana Creek (the rainy feafon prematurely fetting in) now wifely broke up, and on the 26th pafling by us, rowed down the river Cottica on their way to the plantations in the Pirica Creek ; but as for us, we were as ufual condemned to linger in the Caffipore camp, while Fourgeoud ftill kept fnug at Paramaribo. With the above officers we received intelligence that a few more rebels had been taken at the Marawina ; while we ourfelves daily continued to fend out patroles to the right and left, but met with nothing to capture.
At laft, on the 29th, lix barges came to an anchor before our encampment, with part of the frefh troops that were arrived from Holland for our relief ; which I could not
help
London, Pnhlùlitd />.1r,^i;„i.l;  J. Johnson.t/Pauls Inurtk Yard. ' 73
^9984
help viewing with COmpafRon, and not without a caufe,   c H A P. many of them being already attacked with the fcurvy, and other loathfome difeafes.   We however fent for bricks, and built an oven to bake frefli hrcad, &c. and did all that was in our power to comfort them : having received alfo a fupply of wine for my own ufe, I gave a hearty welcome to all the officers, to cheer their fpirits ; but this illrfated liquor had an effect .far different from what I intended on one of our captains, P—/ by name, who, from fome mifnnderftanding,-challenged me to fight him inftantly.   Having retired to fome diftance from the camp, and drawing our fabres, he burft out into an immoderate fit of laughter, and throwing away his weapon, defired me u to cutaway; but that for his part he had " fuch a real regard for me, that he felt it was impoflible « for him to make any refiftance :!? after which, catching me in both his arms, he gave me fo hearty an embrace, that he had nearly ftifled me, and 1 could not without the greateft difficulty get difentangled. - Being recovered from my fur prize, I could not help mailing in my turn; and after a friendly reprimand re-condueled my valiant opponent to the company,. where we clofed the year with the greateft mirth and conviviality.
A confounded tumble, through my hammock having ufhered in the morning of 1777, we went to the commanding officer of the camp, to pay him the compliments of the feafon ; where I was mown the philander,
or
or Mexican oppqjjum, here called awaree, which had been juft taken alive, and with all its young.
I have already mentioned the murine oppofTum; thus fliall now only defcribe fuch peculiarities as I was able to remark, and which were indeed but few in number, the animal being in the bottom of an empty hogftiead when I faw it, its biting preventing me to take it in my hand.— In the firft place, it was much larger than the former, this being the fize of an over-grown Norway rat: the colour was a yellowifh grey all over, and the belly and limbs a dirty white ; the muzzle was more blunt than that of the murine oppofTum, with long whiikcrs ; its eyes not black but tranfparent, with a black ring round the iris ; the tail extremely long, thick, and hairy, particularly near the root, and its fmell was very offenfive. This oppofTum had a pouch under its belly, formed by the folding of the fkin, which is hairy within as well as without; from this pouch I faw the young ones (five or fix in number) feveral times run out, when the mother was not difturbed, and as often run into it upon the fmalleft noife, or fhaking the hogftiead.—As I pitied the jx)or creature, after its having been fo long tormented, I fuddenly kicked up the hogftiead, when the oppofTum with all its young efcaped, and ran fwiftly up a very high tree before Colonel Seyburg's cottage, and there it hung by the tail to one of the branches; but as it is a dreadful deftroyer of poultry, and the.Colonel apprehended that 7 it
it would kill every one of his fowls, he ordered it, to my c h a P, forrow, to be fhot down, with all its young ones.—The ,X3Evni' Virginian oppofTum I never faw; and my only further remark on this fliall be, that its activity very much fur-prized me, as many writers have denied it this quality. For further particulars, I refer the reader to the murine or moufe oppofTum above-mentioned, as in mofl circum-ftances thefe two animals perfectly agree.
Among the dcflroyers of poultry, there is another animal in this country, known by the name of quacy-quacy : fome call it the racoon, but which properly is the coati-mondi, or Brafilian weaftl ; though many people, with fome degree of propriety, compare it to a fox, as it is often able to carry away a goofe or a turkey, and is alfo extremely cunning. This creature is fometimes near two feet long, the body fhaped like that of a dog, and commonly black, or rather dark brown, though many are of a bright bay colour : the tail is long, hairy, and annulatcd with black, and a deep buff; the breaft and belly are a dirty white; the head is a light brown, with long jaws, and a black fnout that projects upwards for near two inches, and is moveable like that of the tapira; the eyes are fmall, the ears are fliort and rounded, while on each fide a curved ftripe connects them and the muzzle; the legs of the coati are fliort, efpccially the foremoft; the feet are very long, with five toes on each, and long claws, while the animal, like the bear, always walks on the heel, and ftands on thofe behind. No quadrupeds (the monkies
kies not excepted) are better climbers on the trees, where thefe creatures commit dreadful ravages amongft birds-nefts, every fmall animal which they can conquer becoming their prey. In the poultry-yards in particular they commit great devaluations, on which account every contrivance that can be invented is put in practice to deftroy them.
As I am upon the fubject of animals, before I leave the woods I muft defcribe another creature, which inhabits them, and which (though more than twice the fize of the laft) lives chiefly on ants; this is the great ant-eater, or ant-bear., called alfo the tamanoir', and by the Spa* niards the ofa palmer a. The body of this animal is covered over with very long fhaggy hair; on the back and belly it is black, and on the neck and fides a grey or yellcwiih. white; the head is extremely long and llender, of a light bay colour, with very fmall eyes ; the ears are fliort and round, and the mouth (which has no teeth) juft large enough to admit its tongue ; the tail is of an enormous fize, with very long black hair, fomething like that of a horfe: with this extraordinary tail, when aftcep (which is generally in the day time, or during a hard fhower of rain) the animal covers itfelf like a fquirrel; at other times he trails it along, and fweeps the ground. The limbs are flender, but covered wkh long hair; the hindmoft legs being fhorteft and black, with five claws ; thofe before are of a dirty white, with but four claws, the two middle claws being of an extraordinary length.
The
l.i'ittlfit, /•///.//.,■/„,/ /),;■ r*?o;t.*'t••/../.-tin..-.•// I 'ftiiilr r/mi,/i Tard
M_'
TP
-M
The great ant-eater is a very bad walker, refting always chap on the heel of his awkward long feet, like the coati and Xxvm. bear; but he is a better climber, and fo good a fighter, ~'~ ^ that no dog will hunt him, fince whatever animal he catches between his fore claws (nay even the jaguar or tiger) he will not releafe while he has life. His food, as I have faid, confifts of ants, which he takes in the following manner:—when he comes to an ant-hillock, he unfolds his Render tongue, which is about twenty inches long, moft exactly refembling a worm; this being covered over with a clammy matter or faliva, the ants get upon it in great numbers, and by drawing it into his mouth, he fwallows thoufands all alive, and renews the operation, till no more are to be found, when he marches in queft of another mountain, and in the fame manner deftroys the unwary inhabitants. He alfo climbs in queft of wood-lice and wild honey ; but fhould he meet with little fuc-cefs in his devaluations, he is able to fait a confiderable time without the fmalleft inconvenience. It is faid that the great ant-bear is tameable, and that then he will pick crumbs of bread, and fmall pieces of flefli; alfo that when killed, he affords good food to the Indians and negroes, the laft of which I have feen devour his flefli with pleafure. Some ant-bears meafure, from the fnout to the tip of the tail, no lefs than eight feet.—See the two laft-defcribed animals in the plate annexed.
A fmall fpecies of ant-bear, called the tamandua, is alfo found in Surinam, though not very common. This
Vol. II. U 11 differs
differs from the former in having twenty toes, the head being thicker in proportion, and the tail fmaller, which is variegated with bands of black and yellowilh white.— A lefTer fpecies ftill is called the fourmillier, which, however, never came within my obfervation.—But to proceed.
On the 3d, fix more barges with troops came up from Paramaribo, which completed the number of three hundred and fifty men arrived from Holland, Amongft thefe, being informed there was a Captain Charles Small, come from the Scots Brigade, this gentleman having exchanged with poor Enfign Macdonald (who was fent over lick) I inftantly fculled down the river alone in a canoe to meet him, and offer him my affiftance.   I had no fooner got on board his barge, than I found him fufpended in a hammock with a burning fever.   He, not knowing me on account of my drefs, which was no better than that of the moft ragged failor, afked me what I wanted ; but when he faw in me his poor friend Stedman, changed from a ftout fprightly young fellow, to a miferable debilitated tatterdemallion, he grafped me by the hand, without uttering a word, and burft into tears: which agitation, while it increafed his illnefs, fhewed the goodnefs of his heart to me, more than any thing he could have uttered on the fubjecl;.—" D—n your blubbering, Charles!" faid I ; " turn out of this ftinking cockle-fhell : I'll prefently " cure thee  —and getting him hoifted into my canoe, I brought him on fhore to my own habitation, but with § the
the greateft difficulty, being obliged to thruft him through a crevice made on purpofe, as the hole in the roof was not calculated even for any healthy pertbn's admittance, myfelf excepted. Having here flung his hammock near to my own, and boiled fome water, I treated him with warm grog and a toafted bifcuit, and he became much better from that very moment. He now acquainted me that one of his men was drowned on the paflage ; and that Colonel Fourgeoud having entertained the officers with a ball after their landing, at which one of his cooks, and a couple of meagre marines, had been the fidlers, he concluded his illnefs to be the confequence of too much dancing. A little after this, Colonel Fourgeoud himfelf appearing in perfon in the camp amongft us, he foon, however, entertained us with mufick of a different kind ; which was no lefs than the difcourag-ing news, that by the newly-arrived corps of officers feveral of us had loft our rank (both in the regiment and in the army) after parching above four years in a burning fun, toiling ourfelves almoft to death, and fubfifting upon ftinking meat and black rufk. To add to this grievance, while the above gentlemen ufurped our preferment, we were, inftead of being relieved, ordered to continue in the woods, in order to teach them their duty.
During the above unpleafing probation, the major's duty again fell to my fhare ; which was at this time extremely difagreeable, being obliged daily to chaftife the men, many of whom pilfered the magazine to alleviate
U u 2 hunger,
hunger, having been without the article of bread for /even days, the oven being dropped to pieces, Amongft others, one poor fellow was nearly flogged to death for having borrowed one of the colonel's Bologna faufages; for, let it be remembered, that our commander in chief, whatever might be the diftrefs and hardships of the reft, never forgot to fupport bis own dignity, by at leaft half a dozen of flout negroes loaded with bacon hams, Bologna faufages, bullocks tongues, tea, coffee, fugar, Madeira wine, Holland's gin, &x,-—
Courage may prompt, but, ebbing out his ftrength* Mere unfupported man muft yield at length : Shrunk with dry famine, and with toils declin'd, The drooping body will defert the mind % But built anew with health-conferring fare, With limbs and foul untam'd, he tires a war.
At length, on the 8th, a barge arrived, not only with a fupply of fait beef and rufk, but a bullock and two hogs, as a prefent from Mr. Felman, who, accompanied by his lady, Sec. came actually on avilit to Fourgeoud, in this very ftrange encampment. The above animals being immediately killed, they were diftributcd among four hundred people; fo that it may well be conceived the fhares, though fweet, were not very large, after which the company walked about to view our different habitations. Being arrived at my dwelling, Fourgeoud led them round and round, but feeing no door to get in, he called out, " Nobody at home ?" When
I in^
I inftantly thruft my head through the thatch, with a pan- c H A P. cake in my hand, and offered to haul in the ladies; but this XXVIir-they civilly declined. I never faw Fourgeoud laugh fo much in my life. As foon, however, as he was able to recover his gravity, he exclaimed, " Sacre Dieu ! Il faut être *! Steeman,—il faut être original comme liii-f and re-con-dudtcd the company to his own apartment, where he gave me an invitation to follow them. Indeed, when Captain Small and Ï went out, we generally fpent our time in a beautiful favannah, where we had creel:ed a green fhed, to he free in converfation, and called it Ranelagh ; here we caroufed and cracked a bottle in private, till we could crack no longer, having lived fo well that in a little time more than a week my cheefe and bacon hams quite difappeared, and not a drop of wine or rum was left in the flafks.—A fter this he, as well as I, were obliged to live on Aloft allowance; while Small had the fatisfaction, however, to fee his fhip-mates do the fame : who, not being acquainted with the ceconomy neceffary in a foreft, had made all their flour into plum-pudding, and were already obliged to break their teeth on a piece of rye rufk.
In fliort, fo early as the 12th, one hundred and fifty of thefe newly-arrived people were already ordered to march; when, by the way of feafoning them, bciides heavy accoutrements and a hammock, they had orders each man to carry a fluffed knapfack on his back. Of this party, my friend Small happened to be one, who being as corpulent as Sir John Falfiaff, and 1 having accoutred him in the above
manner,
CHAP,  manner, the poor fellow could hardly walk at all ; till XXVIII.   declaring to Fourtreoud that I muft roll him along like a hogfhead, he got leave to be dilengaged from a part of his unweildy encumbrances.
Every thing being ready, this loaded detachment now faced to the right, and fet out, with Colonel Fourgeoud at their head, for the river Marawina: and while I muft here acknowledge that this chief was now become to myfelf as civil as I could expect or defire, yet juftice compels me to add, that to all others he remained juft as inflexible a tyrant as ever I had known him ; which character he unhappily feemed to think incompatible with his rank.
During their abfence, I crofted the water, and cut down a cabbage-tree on the other fide of the river Cottica, not only for the cabbage, but for the fake of the groe-groe worms, with which I knew it would fwarm in about a fortnight.
Straying here through the woods with my black boy Quaco, I met with the following trees, ftill left for defcription, viz. the cedar, the brown-heart, and the bullet-tree. The firft, though it bears that name, is different from the cedars of Lebanon, which grow in a pyrami-dical form. The Surinam cedar, however, grows alfo to a great height, but is principally efteemed becaufe the wood is never eaten by the worms or other infects, on account of its great bitternefs ; it has alfo a moft agreeable fmell, and is therefore ufed in preference to moft others for making chefts, cupboards, lockers, and all forts
of
of joinery ; befides which, it is employed in making the chap. tent-barges and other boats.   The colour of the timber t^xv is a pale orange : it is both hard and light, and from the trunk exudes a gum (not unlike the gum Arabic) which is tranfparent, and diffufes a mofl agreeable flavour.'
The brown-heart is in hardnefs of the fame confiftency as the purple-heart, and the green-heart already mentioned, and is fhaped into heavy timber for the fame purpofes, fuch as conftructing fugar-mills, &x. : the colour of this wood is a beautiful brown.—The other is the bullet-tree \ this tree grows fometimes to fixty feet, but is not fo thick in proportion as many others : the bark is grey and fmooth, the timber brown, variegated or powdered with white fpecks. No wood in the forefl is equal to this in weight, being heavier than fea-water, and fo very durable, that when expofed to the open air neither rain or fun have any effect on it ; for this reafon, befides its other various ufes, it is fplit into jlnngles to roof the houfes, inftead of Rates or tiles, which, as I formerly mentioned, would be too heavy and too hot. Thefe fhingles are fold for £. 4 fterling a thoufand at Paramaribo, and continue fometimes twenty-four years before they are renewed.
