NARRATIVE,
OF A FIVE YEARS’ EXPEDITION, AGAINST THE
REVOLTED NEGROES OF SURINAM,
in Guiana, on the Wild Coast of
South America;
from the year 1772, to 1777:
elucidating the History of that Country, and
the description of its productions, viz.
Quadrupedes, Birds, Fishes, Reptiles, Trees, Shrubs, Fruits, & Roots;
with an account of the Indians of Guiana, & Negroes of Guinea.
By CAPTN. J. G. STEDMAN.
illustrated with 80 elegant Engravings, designed from nature,
by the Author.
——Vol. I.——
“O Quantum terræ quantum Cognoscere Cœli,
Permissum est, pelagus quantos apperimus in usus!
Nunc forsan grave, reris opis; Sed læta recurret
Cum ratis et Caram Cum mihi reddet solenne!
Quis pudor heu nostros tibi tunc audire labores;
Quam referam visas tua per Suspiria gentis!”
Valerius Flaccus.
London.
Printed by J. Johnson, St. Pauls Church Yard, & J. Edwards, Pall Mall,
1796.
TO
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
GEORGE
PRINCE OF WALES,
THIS
ARTLESS NARRATIVE
IS,
WITH ALL HUMILITY,
INSCRIBED,
BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS’s
MOST DEVOTED,
AND MOST OBEDIENT,
HUMBLE SERVANT,
J. G. Stedman.
Tiverton, Devonshire,
January 1, 1796.
THE PREFACE.
This Work being perhaps one of the most singular productions ever
offered to the Public, I think it right to give the Reader a short
sketch of what he is going to peruse.—I have endeavoured to arrange
matters in some degree like a large garden, where one meets with the
sweet-smelling flower and the thorn, the gold-bespangled fly and
loathsome reptile, the richest glowing plumage and the darkest shades;
the whole so variegated as to afford, I hope, both information and
amusement, without racking or depressing the spirits, and damping the
mind; not indeed in the modern pomp and brilliancy of style, but in a
simple tale, where TRUTH is the chief ornament.
Here, in the different characters of a Commander—a Rebel Negro—a
Planter, and a Slave—not only tyranny are exposed—but benevolence and
humanity are unveiled to the naked eye. Here the Warrior—the
Historian—the Merchant—and the Lover of Natural Philosophy, will meet
with some gratification; while, for having introduced my private
adventures, I must make some apology—but none for those of the lovely
Slave, who makes not the least interesting figure in these pages—as
female virtue in distress, especially when accompanied with youth and
beauty, must ever claim protection.
Upon the whole, perhaps, some allowance may be made, when the Reader
considers he is perusing no romance composed of fiction, but a real
history, totally unembellished with the marvellous;—the production of
an Officer, whose pen and pencil have alone been employed—and ON THE
SPOT, a circumstance but very seldom met with.
As to the shocking cruelties that here are so frequently exposed, let
it suffice to say, that to deter others from similar inhuman practices,
and teach them virtue, was my sole and only motive; while, on the other
hand, it must be observed that Liberty, nay even too much lenity, when
suddenly granted to illiterate and unprincipled men, must be to all
parties dangerous, if not pernicious. Witness the Owca and Sarameca
Negroes in Surinam—the Maroons of Jamaica, the Carribs of St. Vincent,
&c.
While the Colony of Surinam however is reeking and dyed with the blood
of the African negroes, truth compels me to observe, that the Dutch
there are not the only guilty; but that to most other nations, and
particularly the Jews, is owing this almost constant and diabolical
barbarity.
Reader, peruse the pages annexed with impartiality and with temper—sort
the flowers from the weeds—divide the gold skilfully from the dross—and
perhaps you may not regret the hours you have thus dedicated. A few
orthographical errors and inaccuracies have been discovered,
particularly in the First Volume, from my having unavoidably been
prevented from superintending its progress while in the press: But in a
short Errata, and particularly in the Index, to which I refer the
curious, will be found properly spelt the names of men and things.—Let
it however not be understood, that I ever laid claim to excellence in
writing or drawing; but if the plain and MANLY TRUTH, so often spoken
of, and so seldom found, are of any avail—I presume to hope, that these
Volumes are not entirely unworthy the attention of a British Public.