I ought to mention alfo a kind of mahogany, which is found in the woods of Guiana, called the ducolla-bollay and which is of a fuperior quality to any which is imported here, being of a deeper red colour, and of a finer, more equal, and compact grain ; alfo of greater hardnefs
and
CHAP, and weight, and thus capable of receiving a more elegant XXVIII. rn
About this period the whole camp was inferred with a kind of wood-lice, fo called in Surinam, but with more propriety they might be termed white ants, refembling them almoft in every particular, except that the ants dwell in the ground, and thefe build their nefls on the trunks of trees : thefe nefts, being black, round, and irregular, are not unlike the woolly head of a negro, but fometimes as large as the half of a hogftiead, and com-pofed of a ruft-coloured incruftated earth, which is extremely hard, and impenetrable to the weather.   In this mafs, which internally confifts of innumerable crofs roads, each the fize of a goofe-quill, they live together in myriads, whence they fally forth, and commit their depredations, unequalled by any other infect in Guiana, piercing through the hardeft wood, leather, linen, or whatever comes in their way.   They alfo frequently get into the houfes by an incrufted covered road made againft the wall, refembling the half of a Aiding pencil, which is with its windings fometimes feveral hundred feet long : if this is not deftroyed upon its firft appearance (which muft be done by arfenick or the oil of turpentine) as they crumble every thing to duft, whole dwellings will be entirely demolifhed, and come down to the ground in rubbifti.   Thefe infects (notwithftanding their fetid abominable fmell) are reckoned a very good food for poultry, who are faid to thrive on them even better than on Indian
diati corn. I ought not to forget their extreme induftry in repairing their habitation when injured, and their wonderful power of propagation, which (let ever fuch numbers he deltroyed) brings them in a very ihort time to their former unaccountable multipUcity.
To another pelt we were alfo frequently fubjecled in this camp, and this was no lefs than clouds of flying lice, which covered our clothes fometimes fo thick, that they abfolutely gave them the appearance of grey cloth. This was owing to the fhedding of their wings, which, being four in number ; they generally left behind them after they alighted, and being thus without the means of flying off again, they remained on our jackets ; except however thus covering us all over, they caufed us no other inconvenience. It is the opinion of fome natura-lifts, that thefe flying lice are no other than the above-mentioned wood-lice, which when they become old get wings, leave their nefts, and fly about, like fome other ants, both in Europe and in America.
About this time the difcipline was peculiarly ftricl: in the camp, fo that. whoever made the very leaft noife was moft feverely punilhed, nay, threatened to be fhot ; and even the fentinels were ordered to challenge rounds and patrols by no other found than wbijiling, which was anfwered in the fame manner.
On the 18th, one of thefe being condemned to be flogged forfpeaking loud, I however found means (Fourgeoud not being yet returned) to get him pardoned, after
Vol. II. X x he
chap, he was already ftripped. The following day, neverthelefs, -^ll* evinced that I could puniili when things were carried too far ; for feeing a large piece of boiled pork (about two pounds weight) flying pall mc with great velocity, and finding it was thrown by one marine to another, while they had got a (parrel, I inftantly ordered them to pick it up, and (having cut it in two) 1 flood over them myfelf till they fwallowcd every morfel of it in my prefence, fand and all, without either bread or drink : which they fince declared was fuch a punifhment as furpafted my conception, and they fhould remember it to the end of their lives.
On the 23d, I received from town a well-timed fupply of wine and frelh provifions ; and the fame day Colonel Fourgeoud, with his detachment, arrived from the Mara-wina. During this trip, our active commander had again difcovered and deftroyed fifty-nine houfes, befides three fields of provifions. This certainly gave the finifh-ing blow to the rebel negroes, fince, having no further fupply on this fide the water, they entirely abandoned it, and went to fettle in the French colony Cayenne. In this hard though neceffary fervice the men had fuffered pro-digioufly, efpecially thofe newly arrived ; numbers of whom were carried in hammocks on poles, while near thirty were left fick at the Marawina, and my friend Small was at leaft one ftone lighter.
At this time, in the camp hofpital, above one hundred were alfo dangeroivfly ill. Nothing was heard but fighs
and
XXVIII.
and the flirieking of they?/ix or Guiana owl, which for chap. ever kept them company during the difmal nights. Cramps, fo common in Surinam, alfo infefled thofe that were able to do duty ; and there reigned a general melancholy all around.
- '« The circling fky,
" The wide enlivening air, is full of fate j " And, (truck by turns, in fblitary pangs tf They fall, untended and unmourn'd."
Here one man was to be feen covered over with bloody boils from head to foot ; there another led along by two of his comrades in a deep lethargy, who, in fpite of pinching and pricking, dofed into eternity ; a third, fwelled by the dropfy, and imploring the furgebn in vain to tap off the water (who generally anfwered that it was too late) was left to expire by fuffocation. In the hofpital fome were obferved clafping their hands, and praying aloud to God to be relieved; while others lay at their fide in a frenzy fever, tearing their hair, blafpheming Providence, and curling the day that they were born.—In fliort, all was dreadful beyond defcription, by the pen of a Milton excepted.
1       n,   i    « Sad noifome dark, tf A lazar-houfe it feem'd, wherein were laid " Numbers of all, difeas'd : all maladies " Of ghaftly fpafm or racking torture \ qualms <f Of heart-fick agony, all feverous kinds,
X x 2 " Convulfions,
CHAP. ,   " Convnlfions, epilcpfies, fierce catarrhs ;
**. Demoniac frenzy, moping melancholy, " And moon-ftruck madnefs 3 pining atrophy, " Dropfies, and afthmas, and joint-racking rheums: " Dire was the tolling, deep the groans j defpair " Tended the fick, bufieft from couch to couch. U And over them triumphant Death his dart *' Shook, but delay'd to ftrike, though oft invok'd " With vows, as their chief good and final hope."
From day to day mortality now gained ground, while by fome accident, to compleat the diftrefs, part of the camp got on fire ; but this was fortunately extinguifhed without any material ill confequences, by the activity and exertions of the poor negroes.
On the 26th my mifery, however, drew towards an end, when, to my aftoniftimenr, and without my afking it, Colonel Fourgeoud gave me a leave of abfence, if I chofe it, to accompany him, and ftay henceforth at Paramaribo ; which, without hefitation, I moft joyfully accepted. Thus, having made my friend Captain Small a prefent of my bo ufe, my Ranelagb, and all my frejh provifions, befides entertained him and fome other officers on a difh of mountain-cabbage, and mygroe-groe worms, which were juft come to perfection, betides a hearty glafs of wine, 1 took my laft adieu from them all; and at midnight, with Colonel Fourgeoud, rowed down the River Cottica in an elegant barge with ten oars, in company with two more of his officers.—And now farewell once more, ye fhady
woods*
woods, thou pleafing gloomy foreft, pregnant with fo many wonders, and fo many plagues, and which, in the opinion of fo many fufferers, even furpaffed the ten plagues of Egypt ! *
--ff I have fent among you the peftilence after the
<c manner of Egypt i your young men have I (lain with the fword— (e I have made the flink of your camps to come up unto your " noftrils : yet have ye not returned unto me, faith the Lord."
The boat being ftioved off, Colonel Fourgeoud now declared to us, that having ranfacked the foreft in every direction, and driven the rebels over the Maravvina in Cayenne, he was determined no more to return to the woods, but in a few weeks to draw the long and painful expedition to a conclufion.
Now, reader, it remains with you to acknowledge that I have not led you about the buflj, but through it, with indefatigable perfeverance : the more fo, when it is to be confidered that in the middle of the above hurry and diftrefs, under which fo many have funk, I have often been deprived of pen, ink, and paper to make proper annotations ; which laft defect I have even more than once fupplied by writing with a pencil on my cartridges, or on a bleached bone: had this not been unavoidably the cafe, more accuracy and many more remarks might with
* Should it be remarked that during this expedition fome unchriftian-like ex-prefHons have cfcaped, let it be at the fame tim« reeollc<5ted, that while fur-
geons and even cooks, though both of little ufe, had been provided, nothing like a par/on was ever feen amongft us, from the day we failed from the Texel.
juftice
juftice have been expected, which one need never be at a lofs to make in a country fo replete with different objects for fpeculation.
Having rowed all night, and breakfafted at the new cordon (which was begun to be cut not far from our former poft DeviPs Harwar) on a dram and a bifcuit, we came about noon to the eftate Lapaix, where we dined with the planter, Monfieur Rivieres \ after which Fourgeoud, with his adjutant, proceeded on their voyage to town, while I with another officer went' tie fta-iide at the back of the plantation to fhoot i tipçs and curlews.
On our march thither and back again,- pafRng two pofts of the Society, the flag was hoifted, refreftiments offered us, and every other civility fire wn us that was in the power of the commanding officers. In fhooting, however, we had very little fport, except that of killing fome fnipes, which flew in fuch clouds that they almoft darkened the fky ; fo that by only firing from time to time above our heads at random, we brought down fcores at every fhot, but they were of fuch a diminutive fpecies, that they were fcarcely worth the picking up. We might have here killed birds of greater fize, fuch as fpoon-bills, cranes, red curlews, and wild ducks of many kinds, had we not unluckily been cut off from the banks on which they were fcattered, by the fea overflowing the quickfands betwixt us and them. They afforded ns, neverthelefs, a moft delightful view, the beech appearing at a diftance like a fheet of fcarlet and purple, embroidered with every other colour.
The
EXPEDITION   TO   SURINAM. 343 The Jboveler or fpoon-bill (which has fome affinity to  C H a P.
XXVIII
the cranes) is about the fize of a goofe : the legs are not very long, and it is web-footed but for a little way between the toes : the feathers are a beautiful rofe-colour, though they are white when young; but the bill is truly remarkable in this bird, being Rat, much broader before than at any other part, and circular, in fome degree re-fembling a fpoon, from which it takes its name. They are faid to feed on frogs, rats, and lizards, yet fifh is evidently their principal nourilhment, from their frequenting the fea-fide, and having a fifh y tafte when they are killed.
The crane or jabiru of Surinam, I can beft compare to a ftork, of which it has much the appearance, but is larger. The body of this bird is milk white, but the prime feathers of the wings and tail are black : the limbs and toes are exceffively long ; but I obferved one peculiarity which diftinguifhes it from all other birds, viz. that it frequently fits upon the heel : the neck and bill are of an uncommon length, the latter being ftrong, and a little hooked at the point. The head of the crane or jabiru is perfectly black, on account of which, among the Dutch, it obtained the appellation of a negro-cop. It frequents the coaft, like the others above mentioned, and lives entirely on fifh : this bird is eafily tamed. I have feen a couple of them in the poultry-yard belonging to Colonel Fourgeoud.—(See both thefe fpecies of fea-fowls in the plate annexed, where the laft is reprefented fitting in the pofture I have defcribed.)
4 To
To delineate the different fpecies of wild ducks that are in Surinam with any degree of accuracy, is a talk which I acknowledge to be far beyond my reach. Suffice it therefore to fay, that in general they are not very large, but adorned with the moll fplendid tints and moft beautiful plumage that can be imagined, particularly thofe they call the cawereerkee, the fookooroorkee, and the anna-kee, which laft are the fmalleft. No water-fowl of any-kind, without exception, can be more delicate eating than all thofe I have juft mentioned ; while fome of them are tameable, and frequently feen amongft the poultry on the plantations. f, Having the following day the opportunity of a boat, I profecuted my voyage down the Cottica River till I came to Paramaribo, where in fine fpirits and perfect health (however ftrange) I arrived that very fame evening, and where I was moft heartily welcomed by my many friends with the warmeft congratulations on my ftill exifting, after having efcaped fo many dangers, and been fo long deprived of every comfort—torn by thorns, ftung by infects—ftarved, tormented, emaciated, and wounded—often without clothes, health, reft, money, refrefhments, medicines, or friends;—and after having loft fo many of my
brave companions, who lay buried in the duft.-Thus
ended my feventh and laft campaign in the foreft of Guiana.
CHAP,
I.,m,l,<ii, l'tiblù-h.-tl lh,\ri-f.',-,,,, .In .l.lolnu-i'H-.f.'I'ai.U r/uj,;/, )„r,l.
CHAP. XXIX.
Some Account of a remarkable Negro.—The Troops prepare for Europe.—Defcription of a Coffee Plantation.—Plan of Reform for the Increafe of Population, and univerfal Happinefs.—One more Inflance of horrid Barbarity* and Example of Humanity.—The Regiment embarks.
B
EING now once more arrived in town, and wiming chap.
XXIX
to be no longer troublefome to any body, I hired a ■ ',.
very neat fmall houfe by the water-fide, in which we lived nearly as happy as we had done at the Hope.
The firft perfon that vifited me here was the American Captain Lewis, of the Peggy, who, to my great concern, told me, that poor Macdonald, the grateful failor, had died on the homeward paflage, after being twelve days at fea ; and defired him in his laft words to return me, with his good wi(lies, the mother-of-pearl cork-fcrew I had formerly given him. He farther acquainted me alfo, to my forrow, that three Englifh velfels had been captured by the American Revenue privateer {loop, which lay at this time, with her prizes, in the road before Paramaribo; one of which, belonging to Ireland, was valued at above
50,000 fterling.
Having been waited on by a number of planters and Vol. IL Y y others
c H A P. others with congratulations on our fuccefs againft the re-■ 3?IX' bels ; amongft the reft appeared the celebrated Gramman guacy, who came to fhew me his fine coat, gold medal, &c. which he had received as a prefent from the Prince of Orange, in Holland. This man, being one of the moft extraordinary characters of all the negroes in Surinam, or perhaps in the world, I cannot proceed without giving fome account of him ; the more fo, as he has made his appearance once or twice already in the courfe of this hiftory.—This African (for he was born on the coaft of Guinea) by his infinuating temper and induftry, not only obtained his freedom from a ltate of flavery, but by his wonderful ingenuity and artful conduct found the means of procuring a very competent fubfiftence.
Having got the name of a lockoman, or forcerer, among the lower flaves, no crime of any confequence was committed, efpecially at the plantations, but Gramman %uacyy which lignifies Great-man Quacy, was inftantly fent for to difcover the perpetrators, which he fo very feldom miffed, owing, in fact, to their faith in his forceries, added to his penetrating look * and authority among them, that he has often prevented farther mifchief to their mafters ; and, for thefe fervices, occasionally received very capital rewards. The corps of rangers, and all fighting free negroes, are under his influence ; to whom he fells his obias or amulets, in order to make them in-
* Sec in Chapter XXV. the manner in which I myfelf difcovered a thief.
4 vulnerable^
vulnerable, and, of courfe, to engage without fear : by CHAP, which deceit he has moft certainly done much good to the colony, and at the fame time filled his pockets with no inconsiderable profit to himfelf; while his perfon by the blacks is adored and refpected like a God. The trafh of which his amulets arc made cofts him in reality nothing; being neither more nor lefs than a collection of fmall pebbles, fea-fhells, cut hair, fifh-bones, feathers, Sec. the whole fewed up together in fmall packets, which are tied with a firing of cotton round the neck, or fome other part of the bodies of his credulous votaries.
But befides thefe, and many other artful contrivances, he had the good fortune, in 1730, to find out the valuable root known by the name of <sluaciœ bitter, of which he was actually the firft difcoverer, and from which it took its name : and, notwithstanding this medicine is now lefs in repute in England than formerly, it is highly efteemed in many other parts of the world for its efficacy in strengthening the ftomach and restoring the appetite. It has, befides this valuable property, that of being a powerful febrifuge, and may be fuccefsfully ufed when the bark is naufeated, as is frequently the cafe.
In T761, it was made known to Linnaus by Mr. iPAblberg, formerly mentioned ; and the Swedilh naturalist has fince written a treatise upon it. By this drug-alone Quacy might have amaffed riches, were he not entirely abandoned to indolence and dissipation ; the con-fequence of which is, a complication of loathfome dif-
Yy 2 tempers,
chap,   tempers, of which the leprofv is one : and that diforder
XXIX
is, as 1 have already Rated, abfolutcly incurable. Never-thclcfs his age, though he could not exactly afcertain it, muft have been very great, fince he ufed frequently to repeat that he acted as drummer, and beat the alarm on his mailer's eftate, when the French commodore, Jacques CaJJard, put the colony under contribution, in the year 1712.
Having taken a portrait of this extraordinary man, with his grey head of hair, and dreffed in his blue and fcarlet with gold lace, I, in the annexed plate, beg leave to introduce it to the reader.
This very fame week we had indeed a frefh proof of the good effects of Gramman Quacy's animating obi as or amulets, a captain of the rangers, named Hannibal, bringing in the barbacued hands of two rebel negroes, which he had himfelf encountered and fhot ; and one of thefe hands proved to be that of the noted rebel Cupldo, formerly taken, in 1774, and brought to Colonel Fourgeoud in the foreft, but from whom he had fince that time, though loaded with chains, found means to run away.
In returning the viffts of my friends, I paid one to Mr. Andrew Reynfdorp, who fhewed me the loop and button of his hat, which being diamond, had coft him two hundred guineas—fuch is the luxury of Surinam. But even this is exceeded by the magnificence of M. d'Ablbergb,
who, when I waited on him, befides a gold fnuff-box fet
with
with brilliants, value fix hundred pounds fterling, made me remark two filver bits (fmall pieces of money) fet in gold, and furrounded with diamonds, with this infcrip-tion :
« Soli Deo Gloria.   Fortuna bcaticum, &c."
Having signified my furprize at this peculiar attention and refpedt to two fixpences, he declared to me that they were all the money he had in the world when he firft came to Surinam from his own country, Szveden.—" Did " you work ?" faid L—" No."—" Did you beg     « No.v —" You did not Real, fir ?"—" No : but, entre nous, I '* whined and acted the enthufiaft, which fometimes is a very neceflary, and I found preferable to the other " threes—To which I anfwered, " Sir, your candid con-" feffion brings back to my remembrance your ufage of « your negro flave, Baron, after having promifed him his " manumiflion in Amfterdam, and fully proves what " you have juft afTerted."—One inftance more of the extravagance and folly of the inhabitants of this colony, and I have done : Two of them difputing about a mofl elegant and expenfive carriage that was imported from Holland, a law-fuit enfued immediately, to determine who was to pofTefs it, during which time the coach was left uncovered in the street till it fell to pieces, and was totally destroyed.
On the ioth of February, moft of our officers being now arrived at Paramaribo from the camp, Colonel
Fourgeoud
CHAP.   Fourgeoud entertained the whole with a feaft, as he was XXIX.
\^rr/rJJ pleafed to call it, at the head-quarters ; an old liable lan-thorn, with broken panes of glass, hanging over our heads, which I expected every moment to drop into the foup. And here he acquainted us, with evident marks of fatis-faction, that he had at laft put a final end to the expedition ; having, notwithstanding there was fo little bloodshed, perfectly accomplifhed his aim in rooting out the rebels, by destroying twenty-one towns or villages, and demoliftiing two hundred fields with vegetables of every kind, on which they depended for fubfiftence : alfo, that the intelligence was now confirmed, that the negroes were to a man fled over the River Marawina, where they and their friends were fettled, and protected by the French colony of Cayenne, who not only gave them Ihelter, but fupplicd them with every thing they wanted. On which good news we all heartily congratulated him, and drank further profperity to the colony of Surinam with three cheers; the future fafety of which now depended on the new cordon or path of circumval-lation, defended by the troops of the Society, and the corps of black foldiers or rangers.
In Dr. FirtHmh works, Colonel Fourgeoud and his troops are twice mentioned as the faviours of the colony ; and by the Abbé Reynal they are noticed as a very brave and valiant corps : compliments to which they are with truth entitled. And what cannot but redound to his honour, is, that at the time he impofed fuch hard-
ftiips
fhips on his own troops, he never deliberately put a c H a p. rebel nesro captive to death, nor even, if he could xxlK-avoid it, delivered them into the hands of juftice ; well knowing, that while it was his duty to expel them, nothing but the moft barbarous ufagc and tyranny had driven thefe poor people to this laft extremity. Indeed I myfelf, whom during the firft three years he perfe-cuted with unremitting feverity, muft do him the juftice to fay, that he was indefatigable in doing his duty; and that, though confufed, 1 believe him at bottom to have been an undaunted and very brave officer.
He further acquainted us, that the veffels, with a frefti fupply of provifions from Holland, had been caft on the lee-fhore in the Texel Roads, one of them having her upper cabin ftove away, with the fécond mate and three of her men wafhed overboard ; he added, however, that part of the ftores had been faved, and loaded on board two bilanders, which were this very day arrived in the River Surinam. And now, fo much in particular was I become his favourite, that he even made me his confidant; and declared, that he propofed keeping the laft arrived troops, however faft they were dying away (and who had lately loft a man by ftraying in the woods) encamped for many months after our departure. He then began to tell me what officers he meant, if poffible, to ruin on their return, and which, by his recommendation, he intended to promote : but here I took the liberty to ftop him ftiort, by declaring, upon my honour, that thofe very gentlemen fliould be apprifed by myfelf of their impending
pending danger, if he perfifted in carrying this cruel plan in execution. This at leaft had the effect to end the dif-agreeable conversation : when, in my turn, I added, " Sir, permit me farther to put you in remembrance of " thefe very troops you have juft mentioned, in regard to 44 their truly diftrefted fituation at the Cajjeepore Creek; " while their furgeon is gaining gold watches and dia-" mond rings by curing fafhionable difeafes among the " gentry at Paramaribo." To which he replied, " Fous u êtes un brave garçon and promifed to take my hints into confideration.
I was now invited once more by Captain Mackneal to fpend a few days on his coffee eftate, Sporkfgift; but though I was prevented on this occafion from accepting the invitation, I will take this opportunity to defcribe that ufeful berry, which, not being a native of Guiana, it is faid was firft planted in Surinam by the Count de Neale, though others afcribc it to one FLanJbach, a filver-fmith, in 1720-.
The coffee-berry is the produce of an elegant tree, which is feldom allowed to grow higher than a man can reach, in order to facilitate the gathering of it. The bark of this tree is light brown, and the leaves like laurel, having a beautiful polifti ; with thefe it is thickly co-
* In 1554, the coffee berry firft came Produced in London; and in 1728, by to Conftantinople from Arabia.—About Sir Nicholas Laws, it was planted in the the middle of the 16th century it was in-    ifland of Jamaica,
vered,
vered, the branches diverging from near the furface of the earth to the fummit. The berries, which are oval, are firft green, and gradually change their colour, till they are ripe, when they acquire a bright crimfon hue, like that of a cherry. In each of thefe berries are two kernels refembling beans, lying flat upon each other. Of thefe a good tree is faid to produce three or four pounds weight at each crop ; for this tree, like moft other vegetable productions in this luxuriant climate, bears two crops every year.
To give the curious a better idea of this ufeful plant, I prefent him with a fprig of it, copied from nature in the annexedplaie\—in which the figure A refers to the wood, where it was cut off; B is the upper fide of the leaf; C the lower fide of the fame ; D is the berry juft beginning to change ; E the fame in full perfection, being of a beautiful crimfon ; and F the kernels or beans as they appear when they are diverted of their hufk, and ready for exportation.
The buildings on a coffee eftate are, firft, the dwelling houfe, which is ufually fituated for pleafure near the banks of a river; and for convenience adjoining to it are erected the outhoufes for the overfeer and bookkeeper, with ftore-houfes and fmall offices : the other neceffary buildings are a carpenter's lodge, a dock and boat-houfe, and two capital coffee-lodges, the one to bruife and feparate the pulp from the berries, the other to dry them ; the reft confift of negro-houfes, a ftable, hofpital,
Vol. II. Z z an4
p. and warehoufes, which altogether appear like a fmall village. The coffee-lodge alone fometimes cofts five thoufand pounds fterling, and fometimes more. But to give a more complete idea of the whole apparatus, I muft refer to the plate, where all the buildings, fields, paths, gardens, floodgates, and canals are marked* and explained by the neceiTary references. The plan, as exhibited in this plate, is intended to unite at once elegance, convenience, and fafety. It is elegant, as being perfectly regular; convenient, as having every thing at hand and under the planter's own infpection ; and fafe, being furrounded by a broad canal, which by floodgates lets in the water frefti from the river, befides a draw-bridge, which during the night cuts off all communication from without.
I fhall now proceed to the planting-ground, which is divided into large fquare pieces, in each of which are generally two thoufand beautiful coffee-trees, growing at eight or ten feet dillance from each other. Thefe trees, which begin to bear at about the age of three years, are in their prime at fix, and continue to produce fruit till they are thirty; the manner of supplying them being from good nurferies, which no coffee eftate is ever without, having already mentioned that they afford two crops every year, which is about Midfummer and Chrift-mas.
At the times of harveft, it is not unpleafing to fee the negroes picking the crimfon berries among the polifhed green, where all ages andfexes are employed to fulfil their
talk
Reference
/. Tflt /Jir,ilina Hons,
2. The Oversea"s Dwelling
3. The Book keepers Office
4. The Kitchen
5. The Storehouse
6. The Poultry house
7. The I loos' sty
H .The Pool house or small Dork
,').'/he Gzrpenterv     Coopers Paige
JO. The Dry/tig Lodge lor the Coffee
11 The Bruising Lodge for do
12. The NOOTO /louses
13. The Horse Stables
14. The Fold I'or ,\'/i,;y> V Pu/lor/es
16'. The Great Guard house
/0. The Hospital
17 The Pigeon house
18. The Com house or Gratuity
19. The Xeeessar\ houses
20. The Srntn Poses tor UahJauett
the Plan.
'11'.The Floodgates
22. The (irait I >tttw-bridge
23. The Landing Place 24 . The Great Canals 2l>. The Itt'i'cr or (reek
26. 'The Gravel wcdfaf
27. The Drying Floor for Collée
28. 'The "Negro Gardens
29. The Pasture for die Horses
30 .Tin Pasture tor (he Sheep \ ■ Pu/loeks
31. The Poultry-yard
32. Tlu Hog.*'yard
33. The hitch en G aniens 34-.The /''loner do 3/7. 'The Plantain 'Trees
30. The Groves of?' Ora/ig< Treat
37.The Deans 9c Gutters tor Prattling Ml/The Path to eater the Fields 30. The liridges mer the flutters ■ IffThe (lutes. Harriers, ,ic.
. ^%v/ sj/// fey/////' f /'/cf///'///<>//
T.()'in(er Srttlp.al
i.otuiontVnbh\ctu,i /h-c/'i ftyyt, /'»■ ./. Johnson.SSI'auis (hturh },
talk with ardour, when the youth who having firft filled   c h A P. their bafkets, wantonly run naked, and play amongft the XXIX-luxuriant foliage.
I will now conduct them before the overfeer's prefence, where, all the bafkets being infpected, the flogging commences, which is moftly inflicted with impartial feverity on ' all who have not fulfilled their tafks,whether from idlenefs or incapacity.   This ceremony concluded, the berries are carried home into the bruifing-lodge, and the flaves return home to their houfes.  The berries being bruifed in a mill for that purpofe, in the above lodge, to feparate the kernels from the hufks or pulpy fubftance, they are next fteeped in water one night to cleanfe them, and then fpread on the drying-floor, which is expofed to the open air, and is constructed of flat ftones ; after which they are fpread on garrets made for the purpofe, to let them evaporate and dry internally, during which time they muft be turned over every day with wooden fliovels : this done, they are once more dried in large coolers or drawers, that run eafify on rollers in and out of the windows, to prevent them from being overtaken by fliowers of rain : then they are put into wooden mortars, and beaten by candle-light with heavy wooden peftles, like the rice at Gado-Saby, to diveft them of a thin coat or pellicle that unites the two kernels in the pulp.   At this exercife the negroes wonderfully keep time, and always Rug a chorus.   Being next feparated from the chaff through a bunt-mill, once more thoroughly dried on the
Z z 2 coolers,
coolers, and the whole beans picked from the bruifed, which laft are confumed in the colony : they are finally put into cafks or barrels, of about three or four hundred weight each, for exportation.
I fhall only farther obferve, that in Surinam fome coffee plantations produce above 150,000 pounds weight per annum; and that, as I have already mentioned, in the year before our arrival no lefs was exported to Amfterdam alone than 12,267,134 pounds of this valuable article, the prices of which have fluctuated, from three-pence halfpenny to eighteen pence ; but which, calculated at the average price of eight-pence halfpenny, produces a yearly
income of not lefs than 400,000 pounds fterling ; (which is no defpicable revenue) befides what goes to Rotterdam and Zealand,
This is fufficient to prove that the cultivation of coffee is highly worthy the attention of the planters : and as for the virtues of this excellent berry, without entering into particulars, 1 will only refer the reader to that highly-approved pamphlet, entitled u A Treatife concerning the " Properties and Effects of Coffee ; by Benjamin Mofely9 " M. D. Author of Obfervations on the Dyfentery of the " Weft Indies;" from which I cannot refill: the temptation of extracting the following paftage :—" Bacon fays, coffee " comforts the head and heart, and helps digeftion. " Doctor Willis fays, being daily drunk, it wonderfully " clears and enlivens each part of the foul, and difpcrfes « all the clouds of every function. The celebrated , « Doctor
Doctor Harvey ufed it often. Voltaire lived almoft en-* tirely on it ; and the learned and fedentary of every " country have recourfe to it to refrefh the brain, op-" prefTed by Rudy and contemplation."
With the above defcription I muft conclude the obfervations which I have been able to make on fuch of the vegetable productions of this colony, as have offered themfelves to my examination. But fo abundant is the variety, and fo extraordinary the properties, of the trees, plants, roots, &:c. of this country, that by far the greater number are as yet perfectly unknown to the oldeft inhabitants of this fettlement, and to all the world befides.
A few years ago a Count Ge?itelty, an ingenious nobleman, travelled through the defarts of Guiana with fome Indians, and had acquired coniiderable knowledge in this his favourite ftudy. But alas ! his labours, which pro-mifed fair to be of material benefit to the Botanic Society, and to mankind in general, were interrupted by a fever, which, owing to his exceflive fatigue, he caught at the River Correntine, and cut him off in the midft of his ufeful and entertaining refcarches.
Having now concluded my account of the different productions of the colony, particularly cotton, fugar, cacao, indigo, and coffee, to which it is indebted for its riches ; and having once more repeated that the different trees, fhrubs, plants, roots, gums, and perfume;, are equally as innumerable as they are excellent ; I cannot have a fairer opportunity of fulfilling my promife of
fubmitting
chap,   lubmïtting to the reader a few confiderations, by an at-
^ __J  teal ion to which I cannot help thinking that not only
Surinam, but the Weft India colonies in general, might accumulate wealth to themfelves, and promote the permanent happinefs of the flaves that are under their fub-jedtion, without having recourfe to the Coajl of Guinea to fupply the almoft hourly con fum pt ion of that unfortunate people. But before I proceed, it will be neceffary to Rate the manner in which the negro flaves are diftri-buted and treated, by the cuftoms of this fettlement only, without adverting to the diftribution or government of them in other colonies ; from which, however, thofe may equally derive fome profit ;—and then I fhall endeavour to point out how, in my opinion, they ought to be distributed and treated, according to the laws, not only of humanity but of common fenfe.
I have before obferved that in Surinam there are fuppofed to be on an average about 753ooo negro fluves of all .denominations, which (allowing them, for the fake of a round number, to amount to 80,000) are here diftri-buted in the following extraordinary manner, viz. The plantations, being about 800 in number, though fome have but 24 negroes, and others 400, we will fuppofe them to poffefs 100 flaves each, which complement is exactly the above number of 80,000 people. Thefe are employed in this fettlement as follows ; the firft column of figures alluding to one eftate, the fécond ditto to eight hundred.
EMPLOY-
EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. EMPLOYMENTS.
	On One Eftate.	On 800 Eftateî»
Four boys or male fervants to attend about the		
ht» ufe -------	4	3.2 00
Muids or female fervants to waOi, few, iron, Sec. -	F 4	
A cook for the planter» overfeer, &c. -	I	800
A fowler, or huntfman> to provide game for the		
table     •      -              -      -      - -	I	800
A timing negro to provide fifh for ditto	I	800
A gardener to provide the table and the flower		
garden	1	800
To attend the bullocks and hones on the eftate -	I	800
To attend the fheep on the eftate -	r	8 co
To attend the hogs on the eftate -	i	8 co
To attend the poultry that is on the eftate	I	800
Carpenter negroes, to build houfes, boats, &c	6	4,800
Cooper negroes, to make and repair hogflieads	2	1,600
A mafon, to build and repair the brick foundations	i	800
At Paramaribo, fome to trades, others for fhew -	?5	12,000
A negro furgeon, to attend the fick negroes   - -	i	800
Sick and incurable, that are in the hofpitals   - -	10	8,000
A nurfe for the negro children that cannot be with		
their parents ------	I	800
Children under age, that can do no work of any		
kind      - -	16	12,80O
Superannuated negroes, worn out by flavery	7	5,600
To work in the fields no more than 25 miferable		
wretches       -       - -		20,000
Total, or compleat number of flaves in the colony	ICO	8o,000
CHAP. XXIX.
By
By this it appears, that no more than 20,000, or only one-fourth of the whole number, are condemned to do all the labour of the fields, on whom it may be faid chiefly falls the dreadful lot of untimely mortality that I have formerly mentioned. Now it is evident, that if the 50,000 able-bodied flaves that are in the colony of Surinam were put to equal drudgery, the mortality, which is now at the rate of five per cent, would then increafe to •at leaft the number of twelve out of every hundred, and would compleatly extirpate the whole mafs in little more than eight years time.
Having thus at an average demonftrated how they are diftributed, I muft briefly obferve, that while full 30,000 live better than the common people of England, and near 30,000 are kept in idlenefs, and do no work in the fields ; the remaining 20,000 may be claffed (that is in general) among the moft miferable wretches on earth ; and are wTorked, ftarved, infulted, and flogged to death, without being fo much as allowed to complain for redrefs, without being heard in their own defence, without receiving common juftice on any occafion, and thus may be con-fidered as dead-alive, fince cut off from all the common privileges of human fociety.
I will now proceed, by candidly afking the world, If the above is not an improper and fenfelefs mifapplication, not only of wealth, but of human life and labour ; which, only by a proper diftribution and management, might accumulate the one and relieve the other?
Now
Now would this inconfiderate colony but give up their habits of pride and luxury, nay, in a moderate degree, 20,000 negroes at leaft might be added to thofe now labouring in the fields, which (providing the whole were treated with lefs feverity) muft at the fame time keep the above fuperfluous number of idlers employed ; and by affifting the others in their necefTary occupations, could not but tend greatly to prevent that mocking mortality, to which they are at prefent expofed by unbounded ill-ufage and barbarity.
But every reform muft begin at that which is the fource of manners as well as of jujiice; and thofe therefore who are entrufted with the executive government fliould have no temptation to overlook the breaches of a law> while it ought to be a facred and invariable rule never to allow either the governor or the magiltrates of fuch a colony to be the proprietors of more Haves than merely a limited number, to attend on their perfons, according to their ranks : fince more than once, even to my obfervation, it has occurred that thofe who made, and thofe who were appointed to enforce the laws, have been the firft that broke t/jem, for the paltry benefit of caufing their negroes to work on a Sunday, or to follow the bent of their unbounded pallions ; from which ihameful example from, the magiftrate, the contagion mult neceffarily fpread among the individuals.
Let the governor and principal magijlraies^ therefore, be fent out from Europe; let them be gentlemen of fortune and education ; and, above all, men Vol. II. 3 A of
CHAP,   of liberal minds, men that are firm and proof againft
yviv *
_ the allurement of a bribe, or the glittering of gold, and
whofe parlions are reftrained by fentiment and manly feelings. Let thefe men be handfomely rewarded by that nation whom they fo materially ferve, and the colony which they fo confpicuoufly protect; but let their falaries be afcertained, without depending on the blood and fweat of the miferable Africans. Then let fuch men enact impartial regulations, by which the negro flaves are to perform no more than their fair talk and labour a rea-fonable number of hours in the twenty-four : let thefe be followed by protecting laws, and let them be no longer racked,tormented, wantonly murdered, or infamoufly robbed of all that is dear to the human affections, their wives and daughters. Let regulations be adopted, by which they may be properly fed, and attended to when lick or indifpofed ; and, above all, let equal juftice be adminif-tered ; fuffer them, when outraged or plundered, to obtain a hearing; permit them to complain, and enable them to prove by evidence the grievances by which they are op-preffed.   Even give them what we fo much value our-
felvCS, AN INDEPENDANT JUDGE, and AN IMPARTIAL
jury, nay, partly compofed of their own fable companions. Thus, would you have them work and act like meriy firft fuffer them to be fuch.
When regulations conform to thefe fhall be adopted and enforced, then I venture to fay, that nations will feel the benefit of their colonies—then planters will become rich, and their overfeers become honeft; then flavery will belittle
more
more than a name ; and fubjedts will, with pleafure, fulfil chap. their limited talk: then, and not till then, will population , XXIX* fufficiently encreafe for the neceffary work, and the execrable Guinea trade be totally abolifhed, which is now too frequently carried on with barbarity and unbounded ufur-pation. Then the mafter will with pleafure look on his fable fubjecf s as on his children, and the principal fource of his happinefs, while the negroes will blefs the day their anceftors did firft fet foot on American ground.
Having thus, according to my opinion, pointed out the way, and the only way (if well confidered) to redrefs the grievances of this and many other colonies, I would alfo recommend to planters and overfeer s in general, to perufe with attention a fmall work, entitled " Letters to " a young Planter ; or Obfervations on the Management « of a Sugar Plantation : to which is added, the Planter's « Calendar. Written on the Iiland of Grenada, by an old « Planter," and publifhed in London in 1785, 8vo, price One Shilling and Sixpence, and fold by Stracban.
Let them next take an example by that incomparable woman Mrs. Godefroyby Mr. Thomas Palmer, and a few others, who confider their flaves as their fellow-creatures, without paying the fmalleft regard either to their paga-nifm or complexion ; and who increafe both their wealth and their happinefs by their humanity.—I will now once more proceed with my narrative.
On the 16th, being invited to dine with his excellency the governor, I laid before him my collection of draw-
3 A 2 ings,
ings, and remarks on the colony of Surinam, which I had the fatisfaction to fee him honour with the higheft approbation. I then returned him my thanks, not only for the material ailiftance he had afforded me in completing this work, but for the unlimited marks of regard and diftinciion with which he had treated me from firft to laft, during the whole time I refidetl in Guiana.
Availing myfelf of his friendfhip, I ventured, two days after, to give him the following very uncommon reqiiejl> praying him to lay it before the court; which, with a fmile on his countenance, and a hearty fhake by the hand, he actually promifed me to perform ; i?rars
" I, the under-fubfcribed, do pledge my word of honour, " (being all I poffefs in the wodd befides my pay) as bail, " that if my late ardent requeft to the court for the emanci-" pation of my dear boy Johnny Stedman be granted, the " faid boy fhall never to the end of his life become a charge " to the colony of Surinam.
(Signed)      " John G. Stedman."
w Paramaribo, « Fib. iMy 1777.
Having now done the utmoft that lay in my power, I for feveral days waited the refult with anxiety, but without meeting with the fmalleft hopes of fuccefs; thus, with a broken heart, I was obliged at laft to give him (fweet fellow) over for loft, or take him with me to Europe, which muft have been plunging a dagger in the bofom of his mother.
While
CHAP. XXIX.
I—»--I
While I remained in this fituation, the tranfport fhips CHAP, were put in commiflion on the 26th for our depar- ^J^Z^ ture, and I myfelf ordered as one of the commiffaries to fee them wooded and watered ; the officers were alfo cleared their arrears, and thirteen men difeharged at their own defire, to pu Hi their fortune at Paramaribo. I ought here not to omit, that the induftrious Colonel Fourgeoud once more paid us all iti paper, by which, as ufual, we loft ten per cent. ; which, by letting the Jews have the gold and lilver, he prudently lodged in his own pocket ; and while the many hundreds of florins allowed us by government to defray excife duties, taxes, Sec. were never brought to account, or, rather, we were forbidden to enquire after them at all. Thefe were trifles indeed, when divided among fo many gentlemen ; but, in one folid mafs, they were no contemptible picking.
On the ift of March a ferjeant arrived from the camp at the CafTeepore Creek, in Rio Cottica, where the laft - arrived troops were hourly dying away ; and brought the almoft incredible account, that the man I mentioned to have been loji in the woods on the 10th of February, was actually returned, after having been miffing fix-and-twenty days, nine of which he fubfifted on a few pounds of rufk bifcuit, and feventeen on nothing at all but water. He added, that he had entirely loft his voice, and was reduced to a perfect fkeleton : however, by the care taken of him by the officers, there were ftill hopes of his life. Should
any
any perfon hefitate to believe this extraordinary fact, let them read Monficur Godin's well-authenticated letter to his friend Monfieur de la Condamine, wherein he gives an account of the dreadful fufferings of his lady during her route from Rio Hamba to Laguna, through the woods of South America, in October 1769; where a delicate woman, after being deferted by the Indian guides, and after both her brothers had fallen martyrs to their hardships and mifery, fubfifted ten days alone in a wild foreft without food, without knowing where flie was, and fur-rounded with tigers, ferpents, and dangers of every defcription : I fay, let them only read the narrative of
this lady's fufferings, and their credulity will no longer be ftaggered at what I myfelf have related. I have, indeed, even omitted facts, which, on account of their Angularity, muft in the eyes of fome have appeared to border on the marvellous. But in the forefts of South America fuch extraordinary realities are to be found, that there is affuredly no need to have recourfe to fiction or the leaft exaggeration.]
Who, for inftance, would believe, that almoft a whole detachment of eighty marines, one day marching through a thick wood, imagined to a man that they were ftepping one after another over a large fallen tree, that obftructed their way; till at length it began to move, and proved to be no other than a full grown ferpent of the aboma kind, meafuring, according to Colonel Fourgeoud's computation, between thirty and forty feet in length ? yet this
is
is an indubitable truth. The above animal was neither killed nor hurt; the Colonel ordering the remaining party to form in a half circle and march around it, in order that they themfelves at the fame time might ef-cape every danger from the monfter's matchlefs ftrength.
In this place I fhall mention another extraordinary circumftance, which is, that one morning Colonel Fourgeoud refting in his hammock, with one hand carelefsly leaning over the fide, a large rattle-fnake that lay coiled up among the long grafs which was under it, was actually fevered in two by the fentinel, during the very moment
of action that it made a fpring to bite him : of which the foldier, whofe name was John Kiefhaber, had been apprifed firft by the found of its rattle, and next by feeing the fnake's head erected, while it was brandifhing its forked tongue.
As I am treating of thefe reptiles, I cannot refift the temptation of inferting a fact, which I learned from Mr. Francis Rowe of Philadelphia, a refpectable old man; who informed me, that riding out one morning to vifit a friend, his horfe refufed to go forward, being terrified at > a large rattle-fnake that lay acrofs the road. Mr. Rowe having heard of its power of fafcination, in which he was a believer, alighted to lead the animal round it; but during that time the fnake, having coiled himfelf up, founded its rattle, and flared him fo full in the face, and* with fuch fire in its eyes, that the cold fweat broke out upon him ; thus,whilft he durft neither retreat or advance, n     K he
CHAP,   he  imagined himfelf gradually rivetted to the fpot. XXIX
, 4i However," continued he, " my rcafon remained; and
*< my refolution getting the better of my alarm, I fud-" denly approached him, and with one ftroke of my " cudgel knocked out his brains."
On the 3d of March my friend de Graaf failed for Holland, but firR for St. Euftatia, where his brother was governor; and to my great fatisfaction took with him Joanna's youngeft brother, Henry, for whom he has fince obtained his freedom. I failed with them down the river as far as Bram's Point, and wifhed them a fuccefsful voyage. As I here went afliore in a liming-boat, I was tempted to leap into the fea, and enjoy the cooling and healthy pleafure of fwimming in the Atlantic ocean. The fifher-men having caught a quantity of large fifh, I difcovered one among them not yet mentioned in my narrative, this was the yellow-back, between two and three feet long, thus called from its colour, which almoft refembles that of a lemon, but the belly is white : the head is very large, with two long barbs ; but the body is fmall, and without fcales, like the cod ; it is, however, not near fo good, being coarfe and in lipid eating. Two other fmall fiflies I alfo faw in the boat, the one called here the weepee, refembling a whip-laih ; he other waracoo, which is a delicate eating, but has nothing in its form or habits deferving a particular defcription.
The 8th of March, being the Prince of Orange's birthday,
day, it was celebrated at the head quarters ; where, after chap. dinner, in the court ledge, hearing Captain Bolts in an t undeferved manner cenfured by the colonel's adjutant, for recommending one of the young volunteers of an excellent character, but who had no friends to fupport him*, I hroke through the ring that furrounded them in a paf-fion, and not being able to reflrain myfelf, publicly reproved the aggrefTor, even in Fourgeoud's prefence, when a furious altercation and very high words immediately enfued ; the confequence of which was, that next morning at fun-rife we walked to the favannah without féconds, where, near the gallows, we drew our fmall fwords, and after making a few pafles at each other, Captain Van Geurick's point met my fhell, which having nearly pierced, his blade mapped in two pieces, and the fortune of war put him entirely in my power. Difdaining, however, to take a mean advantage, I inftantly dropped my fmall fword, and defired him to ftep home and replace his own, in order to renew the battle : but this propofal he was pleafed to call fo generous, that taking me by the hand, he requefled a renewal of friendfhip ; thus acknowledging we had been too hafty on both fides, we went to vifit poor Bolts, who knew nothing of our morning's walk, and was (though not without difficulty) perfuaded alfo to enter into the amicable treaty': by which a fécond rencounter was happily prevented, and a general reconciliation took place.
* A Mr, Shejfer,   already named,    to laft, on the pay of a private foldier, who had ferved with honour from firft    during this painful expedition.
Vol. II. 3 B On
On the loth, having fpent moil of the day with the governor, I in the evening went on board the mips with Captain Bolts, to infpecf the preparations for the voyage ; where we found that the mice and rats had made fuch havock among our provifion, with which we were now very well Rocked, that I was under the neceffity of procuring half a dozen cats to deftroy them, which ufeful animals are in Surinam neither fo plenty, nor fo good, as in Europe, being lazy and indolent, on account of the climate. I obferved they were alfo fmaller and ranker, with remarkably long muzzles and iliarp ears.
The following day I was fhocked and furprifed beyond the power of expreRion, at feeing a Mifs Jettec de la Mare, daughter to the lately deceafed gentleman of that name, a lovely mulatto girl, aged fourteen, who had been chriftened in 1775, and educated as a young lady, dragged to court in chains, with her mother and a few more of her relations, the whole furrounded by a military guard. I had almoft attempted a refcue, when, having enquired the caufe, flie called out to me herfelf, weeping moft bitterly ; and informed me, that u Hie was " going to be tried by Mr. Schouten, her mother's mafter, " for refilling to perform the work of a common flave, " which Hie was utterly unable to perform, and could " never have expected, from the footing upon which flie " had been educated till that unhappy moment."
By the laws of the country, however, fhe was not only obliged to fubmit, but at bis defire was condemned, for difobedience, together with her poor mother, and all her § relations,
relations, who had prefimied to Rapport her claim to li- C H a p. berty, to be privately whipped; and had it not been for .j^j^ the humanity of Mr. Wickers, who was at that time the fifcal or town clerk, and fince was governor, this infamous fentence would mofl: certainly have been put in execution. The unfortunate Mifs Jettcc de la Mare was, from this period, nevertheless forced to fubmit to the tyranny of her unmanly mafter, while pitied by all her acquaintance, and lamented by every Rranger that was a witnefs to the inhuman tranfaction.
Such were the fatal confequences of not having been timely emancipated ; and fuch were they indeed, that they made mc tremble for my little hoy. Happily my uneafinefs was not of long duration; for, however improbable and unexpected, I was furprized on the very fame day with a polite meffage from the governor and the court, acquainting me that, " having taken my former " fervices into confideration, together with my humanity " and gallantry, in offering my honour as bail to fee my " child, before I left him, made a free citizen of the world ; " they had unanimoufly decreed, without farther cere-" mon y or expence, to compliment me with a letter, " which was at the fame time officially prefented to me,
" containing his emancipation from  that day, for " ever after."
No man could be more fuddenly tranfported from woe to happinefs than I was at this moment ; while his poor mother flied tears for joy and gratitude ; the more fo, as we had loft all hopes, and the favour came perfedly un-
3 B 2 expected,
expected, and while near forty beautiful boys and girls were left to perpetual flavery„by their parents of my acquaintance, arfd many of them without being fo much as once enquired after at all.
What is moft extraordinary indeed is, that while the well-thinking few highly applauded my fenfibility, many not only blamed, but publicly derided me for my paternal affection, which was called a weaknefs, a whim. So extravagant was my joy on this day, however, at having acted the reverfe part of Inkle to Tarico, that I became like one frantic with pleafure. I not only made my will in his favour (though, God knows, 1 had little to difpofe of) but
I appointed my friends Mr. Robert Gordon and Mr. James Qourlay to be my executors and his guardians during my abfence, in whofe hands I left all my papers fealed, till I fliould demand them again, or they fhould be informed of my death : I then ordered all my flieep, poultry, &c. which had prodigioufly encreafed, to be tranf-ported, and put under their care ; and making a new fuit of cloaths for the occafion, which coft me twenty guineas, I waited on a Mr. Snyderbans, one of the clergymen at Paramaribo, to appoint a day when my boy, my Johnny Stedman, fliould be made a Chriftian*.
On
* I fhould not here omit to mention that in the colony of Surinam all emancipated flaves are under the following rcftricYions, viz.
They are (if males) bound to help in
defending the fettlement againft all home and foreign enemies.
No emancipated flave, male or female, can ever go to law at all againft their former mafter or miftrefs.
And
On the 18th Colonel Fourgeoud's remaining troops CHAP, at laft came down from the encampments at CafTeepore XXIX-
Vi 1 » ^    11
Creek, and every preparation was made for our departure. At the fame time, the extacy of the few furviving marines at their quitting this country was fo great, having now alfo received part of their clearance, that fuch intemperance, riot, and diforder enfued as produced the moft formidable quarrels between them and the troops of the Society, till, fome being wounded and fome being flogged, peace was finally, though with difficulty, re-eftablifhed.
This fame day a poor failor, while I was on board, was drowned in my prefence, who fell from the gunwale into the river, with the fheet anchor, which had been neglected to be laflred to the ringbolts. I inftantly leaped into a boat to try to fave him, but could only get his hat; the man went to the bottom, and never more was feen.
The day of our departure now approached faft, and I gave up my houfe ; when, at Mrs. Godefroy's prefïïng invitation, I fpent the few remaining moments in that which flie had prepared for the reception of Joanna and her boy, in her beautiful garden, charmingly fituated under the fhade of tamarind and orange trees; which houfe fhe alfo had neatly furnifhed with every accommodation that could be defired, befides allowing Joanna a negro woman and a girl to attend on her for life. Thus fituated, how bleft fliould I have been in this fpot to end my days!—But fate ordained it otherwife.
And finally, if any emancipated flave, in that cafe one quarter of the property male or female, dies in the colony, anal alfo goes to his former owners> either leaves behind any pofTeulons whatever,    mule or female.
On
On the 22(1, I made it my bufinefs with Captain Small (who was come down with leave of abfence) to wait on the Reverend Mr. Snyderhans, according to appointment, but who, to both our great furprize, peremptorily refufed to chrilfen the boy ; alledging for his reafon, that as I was going to Holland, I could not anfwer for his chriftian education. We replied, that he was tinder twro very proper guardians : the blackfmith's fon (for fuch was this divine) per filled, and we remonftrated, but to no purpofe, for he was juft as deaf as his father's anvil, and 1 believe, upon my foul, quite as empty as his bellows ; till at length, wearied out with his fanatical impertinence, I fwore that I would fooner fee the boy die a heathen, than chriftened by Rich a blockhead ; while my friend Small could not help beftowing on him a hearty curie, and, flapping the door with a vengeance, we departed.
Feafting and conviviality now prevailed once more at Paramaribo, as on our firft arrival. Grand dinners, flippers, and balls were heard of in every quarter. But I only vifited a few of my felecf friends, amongft which
number had con flan tl y been Governor Ne'pveu, and where, for the laft time, I made one of the company at a truly magnificent entertainment, which ended the fcene of liberality and hofpitality, for which the inhabitants of Surinam are fo juftly confpicuous ; and on the 25th the baggage was fhipped on board the vefTels.
Numberlefs, indeed, were the prefents for the voyage, with which I in particular was now overftocked from every quarter ; and my provifions of live cattle, poultry,
wine,
wine, rum, Szc. Sec. were almoft fufficient to carry me round the globe : amongft the reft, in a fmall bottle cafe, containing liquors, I found a cryftal phial filled with eiTcntial oil of orange, and a parcel of what they called here tonquin beans.—The firft is extracted from the rind or peel of the oranges : which is done here by the tedious and laborious method of fqueezing it between the finger and thumb, A few drops of this on a fmall piece of fugar, is faid to be an excellent remedy to ftrengthen the ftomach, create an appetite, and help digeftion ; and one fingle drop fmells fo ftrong, that it is fufRcient to perfume a whole apartment. The tonquin beans are faid to grow in a thick pulp, fomething like a walnut, and on a large tree. I never faw them other wife than dried, when they bear fome rcfemblance to a prune or dried plumb, and are made ufe of to fcent fnuff and tobacco, to which they impart a moft agreeable odour.
On the 26th, we took our laft leave of his Excellency the Governor, en corps, as afiuredly was his due ; after which all the officers of the Society troops waited on Colonel Fourgeoud, at the head quarters, to wifh us a profperous voyage to Holland, and the day was fpent by a regale, en militaire, viz. a dinner, as ufual, of fait provifions ; but I muft acknowledge, accompanied with as much good liquor of every kind, as Surinam could fur-niiTi, and a very hearty welcome.
I believe that now a hundred times Fourgeoud fliook me by the hand, declaring, " That there was not a young
" man
CHAP.  " man he loved better in the world ; that had he com-•JJ25?\ " manded me to march through fire as well as water, he " was convinced I fliould never have left it, without ac-'? complifhing his orders ;" with many other fine compliments.  But I muft candidly acknowledge, that though I had a heart to forgive, my mind would never permit me to forget the many and unneceflary difficulties and miferies to which I had been too wantonly expofed. At the fame time he informed me, that be did not pro-pofe to depart with us, but intended to follow the regiment very foon, with the remains of the laft-come relief, when he would render me every fervice in his power. Whatever were his real motives for fuch a fudden change in his difpofition towards me, fuflice it to fay, that few people at this time were better friends, than were the old Colonel Fourgeoud and Captain Stedman.
In the evening I went to take a fliort farewell of my moft valuable acquaintances, fuch as Mrs. Godefroy, Mr. and Mrs.Demetley, Mr. and Mrs. Lolkens, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, Mr. Gourlay, Captain Mackneal, Doctor KiJJ'am, Sec. who had all (befides Mr. Kennedy and Mr. de Graaf, now gone to Holland) treated me with the moft confiant and diftinguifhed civility fince I had been in the colony : but my foul was too full of a friend that wai ftill dearer, to be impreffed with that fenfibility on feparating from them, that it muft have felt on another occafion.— And here I cannot in juftice omit remarking, that while I gave the moft impetuous vent to my feelings, not the fmalleft expreflion of poignant forrow, or even of dejection,
tion, efcaped from Joanna's lips; while her good fenfe and fortitude even reftrained the tear from ftarting in my afflicted prefence. I now once more earncflly preffed her to accompany me, in which I was feconded by the ineftimable Mrs. Godefroy and all her friends ; but flie remained equally inflexible, and her fteady anfwer was as before—" That, dreadful as appeared the fatal feparation, " perhaps never more to meet, yet flie could not but « prefer remaining in Surinam : firR, from a confci-« oufnefs that, with propriety, flie had not the difpofal " of herfelf; and, fecondly, from pride, wifhing in her " prefent condition rather to be one of the firft among ** her own clafs in America, than a reflection or burthen " on me in Europe, as flie was convinced muft be the " cafe, unlefs our circumftances became one day more " independent." Here Joanna flie wed great emotion, but immediately retired to weep in private.—What could 1 fay or do ?—Not knowing how to anfwer, or fufhciently to admire her firmnefs and refignation, which fo greatly exceeded my own, I determined, if poflible, to imitate her conduct, and calmly to refign myfelf to my fate, preparing for the fatal moment, when my heart forebode me we were to pronounce the last adieu, and feparate for ever.
" Zaïre, il eft trop vrai que l'honneur me l'ordonne, " Qlie je vous adorai ! que je vous abandonne ! " Qkie je renonce a vous ! que vous le dcfirer !
" Que fous un autre loix-Zaïre vous pleurer,"
Vol. II. 3 C The
The whole corps being ordered, at feven o'clock on the-morning of the 27th, to wait on Colonel Fourgeoud at the. head quarters, I tore myfelf away from all that was dear; to me in this world without difturbing them, in order to prevent the tender fcene of parting. He then conducted us to the water-fide, where the boats lay in waiting ; and we? were immediately embarked, under a general falute, and' colours flying, from the fortrefs and the veffels in the roads. The whole corps now having dined on board the ftaff-fhip with Lieutenant Colonel de Borgnes, Colonel Fourgeoud-politely invited me to accompany him back to town till* next morning ; but which, with a broken heart, I thought beft to decline. He then took his final leave, and wifhing us all a fafe and profperous voyage to Europe, he returned, under a falute of nine guns and three cheers, with Captain Van Geurike, his adjutant, back to Paramaribo.
On the 29th of March, at midnight, the fignal-gun being ■ fired, the two fhips got under way, and dropped down till before the fortrefs New Amfterdam, where they once more came to an anchor.
Here my friends Gordon and Gouriay, the guardians of my boy, after the convivial Colonel Seyburg (for fuch he certainly was) had entertained them on board his veffel, the Bollandia, affection at el y coming to vifit me, they did no lefs than actually prevail on me to accompany thembackto Paramaribo. My foul could not refill: this fécond invitation of once more beholding what was fo dear to me.-— I went, and, muft I fay it ?—found Joanna, who had dif-1 played
played fo much fortitude in my prcfcncc, now bathing in tears, and fcarcely alive, fo much was flie become the victim of melancholy and defpair. ' Nor had flie partaken of food, or fleep, fince my departure, nor fpoken to any living creature, indeed not flirred from the fpot where I had left her on the morning of the 27th.
The mips not being quite ready to go to fea till two days after, I was prevailed upon to flay on fhore a little longer, with poor Joanna and her boy, which feemed to chear her : But, alas ! too dear we paid for this too fliort reprieve ! fince, but few hours had elapfed, when a failor abruptly came in, with the meffagc that the fhip's boat lay in waiting that minute to carry me on board.—At that inftant—Heavens ! what were my feelings ! —Joanna's mother took the infant from her arms, the all-worthy-Mrs. Godefroy fupporting herfelf-her brothers and
fillers hung around me, crying, and invoking Heaven ^aloud for my fafety — while the unfortunate Joanna (now but nineteen) gazing on me, and holding me by the hand, with a look ten thoufand times more dejected than
Sternes Maria,—was unable to utter one word Î ! I--1
perceived flie was diffracted—the hour was come — I exchanged a ringlet of their hair, and fondly prelfed them both to my bofom :—the power of fpeech alfo forfook me, and my heart tacitly invoked the protection of Providence to befriend them. — Joanna now flint her beauteous eyes—her lips turned the pale colour of death—flie bowed her head, and motionlefs funk in the arms of her adopted mother : — Here I roufed all my remaining
3 G 2 fortitude,
fortitude, and leaving them furrounded by every care and attention departed, and bid God bless them ! ! !
The boat ftill delaying a few moments, I now ftepped up to poor Fourgeoud, furrounded by my friends, and grafp-ing his veteran hand, I could not, for my foul, but forgive him all the hardfhips he had ever occalioned me.— He was affected. — This was a debt he owed me. — I wiïhed him every good, and finally rowed down the river Surinam.
At this time the mips were riding off Rram's Point, where Mr. Texier, the deputy governor, came on board to wifh us a profperous voyage ; and, after dinner, under
a falute of feven guns, together with Captains Small and Fredericy, who had accompanied me hither, he returned back to Paramaribo.
C II A \\
C II A P. XXX.
The Ships weigh Anchor, and put to Sea—Review of the Troops—Account of the Voyage—The Arrival in the Texel —Defcription of the Pampus near Amfterdam—Final Debarkation in the Town of Bois-le-Duc—The Death of Colonel Fourgeoud—End of the Expedition—Short Hiflory of the late Scotch Brigade—Conclufion.
T / VERY thing being at laft perfectly adjlifted for our CHAP. J—/ departure, both veflels, under the command of Lieu- XXX. tenant Colonel des Borgnes, weighed anchor on the morning of the iff of April, 1777, when, with a frefh breeze at E. we put to fea, and kept courfe N. and N.W.— Motionlefs and fpeechlefs, 1 hung over the ftiip's ftern till the land quite difappeared. After fome days, however, by confideràble exertions, I got the better of my melancholy, though not of my affection, and my mind became once more compofed and calm. What chiefly contributed to the reftoring of my peace, was the comfortable reflection, that if I had in fome meafure injured myfelf, I had at leaft done good to a few others, by relieving three * innocent and deferving young people from a ftate of bondage. Yet, for this action, I was affuredly moft amply
* Joanna, Johnny, and Quaco.
rewarded
rewarded by the prefervation of my life, principally owing to their unremitting care and attention, while fuch numbers fell all around me, and more were ruined in their conftitution, the victims of the climate and the fervice, fome having loft the ufe of their limbs, and fome of their memory ; nay, one or two were entirely deprived of their mental faculties, and continued in a ftate of incurable in-fanity for ever.
In fliort, out of the number of near twelve hundred able-bodied men, not one hundred returned to their friends and their country : and perhaps not twenty amongft thefe were to be found in perfect health. A-
mong the dead were (including the furgeons) between twenty and thirty officers ; three of which number were colonels, and one a major. So very deftructive was the fervice to Europeans in fuch a climate ; and fuch ever muft be the refult of the moft fuccefsful operations in the unwholefome atmofphere of woods and marines.
One or two remarks I muft make before I conclude this fubject, which are :—Firft, that among the officers and private men who had formerly been in the Weft Indies, none died, while among the whole number of above one thoufand privates, I can only recollect: one Angle marine who efcaped from ficknefs ; and next, that of the few belonging to the corps that were now on their voyage for the Texel (thofegentlemen alone excepted, who at this time belonged to the ftaff) I myfelf was the only officer who Jiad failed out with the regiment in 1772. This laft was a
pleafing
pleafing reflection indeed, and which could not but render CHAP; me finccrely thankful to Providence. xxx*
About the 14th of April, having pafTed the Tropicks, and changed courfe to N. N.E. and N.E. we were becalmed' for fome days. I ought not to omit that when in about 15 degrees N. latitude, we failed through what is vulgarly-called the Grafs Sea, from its being covered over with a-floating kind of green and yellow weed, called gulph weeds j fome of which, when dried in the fun, and fpread1 between two iheets of paper, are very curious, refembling trees, flowers, fhrubs, Sec. and in which are harboured fmall cruftaceous fiih, fcollops, mufcles, and fhells of many thoufand different fpecies. Among the laft is often found that wonderful fea reptile, called the hippocampus, or fea-horfe, which I could compare to nothing better than the chevalier of a chefs-board; though it is generally larger, and fometimes eight or nine inches in length, The body is compofed of cartilaginous rings : the head,, fnout, and mane are incruifed all over ; and the tail,, which is curvated upwards in the figure of an S, terminates in a point.
On the 19th, the calm ftill continuing, we were daily entertained by fwarms of flying fifh, and feveral doradoes and grampufles iwimming and tumbling before and after the mips, as if delighting to keep us company. The grampus is a fifli of the cetaceous kind, fomething refembling the dolphin, but much larger, and approaching-the whale in fize, fome being near twenty feet in length, and prodigioufly fat. This fiih has forty ftrong teeth ; is of:
a ;«1 ark
à dark brown colour, and fponts water with confulerable force. We alfo faw at fome dilf ance from the vefTels feveral times above the water a large norlb-caper* This fifh, which very much refembles the Greenland whale, is more dangerous, on account of its being more active, which proceeds from the body being fmaller and flatter than that of the former. The jaw is ftiorter, with very fmall barbs : the fkin is whiter, and the produce of its blubber amounts feldom to more than thirty tons.
About the 22d, the weather began to change confider-ably, and the whole fhip's company were attacked with a fcvere cold and cough, and many alfo with the ague.
On the 30th, the crew was fo weak as to be hardly able to do their duty ; two of them indeed, and one marine, were already dead and overboard. Colonel de Borgnes was alfo at this time fo much indifpofed, that the command devolved upon me for a few days during his ill-nefs, when obferving the other fliip ahead, and almoft out of light, I availed myfelf of my commodorefhip, by hoifting a flag at the main-top, and firing a gun to windward to bring her to, which flie punctually obeyed.
A large Jhark now fwimming alongfide the fhip, we did all that lay in our power to take it, but to no purpofe. Sharks are in thefe feas of different kinds; but what is generally called the white fliark is the moft terrible of its fpecies, on account of its fize, weighing often one thoufand pounds, and meafuring fixteen or eighteen feet in length ; the head,which is fomething deprtfTed, is large;
it has two fponting holes, and prominent eyes, which it chap. can turn in every direction, and befpeak the malignity t, of its all-devouring nature ; nearly under thefe are its mouth and throat, of fuch an enormous lize, that it will fwallow a bull-dog : its teeth, which are placed in five or fix rows, are fo fharp and Rrong, that they will fnap off a man's arm or his leg with eafe, which has very frequently happened. The whole ihape of this fifh is in every reflect like that of the dog-fifh, found in the North Seas, with very ftrong fins, one dorfal, two ventral, and two abdominal: the tail is bifurcated, the upper part being longeft ; the fkin is Uimy, rough, and ufed for what we call fliagreen. The lhark always fwims with velocity, but muft turn upon its fide to take its prey, by which many fifth efcape its jaws.
The remora, or fucking-fiih, is frequently found flicking to fharks, and to ftiips bottoms : this fifh is afh-coloured, and long, about twenty inches ; the body roundifh, and tapering near the tail; the fins are placed as thofe of the fliark, and the under fkin is projecting; its fucker is, however, what makes it moft remarkable, being an oval griftly plate above its head, with tranfvcrfe bars, like the palate of a fheep. This fucker has fo much attraction, that no waves, however violent, can beat it off.—(For both thefe fïfies, fee the F late annexed.)
ThepUot-ffb ought here alfo to be noticed : this is fmall, with brilliant colours, and is faid not only to feed upon
Vol. II. 3 D the
the gills of the fhark, but to direct it to its prey, from which Angularity originates its name.
On the ift of May, being exactly one month at fea, during which time, by way of making a trial, I had continued bare-footed and bare-headed, without catching cold; I this day, for the firft time, not only dreffed like my fhip-mates, but wore every thing double, and fome things triple, which I found exceedingly comfortable.
About this time a Mr. Neyfeus, one of our furgeons, having on board a crabbodago or griffon (whofe ferocity I have already defcribed) to carry home as a curiofity, the
mifchieVOUS creature broke loofe7 and in one night murdered all the monkies, parrots, poultry, and other animals that were upon deck, while it drove moft of the crew who had the watch down the hatchway; till luckily one of them with a hand-fpike knocked out his brains.
On the 3d, we had hard gales and heavy fhowers at S. E. Latitude about 400. From this time the gale daily encreafed, till the ninth, when the weather began to moderate.
We now faw feveral porpoifes, herring-gulls, Sec. The firft is a fifh about five or fix feet long, exceffively fat, of a bluilli black colour, and without fcales ; the head has fmall eye?, and no gills, but along fhour, and fharp teeth. The fins are but one dorfal, and two ventral, and the tail is horizontal, to enable it to leap above the water, which it does frequently to blow or breathe, at which time its fnorting may be heard at a great diftance. The
flefh
ftefh of the porpoife when killed is red, and looks like c H A f. fome kinds of pork. xxx- .
The herring-gull is a bird as large as a tame duck, perfectly white, part of the beak and prime feathers excepted, which are of a dark afh-colour; the eyes are grey, the bill and feet are yellow ; the claws are black, and the length of its wings is between four and five feet, from the extremity of the one to the other.
On the igthj in the morning-watch, being not far from the Azores or WeRern Ides, the veffel was nearly laid on her beam-ends, though then under double-reefed top-fails, by a hidden fquall at E. At this time a broken top-gallant-maft, a new Jiand-fpike, Sec. floated pafl the ftiip, the melancholy remains of a fhipwreck, which we fince were informed to be a Dutch homeward-bound Eaft Indiaman, that had foundered with all the crew near the ifland of Tercelra.
On the 14th the wind was violent, carrying away our fore-top-gallant-maft, and fplitting the main-fail, while the other veffel loft her bowfprit, 8cc; and on the evening .of the r^th it blew a perfect ftorm, accompanied with thunder and lightening, and very heavy rain, which continued during the night, and which brought our main-top-maft by the board, while the fhip's crew were fo very much reduced as to be hardly able to clear the wreck, in which I cheerfully aflifted, by cutting away with a hatchet.
The two following days we continued fcudding before
3D 2
the
the wind, with a reef in the fore-fail, the fea running mountains high, and conftantly breaking over the veffel —pumps going day and night ; foon after which we fainted the Alarm frigate from Holland, which compliment they returned.
At length, the weather becoming fair, we were carried within foundings, on the 19th, when we hove the lead in ninety fathom water; but the wind ihifting to the N. E. with foul weather, we beat about in the chops of the Channel, till the morning of the 21ft, when at half pail one a fignal gun was fired for the other veffel, that we faw the light off Scilly ; and at four o'clock P. M, got the pilot on board.
Having been becalmed two days off Dover, it wras the 27th before we firft faw the Dutch coaft : here we purchafcd. Tome excellent fifh from a Scbevelin boat, with which we entertained the whole crew, though during this fea voyage no fliip's company could be better provided.
Having kept off Riore during the night, we at laft doubled Keykduyn and the Helder ; and on the 28th, at three o'clock P. M. both fhips, under a difeharge of nine guns, dropped anchor in the Texel roads.
On the 30th, having paffed the fmall iiland of Urk9 in the Zuyder Sea, which is the only rock in the province of Holland, both veffels running before the wind with a fine breeze, premeditatedly ftuck fall upon the Pampus— this is a large bank of foft mire, covered with fhoal water, and not far from Amfterdam, which it naturally protects
like
like a barrier from all foreign invaders; fince all fhips CHAP.
xxx.
whatever muft either be lifted over or dragged through y_ f_ this bank of mud.
The firft is done by finking two concave vefTels, called camels, which being chained together under the bottom of an lndiaman or man-of-war, of whatever burthen, the water is pumped out of them, when rifing gradually to the furface with their burthen, they carry it to where there is to be found fufficient depth to keep it afloat.
The fécond method is practifed on fmaller vefTels, and confifts of half a dozen fail boats, called water-mnnakins, towing them through the mud, which can never be done but when ftraight before the wind ; at which time not only the fliip itfelf, but the boats that have her in tow, muft crowd all the fail they poflibly can carry.
On the morning of the 31ft, having been becalmed all night, a frefh breeze at E. again fprung up, when we fired a gun as a fignal, and five or fix water-manakins inftantly came off, by the help of which we were dragged over the Pampus, not at the rate of fourteen knots an hour, but at that of fourteen hours a knot, fince we did not get clear of it in lefs than three days failing, though not four miles in length : however, I muft confefs, that the laft day we had fcarcely any wind at all.
During this tedious paffage, it was no had entertainment, to obferve the contraft between fome newly-arrived Norwegians and us ; thofe people fitting upon deck in
their
chap,   their fliirte, and wiping off the perforation, while we xxx c
were ftrutting in great coats and fur caps, like fo many
Muscovites, to keep us from the cold.
Having at this time received a coniiderable prefent of refreftiments, fent by the city of Amfterdam to the deliverers of their favourite colony, and being lb near re-vifiting their old friends and acquaintances, all on board were in the higheft flow of fpirits, and exulting with gladnefs—excepting one!—from whofe mind every happinefs was banifhed.
1 muft here ftill relate the following lingular circum-ftance : A man-of-war's boat coming alongside the Hol-landia, the officer and crew no fooner entered on board, than one of them, without fpeaking, ran up aloft, with a knife in his teeth, to cut down the pennant. At this time Lieutenant. Colonel Seyburg, prefenting a mufquet, and fwcaring he would fhoot him out of the rigging, the poor fellow came down by the back-ftays like a fhot, to our great entertainment ; next, having explained to him that both vefTels had been put in commiflion by the Prince of Orange, the amazed lieutenant made a handlbmc apology, and left the fhip.
On the 3d of June, every thing being in readinefs, the troops were put on board fix lighters, appointed to tranf-port them to Bois-/e-Duc, in which town they were next to be com pleated, and clo the duty as part of the gar--riibn.   On leaving the vefTels we were once more fainted
with
with nine guns from each ; which having returned with chap.
x x x
three cheers, we fet fail for the place above mentioned. ^   x ' , As we pafTed in the lighters through the inland towns, fuch as Saardam, Haerlem, and Tergow, I thought them truly magnificent, particularly the glafs painting in the great church of the latter; but their inhabitants, who crouded about us, from curiofity to fee us, appeared but a difgufting affemblage of ill-formed and ill-drcffed rabble, lo much had my prejudices been changed by living among the Indians and blacks : their eyes feemed to refemble thofe of a pig ; their complexions were like the colour of foul linen ; they feemed to have no teeth, and to be covered over with rags and dirt.   This prejudice, however, was not againft thefe people only, but againft all Europeans in general, when compared to the fparkling eyes, ivory teeth, mining fkin, and remarkable cleanli-nefs of thofe I had left behind me.   But the moft ludicrous circumftance was, that during all this we never once confidered [the truly extraordinary figure that we made ourfelves, being fo much fun-burnt and fo pale, that we were nearly the colour of dried parchment, by heat and fatigue; and fo thin, that we looked like moving fkeletons ; to which I may add, that having lived fo long in the woods, we had perfectly the appearance of wild people ; and I in particular, very defervedly, obtained the characteriftic title of le Sauvage Anglais, or the Englifh lavage.
In this ftate we arrived, on the 9th, at the town 7 of
chap,  of Bois-le-Duc, where the troops were finally dit em
Thus ended, perhaps, one of the moft extraordinary ex-nedit ions that was ever undertaken by European troops ; and to which only the exploits of the American Buccaneers have any, and even that a very diftant, refemblance.
On our arrivai I found that Lieutenant Colonel Wef-terlo, who went fick to Europe, in 1773, was not yet quite recovered.  This gentleman now invited me, in company
with fome others, to dine with him at the public mefs ; where, while fome Dutch officers complained that the fonp was fmoaky, and the beef was tough, we adventurers declared that we never had tafted a more delicious repaft; and at the fame time, while they praifed the ftrawherries, cherries, and other European fruits, we thought them very indifferent, and greatly inferior to the avogado-pear, the water-melon, and the pine-apple, to which we had been lately accuftomed—which fhews that every thing in this world is only good or bad by comparifon.
The following day we were introduced, on the parade, to the Lieutenant Governor, General Uardenbrook, and fpent the evening at his lady's card affembly, where I muft acknowledge I was charmed with fome very iweet faces, frefh as the rofe and the lily, while they were no lefs entertained with our grotefque appearance, though m • we
xxx.
" Per varios cafus, & tot difcrimina rerum, " Pervenimus ad Latium."--
-" Olim meminifie juvabit."
we had now borrowed the affiftance of powder and chap. pomatum. , t
On the 18th the troops were finally cleared with, and paid their remaining arrears, and thofe who chofe it permitted to return to their former regiments. Some of the privates had from thirty to forty pounds to receive, which, failor-like, having earned it likehorfes, they fpent like affes. Among others, a young fellow of my company, whofe late regiment chanced to be quartered in the very fame town, hired three poft-chaifes to carry him the length of one ftreet only, ordering a couple of drunken fiddlers in the firft, his knapfack in the fécond, and placing himfelf in the third, fupported by a brace of the frail fifterhood: he was, however, unfortunately fhipwrecked in his courfe, being run foul of by the major de place, who, having broken the fiddles, and fet the ladies adrift, towed the roaring adventurer himfelf, after a hard tug, to the quarter-guard, where he came to an anchor in the bilboes, till the gale of his diflipation was quite fpent, and he had got rid of all his cargo. In a fimilar manner went moft of the money which had been earned with fo much danger, hardfhip, and fatigue.
Now came the time to keep my long-made refolution of bidding a lafling farewell to Colonel Fourgeoud's regiment; from which, on the 10th day of Auguft, I obtained my free difmiffion, having requefted it, immediately after my debarkation, from the Prince of Orange, who at the fame time honoured me with a frefh Captain's
Vol. II. 3 E commiffion
commifïion in the Honourable General Stuart's regiment, which 1 had left in September 1772; while from that date to this very day my full pay had amounted to little more than four hundred and fifty pounds fterlipg, having regularly been flopped out of this fum ten pounds per annum for the putrid beef, pork, rufk-bread, and hard peafe, that fo miraculoufly had kept foul and body together.
Let me not, however, be confldered as wifliing to call a reflection on the Dutch nation in general, who indeed omitted nothing for our prefervation and encouragement during this long and painful fervice : a people whofe virtues have been for ages as confpicuous as their valour —one man alone was the caufe of all our fufferings.
Having now exchanged my blue coat for a fcarlet one, bought a very handfome horfe, and put Quaco in a brilliant livery, I for the laft time entertained my fhip-matcs, with whom, without exception, I drank an everlafting friendfhip: then taking my final farewell of them all, I the next morning fet out to rejoin the old Scotch regiment, where I was received with the ftrongeft marks of joy and unfeigned friendihip by the corps.
Going now to take my leave of Surinam, after all the horrors and cruelties with which I muft have hurt both the eye and the heart of the feeling reader, I will clofe the fcene with an emblematical picture of Europe /up-ported by Africa and America, accompanied by an ardent wifh that in the friendly manner as they are reprefentcd,
% they
/,(.//, f,m, l'iil-liMml />,,.'/■:'/;</■; />i .1. Johnson, JPtfatttJ C/iunJi Tard.
So
they may henceforth and to all eternity be the props of each other. I might have included Alia, but this I omitted, as having no connection with the prefent narrative : we only differ in colour, but are certainly all created by the fame Hand. Thus, if it has not pleafed fortune to make us equal in rank and authority, let us at leaft ufe the fuperiority we poffefs with moderation, and not only proffer that happinefs which we have to bcftow on our equals, but let us extend it with chearfulnefs to the loweft of our deferving dependants.
On the 25th of Auguft I repaired to the palace of Loo, in Guelderland, where, by the Colonel of the regiment, I was introduced to his Serene Highnefs the Stadtholder ; who not only was pleafed to give me a gracious reception, remarking, that by my looks I muft have fuffered much, but foon after promoted me to the rank of Major in the fame Scottifh regiment.
As I had now the pleafure alfo to fee a few others of my fellow fufferers recompenfed after their hardfhips, 1 had reafon to think the lefs of our former troubles ; thus, in-ftead of indulging in cenfure, I found a more folid confo-lation in the triumph of truth, which was brought to light without my farther interference.
" Magna eft Veritas & prevakbit.'1
On the 24th of September I wrent to the Hague, where I prefented his Serene Highnefs with eighteen figures in wax, made by myfelf, for his mufeum, which were moft
3 E 2 gracioufly
gracioufly accepted. They reprcfented the free Indians of Guiana, and negro {laves of Surinam, engaged in different occupations, on an ifland, fupported by a cryftal mirror, and ornamented with gold.
I now alfo, with his own cottfent, made a prefent of my faithful black boy, Quaco, to the Countefs of Rofen-tjaal, to whofe family 1 was under very great obligations ; and who Rnce, on account of his honefty and fober con-duel, not only chriftened him, by the name of Stedman^ at my de fire, but promoted him to be their butler, with a promife to take care of him as long as he lived ; which was particularly grateful to me, being fuch advantages as I could never have procured for him myfelf*
Here I cannot omit an anecdote of attachment in this hoy ;—Having fet out by myfelf on a fliort journey, I. found a crown-piece more than I expected in my purfe, and for which I was at a lofs to account; till on my return, when I crueftioned Quaco, he faid, " that fearing I might " be fliort of cafh, where people feemed fo fond of it, he " had put his five-fliilling piece in my pocket."—This action was the more generous, not only in the manner it was done, but being at that time the only crown poor Quaco pofleffed in this world.
About the latter end of October, I was offered by the directors of the fettlement to be fent, over as a lieutenant governor to the colony of Berhicè, fituated next to Surinam. In confecruence, I immediately went to Amjierda?n, to wait on them, and bear the propofals, in which they
indeed
indeed offered me a higher falary, and greater advantages, CHAP,
XXX
than they had ever offered to any other gentleman in that ' A
fituation; but I infilled on having either the government if I furvived,. or a decent pen/ion after a certain number of years at my return ; which being out of their power, they faid, to grant, I declined accepting of the offer altogether, judging it more prudent to recover my health and vigour in Europe with a Scottifh company, than to parch any longer under the Torrid Zone, without a profpecl of fettling at home with honour and a competent fortune. Nor wras it long before I perfectly recovered, and became as Rout and healthy as I had ever been in all my life : a happinefs of which not one among one hundred of my late fliip-mates could boaft.
Among others, poor Colonel Fourgeoud did not long enjoy his good fortune; for he was fcarcely arrived in Holland, with the remaining few who Rayed fome time behind us, than his beloved ptifan having failed him, he was one morning found dead in his bed, attended only by. a negro, and buried with military honours at the Hague.
Not long after this, expired alfo in Surinam Four--geoud's mortal enemy, the GovernoPv of the colony; which vacancy was moft worthily filled up by Colonel; Texier, and fince by the deferving Mr. Wichers *.
From this period nothing worth recording occurred
* This gentleman having alfo refigned, mentioned in this narrative) and who had
I have the pleafure to acquaint my read- fome time before re-entered into the fer-
ers, that in the year 1792, that gallant vice of the Society troops, was appointed
officer, Mr. F. Fredericy (fo frequently Governor of the colony of Surinam..
§ tin
till the year 1782, when the Emperor of Germany having retaken the barrier towns from the States of Holland, General Stuart's regiment was the lad that evacuated the city of Namur, and on the fame day the Imperial troops marched in to take pofTcflion : after which the Emperor ordered, in the year 1783, all the fortifications to be de-molifhed. Soon after this, the Scotch brigade, the privates of which now confiftcd of all nations, was naturalized by the States of Holland, that is, formed into three Dutch regiments, on account of the war with Great Britain ; and this circumRance induced myfelf and moft of the principal officers immediately to refign—as we rcfufed to ferve againft our King and Country.
Having thus left the Dutch fervice, on which day, by the Prince of Orange, I was complimented with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, the above gentlemen went to England, where, in confequencc of their loyalty, they were taken under his Britannic Majefty's protection ; and, on the 18th of June, eleven of them, of which number I was fo happy to make one, were, by G cner nl^Conway, introduced at St. James's, where we had the honour to kifs his Majefty's hand.
On the 27th of the fame month, the half-pay was voted for them all by the Britifli Houfe of Commons, according to the rank in which each individual had aclually ferved while abroad *.—But, that the reader may have
* The above gentlemen, who were vival of that old and honourable corps in
looked upon as being the real reprefenta- Britain, which was fince re-embodied un-
tives of his Majefty's Scotch brigade, had der the command of General Francir
their loyalty further rewarded by the re- Dundas, and fent to garrifon Gibraltar.
fome
fome idea of what is meant by the Scotch Brigade, chap. and of what they formerly confifted, I will beg leave to xxx* infert the following particulars :
" In 1570 this ancient corps firft landed in Holland, as *' independent companies, commanded by fome of the " firft noblemen in Scotland.
" In the year 1578 their gallant behaviour, together " with the Engliffi, at the battle of Reminat, near Mech-u l/n, is mentioned particularly by Strada.
" In 1579 Menin was furprifed, and the Spanifh and " Walloon guards taken prifoners by Colonel Balfour, " with his regiment alone.
" In 1588, at the memorable blockade of Bergen-op* w Zoom by the Prince of Parma, the Scots, under the « command of General Balfour and Colonel Scott, made , " a fortie, and demolished the greateft part of the Spanifh *' lines, by which the enemy were forced to break up the " fiege, with confiderable lofs of men and ammunition.
" In 1590, at the fiege of Zutphen-Deventer, Nimegue/r " and Ilulji, their bravery is well known.
" In 1593 they fliared fo much of the glory at the " taking of Gertrudenberg, that both General Balfour " and his regiment were highly diftinguifhed by Prince *: Maurice, The general he made governor to command " the garrifon, inftead of his brother Prince Henry ; and " the regiment he appointed, as the moft fpirited corps, ? to defend it.
" In
, at the U M rnoft confiderably.
C u a P.     ¥ In 1599, at the taking of Bommel, the Scots fuftered xxx.
" In 1600 two field officers, eight captains, with above " fix. hundred private men, were left dead on the field, u after the famous Buttle of the Downs, near Nieuport, " where both they and the Englilh behaved with the "greateft gallantry; and to the valour of thefe united " bands was attributed the fuccefs of the day.
" In 1601, at the fiege of Of end, which lafted three " years, and at which was levelled the whole power of " Spain, nothing could equal the valour and courage " both of the Scotch and Englilh, the firft commanded " by Generals Balfour and St. Clair, the latter by Lords " Willoughby and Vere\ who, after a great flaughter of *' the Spaniards (including all their beft officers) forced " the affailants to raife the fiege, and retreat with great u fhame and conf 11 lion.
u During the government of the three firft Princes of M Ora.nge,JVi/Jiam,Maurice9zni\Prtderick-Henry, the Scotch " behaved with fo much bravery, honour and reputation, " that by the laft prince (befides many other marks of . " diftincfion which he conferred on them) they were 9 called the bulwarks of the republic k.
« The necefiary limits of this chapter compel me to H omit many memorable fervices which were rendered " by this diftinguilhed body of men to the provinces of " Holland; but I cannot overlook the laft fiege of Bergen-" op-Zoom by the French, in 1747 ; where, while others
'* fliame-
u ftiamefully ran away, one regiment of Scots in the chap. " middle of the town, having twice repulfed the enemy, xxx* *f fought alone till they were nearly cut to pieces, leaving " fifteen officers and above five hundred privates on the " held."—Such is the hiftory of the late Scotch brigade in the Dutch fervice ; and fuch were the outlines of its military character, till the day of its diffolution, in 1783.
I muft now draw this narrative to a conclufion, by once more mentioning the name of Joanna, and acquaint the reader, that, alas!-~~—Joanna is no
more ! ! !--
In the month of Auguft 1783, I received the melancholy tidings from Mr. Gourlay (which pierced me to the foul) that on the fatal fifth of November this virtuous young woman departed this life, as fome fuf-pected by poifon*, adminiftcred by the hand of jea- ' loufy and envy, on account of her prosperity, and the marks of diftindtion which her fuperior merit had fo juftly attracted from the refpe&able part of the colony.
But ftie is no more ! —Reader ! — the virtuous Joanna, who fo often faved my life, is no more ! ! !—Her adopted mother, Mrs. Godefroy, who bedewed her beauteous body with tears, ordered it to be interred with every mark of refpecl, under the grove of orange-trees where fhe had lived. Her lovely boy was fent to me, with a bill of neat two hundred pounds, his private property, by inheritance from his mother.—Soon after which expired both his very faithful guardians.
* Her emancipated brother Henry underwent the fa me melancholy fate.
Vol. II. 3 F This
CHAP. This CHAkMiNG youth, having made a moR com-rnendable progrefs in his education in Devon, went two Weft India voyages, with the higheft charadter as a failor ; and during the Spav.ifo troubles ferved with honour as a midlhipman on board his Majefty's IhipS Southampton and Lizard, ever ready to engage in any fervice that the advantage of his king and country called for.—But, Oh!! —he alfo is no more, having fince periped at fea off the ifland of Jamaica.
The effect which the following lines had on the fym-pathetic and ingenious Mrs. Cowley, could alone induce mc to intrude them on the Public. — Let this be my apology——Oh I more than bitter talk ! ! !-
An dHegy on my SAILOR.
Loud founds the tempeft !—peals of thunder roar ;
Tremendous lightnings flafh from fhore to lhore :
Seas dafh the fhaking rocks—feas mount the flaming fky,-
And elements convuls'd, fpeak diflTolution nigh.
Such fcenes as thefe (while toffing on the waves,.
True to his duty ftill) the manly failor braves ;
Such was my Boy—(whofe eyes could never weep
But for his neighbour's woes) now fwallow'd in the deep*
Oh ! agonizing pain—pain never felt before—
My manly boy—my John—my Sailor is no more;
Still let me mourn with hope-and God adore : J
With hope, to fee my failor once again
Floating on feas of bills, thro* th* azure chain :
Till then a fliort farewell—my lovely boy,
Thy fhipmates darling, and thy father's joy.
6 Yet
Yet one fmall comfort foothes (while doom'd to part,
Dear gallant youth !) thy parent's broken heart j
Nn more thy tender frame, thy blooming age,
Shai! be the fport of Ocean's turb'lent rage :.
No more thy o/Zw-beauties on the waves
Shall be the {corn of fome European flaves ;
Whole optics, blind to merit, ne'er could fpy
That fterling worth could bloom beneath a weflern iky.
No more, my dear—no more—(while fuch were fcar'd)
Undaunted fhalt thou rock upon the yard \
There, while the filver moon gleam'd thro' the gale,
With manly (kill and courage hand the fail.
When Fame, who fcann'd the value of her Tar,
Did make thee fliine on board a man-of-war
With honor *-while, with equal glory fir'd,.
To pleafe a parent, brother, friend, thou e'er afpir'd ; Till Death—relentlefs Death—none can withftand,
To cut thy cable-gave the last command ! ! t
Soar now, my angel, to thy Maker's fhrine, There reap that prize, due to fuch worth as thine. Fly, gentle (hade—fly to that bleft abode. There view thy mother—and adore thy God :
There, Oh! my Boy !-on that celeftial more,
Oh! may we gladly meet—and part no more ! ! !
A Parent.
* Since the above lines were written, the laft of his commanders, the gallant Captain Jdn Hut/, loft his life in the memorable action, fought under Admiral Lord Howe, againft the French, oh the
ift of June 1794.—This officer loved my Sailor well ; nor was he lefs efteemed by Captain Richard Ktates, from whom he had the honour to receive his firft naval education.
And
XXX.
404 NARRATIVE, &c.
c h a p. And now farewell, my friends, who have been pleafed to perufe this narrative of rriy diftrelTes with Sympathetic fenfibility; particularly thofe whofe goodnefs of heart can forgive my inaccuracies and foibles.—I fay, farewell : claiming no other merit whatever throughout thefe pages, than that of having fpoke the Jimple truth ; which, if I wilfully have violated, may thefe volumes perifb, and be forgotten with their author !—But fhould this treafure, truth, fo rarely to be met with, be found in this performance
** Let one poor fprig of bays around my head t( Bloom while I live -, and point me out when dead,"
t he end.
INDEX
TO THE
SECOND VOLUME.
A CCOREE negroes,	
P-	255
Agate, (lone     - -	6
Agouti, rabbit	153
Ajurucurra-bird	
Ambulinary leaf	92
Amphifbcena fnake	196
Ammodites fnake	263
Annamoe bird	33
Ants (fire)	91
--- large -	137
--hillocks	164
Angola peas	97
Ant bear (great)	328
fmall - -	3^9
Anana, fruit	214
Anaca, bird -	218
Arnotta	20
Arlacacca turtle	164
Arrowouka Indians	189
Aloe (American) -	234
B.	
Bat of Surinam	142
Baboon (howling) -	235
Vol. 11	
Bee-bee wood   - p. 115
Beautiful landfcapes 166
Bourracourra tree - 18
Bognara, Ihrub   - - 235
BoafTy, difeafe   - - 274
Black cabbage-tree 164
Blue dipfas fnake - 1 96
Blue parrot     - -31
Brooms (natural) - 115
Brown heart tree 335
Brazil wood - 18 Butterfly (blue and red) 22
- green - 197 Butter of palm-worms 115
- of piftachio nuts 115
Bum worms - 183
Bullet tree     - - 335
Bercklack tree - 317
C.
Caméléon, lizard 19
Capficum, pepper - 72
Cabiay, animal - 135
Caps (natural)  - - 115
Callebafh tree - -119
Cavey (fpotted) - - 152
Carrots        - -270 3G
Cammcwary -	P-	182
Cabbage tree -	-	66
Cabbages	-	230
Cacao tree	-	206
CaflTia tree	-	225
Canavatepy tree	-	317
Cacatoo parrots	-	30
Cat (tiger)	-	So
Cats	-	
Cica pepper	-	72
Coflowee tree	-	20
Cow-itch	-	23
Confaka weeree-	weeree 29	
Couguar tiger	-	5°
Coney (Indian)	- -	153
Coati mondi	-	327
Coffee tree	-	352
Crafiy woodo	-	28
Crabbo dago	-	41
Crombeck bird	-	152
Cro-cro bird	-	182
Crafiy-crafiy	-	274
Crefted eagle	-	300
Crane	-	
Cucumbers	-	2 jo
Curuma fiih	-	186
Cutty weercc-weerce		29
	Clabbo	
Cl-bbo yaws -
C ^dar tree Coffee tree Corks
D.
Dagofeefee Date tree
Devil of the woods Dogs
Dipfas fnake Dea weeree-weeree Ducks (wild) Ducolla bolla tree Dung fiih
275 334 352 115
45 156
"9
80
196
29
344
335 172
E.	
Eagle (crefted) -	- 300
F.	
Flying dog, bat	- 142
.......... - lice	- 337
- fquirrel	- 17
Fennel	- 212
Female papaw tree	243
Fig tree	- 212
Fourmilier	- 33°
Fruit (foreign) -	- 74
G.	
Gado Saby town	- 105
Gaiinas bird	- 234
Goats	- 39
Gourd tree	* 119
Golden rod	- 212
Gold mines	- 6
Ginger	- 244
Guava tree G roe groe worms Griffon, animal Green butterfly Grafs iparrow Gulph weed Grampus fifh Green perroquet Guinea worm Gull (herring) Grafs hopper Grapes
H.
Hare (water) Haddock, fifti Hippopotamus ■• Humming bird ■ Herring gull Hippocampus -Howling baboon
I.
Jabiru crane Jaguar tiger Jagacaretta tiger Jew Savannah Indigo plant
Iron ore
--wood tree
Indian rofes JelTamine tree --Jhrub
K.
Kook, difeafe i
P- 3
- 22
- 41
- *97
- 218
- 3*3
- 383
- 32
- 275
- 387
- 37
- 212
242 176 219
387 383 235
King of vultures   p. 299
L.
Latta caeca pepper - 72
-.Jll
- 230
- 274
- l9
- 19
343 49
5i
292
303 6
1-7 231
230
212
Land icorpion Lettuces, fallad Leprofy, difeafe Lizard (agama) ----falamander
.-— devil of the woods 19
Lime tree - - 72 Lice (wood)     -   - |j€
--(flying)    -   - 337
Locuft, reptile - - 172 Locus, tree       - -165
M.
Maureecee tree - 67 Mammee apple - 73 Manatee - - 17 5 Mattakee tree - - 182 Markooree tree - - 182 Marmalade box - 318 Mahogany tree - 335 Mermaids - - 177 Mexican oppofTum - 325 Medlar tree - - 168 Mineral ores 6 Mint, fhrub - - 212 Monkey (faccawinkee) 12
-—— wanacoo - 12
—— quatta    - 10 ■ baboon   - 235
Mountain cabbage - 66 Mompee tree    -   - 168 Monbiara tree   - -181 Murine
Murine oppofTum p. 144 Mufk melon    -    - 21 j
N.
Naey-naey-feffrc - 172
Negroes (African) - 250
--white   - - 25 i
.-two-fingered 255
--Coromantin 254
- Loango - 254
- Gangoo - 267
--Nago    - - 68
.-          Kiemba - 285
1--Nfocco - - 285
■     — Pappaw - 268
Night owl     - - 239
O.
Ouro wifee fifh - 172
OppofTum (moufe) - 144
,—.-Mexican 325
Orlean tree     - 2c
Owl (night)    - - 239
Orifa rice    -   - -318
Offa palmira    - - 328
Orange oil - - 375 Onions    - 23c
P.
Parrot j (green   - - 31
,--— blue    - - 3 j
--caccàtoo - 30
Partridge      - - 33
PaiTeffee fifli    - -1.6
Pacca, fpotted cavcy 152
Pacarara coney - p.	153
Patrakee fifli	172
Papaya tree	243
Papaw fnake	263
:>ampus, bar	388
Palm-tree (cabbage)	66
--date  - -	156
--eta -	139
--maureecee	67
Palm wine	115
Palm-tree worms	22
Perroquets	3?
-green	32
Pepper crefTes -	230
Piftachio nuts, pinda	73
Pigeon peas	97
Pilot-fifh	38s
Philander	325
Phyfick nut tree	225
Poifon tree	182
Pomme de canelle -	312
Potatoes -	224
Provoofl fifli	I $6
Plantation (cacao) -	206
---indigo	3°3
------colli, e	352
Porpoife full	386
Praree-praree fifti	186
Purflanc (wild)   - -	119
Purperheart tiee	17
	
Quata monkey	10
Quacy Quacy -	327
Quaci^j oitter   - -	347
3 G 2	
R.
Rattle fnake    - p- 195
Rats and mice   - - 50
Rat, coney coney - 153
Radifhes       - -, 230
Rhemora fifh    - - 385
Red-breaft, bird - 218
— lilies        - - 231
--forrel      - - 230
River horfe     - - 176
Rice      -      - - 318
Roucow arnotta - 20
Rofemary      - - 212
Rofes (Indian)   - - 231
Rock-cod fifh   - - 46
S.
Saccawinkee monkey 12
Salamander lizard - 19
Salt of afhes    - -115
Sand box tree    - - 164
Sapadil'ia tree    - - 242
Sage      -      - - 212
Sea cow    -    - - 175
Seven boom     - - 225
Senfitive plant   - - 230
Seeparee fiih    - - 242
S eve jars boontie - 225
Sea mails       - -186
— cow    - 17 £
— weed   -   - -383
— horfe   -    - - 383
— women - - 1 ; 7 Siliba fifli - - 229 Silver mines 6 Soctc bountic    - - 225
Sokay
Sokay fifh     - p.	229	Tapira     -     - p	. 176	Vielleur, infect - p.	37
Sour fap tree	242	Tayers root	- 224	Vultures	299
fmill	242	Tarpoen fifh	- 229		299
———-■         lIIKill -				o	
Sorrel (red)	230	Tape-worm	- 275	w.	
Sun fifh    -     - -	60	Tamanoir	- 328		
Spaanfe jaffer	37	Tamandua	- 329	Wanacoo monkey -	12
Scare-fleep	37	Tea	- 224	Walking-leaf	92
Snake-fifh	60	Tiger	- 49	Waracoo fifh	368
Spotted-cat fifh.	60	-- red    - -	- 5°	Water fnake	T43
Spider (bufh)    - -	93	-■ cat	- 5°	---hog	l35
Shades (human)	99	Timpany, difeafe	- 180	—-— hare	152
Spectre of Guiana -	142	Tingee fowlo	- -99	---melon	213
Scolopendra reptile -	167	Toecoema worms	- 22	Weepee fifh	368
Snake (ooroocoocoo)	132	Tomate	- 224	Wine (palm-tree) -	115
--- two-headed -	186	Tobacco	- 224	Wild duck	344
--whip	132	Torro-torro fifli	- 219	Whip fnake    -' -	132
> dipfas	196	Tokay-galinas	- 234	White negroes   - -	251
--rattle		Tonquin beans	- 375	Wood-pecker -	233
--- papaw	263	Turtle (land)	- 163	Wood-loufe, bird -	234
Snails (fea)   -   - -	186	Two-headed fnake	- 196	\r\frf\	336
					
Snake-root (Virginia) 225		Two-fingered negroes 255		Woodcock, bird	20
Strix, owl	239	Tubboes, difeafe	- 275	Worms (groe-groe)	22
Scorpion (land) - -	315	Tree-frog	- 225	Wood rat   - -	40
Snipe -	342	Trochilus, bird	- 219	Worms (tape)   - -	275
Spoon-bill fhoveler -	343	U.		Y.	
Shark	334				
Squirrel,	- 17	Urk Ifland	- 388	Yaws, difeafe	274
-— white   - ■	17			Yellow-back fifh -	368
- flying   - ■	- 17	V.		Z.	
		Vampier bat	- 142		
T.		Vanillas	- -35	Zurzacka fruit   - .	• 242
Taibo, wood rat     -   40 |
Diretlwns
V o l. II.
Plate    xli.   T 7IEW of the Hope and Clarenbeck, in
* Comewina — facing Page 4 —— xlii. The Quato and Sarcawinkee Monkeys — 10 ..... XLiii.   Sprig of the Arnotta or Roucou Tree       — 20
— xliv.   The blue and crimfon Butterfly, and Palm-tree
Worms          —          —          —       — 22
— xlv.   The Anamoe and green Parrots of Guiana —- 32
-- xlvi.   The Wood Rat, and Crabbo-dago or Griffon — 42
>-        xLVii.   The Dago Fiflee, and the Newmara Fifh      — 46
— XLViii.   The Jaguar and Tiger Cat of Surinam        — 50
- xljx.   A Surinam Planter in his Morning Drefs      — 56
- l.   The Mountain Cabbage and Maureecee Tree   — 68
- Li.   View of Magdenberg and Calays, in Cofaweenica 71
- Li i.   Limes, Capficum, Mammy Apple, &c.       — 74
- lui.   A rebel Negro armed, and on his Guard      — 88
- Liv.   Manner of Bufh-fighting, and Gradation of
Shades         — —-         —        — ^8
-—     lv.   March through a Swamp in Terra Firma     — 104
- lvi.   Plan of the principal Field of Action   —    — 126
- lvii.   The Murine OppofTum and Vampier Bat     — 142
—- lviii.   The Agouti and fpotted Cavey         —      — 152
lix. The
Direftions for placing the Plates.—Vol. II.
Plate     Lix.   The Hippopotamus and Manati of Guiana,
	facing Page		176
■ LX,	The Camp at Java Creek, and Encampment	at	
	Jerufalem             — —	—	183
- Lxr.	Indian Female of the Arrowauka Nation	—	190
- LXII.	Green Butterfly and Rattle Snake, &c. —	—	196
— Lxnr.	Sprig of the Cacao Tree      — —	—	208
- LXIV.	Mufk and Water Melons, and Pine Apple	—	214
■- LXV.	The Humming Bird, with its Nefl, &c.	—	2:0
i-1 LXVI.	Manner of catching Fifh by the Spring Hook, &c.		228
-- LXVII.	The yellow Woodpecker, &c. —	—	
- Lxviir.	A Family of Loango Negroes —	—	280
■ .....- LXIX.	Mufical Inftruments of the African Negroes	—	286
- LXX.	View of the Jews Savannah, and Mount Blue		
	Bergh         —         — —	—	292
---LXXI.	Execution of breaking on the Rack —	—	296
> LXXII.	Sprig of the Indigo Plant —	—	304
- LXXIII.	Manner of fleeping in the Woods— the Cottage		324
- LXXIV.	The Tamandua and Coati Mondi —	—	328
- LXXV.	The Spoonbill and Crane of Guiana —	—	343
- LXXVI.	The celebrated Graman Quacy ■—■	—	348
— LXXVTI.	Sprig of the Coffee Tree      — —	—	353
.- LXXVIII.	Plan of a regular Coffee Plantation —	—	354
—— lxx1x.	The Shade and 1'emora fifh —	—	384
--LXXX.	Europe, fupported by Africa and America	—	394
ERRATA.
V O L. II.
It,	Hue	7» for		-   -   - read	Ptifan,
28,	—	15» —	Siliqua-hirfuta,	-   - —	Siliqua hiiTtilse»
	—	13» —	Ajuriicura,	-   -   - —	Ajurucura.
51,	—	10, —	Jaguanetta,	-   -   - —	Jaguaretta.
59,	—	22, —	Godfrey, -	-   -   - —	Gouefrooy.
127,	—	\h —	dck and as was	mentioned.	
141,	—	6, -	thighs,	_   -   , —	feet.
i53>	—	8, _	warrabofena,	-   -   - —	warrabocerra.
174,		12, —	de Cubaines,	-   -   - —	de Cabanus.
186,	■—	4, —	Beekflied,		Beekvlied.
186,	—	10, —	Paffary, -	-       ~ - -	Paflefly.
214,	—	19, —			Ham ell.
235»	—	10, —	the back, -	-       -       - —	the bark.
3*5*	—	4, —	Saardan,	- -	Saardairu
319»	—	19, —			Okero.