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.
A.
Auckland (Lord) British Ambassador at the Hague.
Ackland (Sir Tho. Dyke) Bart. Killerton.
Anderson (Lady) York.
Ashmead (Wm.) Esq. London.
B.
Bute (Rt. Hon. Earl of).
Bristol (Rt. Hon. Earl of).
Bamff (Rt. Hon. Lord) 6th Dragoons.
Barrington (Rt. Hon. Lord Viscount).
Boydell (Rt. Hon. John) Lord Mayor of London.
Baring (Charles) Esq. Exon.—5 Copies.
Barwell (——) Esq. London.
Broadley (R. Carlisle) Esq. York.
Broadley (Isaac) Esq. Branlingham, Hull.
Barker (Thomas) Esq. Jamaica.
Bain (——) Esq. M. D. Bath.
Burk (Geo.) Esq. Waddon Court, Devon.
Batt (J. F.) Esq. Richmond.
Brown (E. H.) Esq. Richmond.
Black (John) Esq. of the Hon. East India Company’s Service.
Besly (Wm.) Esq. Tiverton, Devon.
Bates (Ralph) Esq. 6th Dragoons.
Bastard (John P.) Esq. Kitley, M. P.
Brown (Wm.) Esq. Wiveliscombe.
Bush (Baron de) Commandant at Curacao.
Bolls (And.) Esq. Capt. in the Dutch Navy.
Bloys de Treslon (Cor.) Esq. Capt. in the Dutch Navy.
Brown (——) Esq. Bristol.
Bulguin (Mr. ——) Bristol.
Blake (Mr. Wm.) London.
Boudler (Mrs.) Bath.
C.
Canterbury (His Grace the Archbishop of)
Chichester (Sir John) Bart. Youlston.
Chichester (Mrs.) Arlington.
Chichester (Miss)
Chichester (Miss Mary Macdonald).
Cholwich (John B.) Esq. Farringdon House.
Cambridge (R. O.) Esq. Twickenham.
Cholmley (Nath.) Esq. Howsham.
Cowley (John) Esq. London.
Campbell (Rt. Hon. Ilay) Edinburgh.
Cholmondeley (G.) Esq. London.
Croft (John) Esq. York.
Cooksley (J. Sparkes) Esq. Ashburton.
D.
Dover (Rt. Hon. Lord).
Douglas (Gen. Robert) Holland.
Duntz (Sir John) Bart. Rockbere House.
Drew (Richard) Esq. Exeter.
Dennys (Nicholas) Esq. Tiverton.
Dowce (Francis) Esq. Richmond.
Danby (Wm.) Esq. Swinton.
Drummond (J.) Esq. M. D. Jamaica.
Ducarrell (——) Esq. Exmouth.
Delaval (E. Hussey) Esq. London.
Dickenson (Benj.) Esq. Tiverton.
Dunsford (Mr. Martin) Author of the Memoirs of Tiverton.
De Graav (Gid. And. D.) Esq. Surinam.
Des Borgnes (Col. Briseval) Fourgeoud’s Marines.
E.
Erving (George) Esq. London.
Euler (——) Esq. for the Library of his Serene Highness the Prince
of Orange.
F.
Fitzwilliam (Right Hon. Earl)
Ferrier (Col. Ilay) of His Majesty’s Scots Brigade.
Fredericy (——) Esq. Governor of Surinam.
Freeman (——) Esq. Chute Lodge.
Freeman (Mrs. Elizabeth).
Fitzgerald (Miss) Grange, Ireland.
Follet (Rev. Mr. John) Tiverton.
Fattet (Mr. Barth. François).
Flower (Mr.) London.
Flower (Mr. Benj.) Cambridge.
G.
Guildford (Right Hon. Earl of).
Gordon (Col. Robert) Deputy Governor at the Cape of Good Hope.
Graham (John) Esq. M. D. Jamaica.
Grinstone (Henry) Esq. Weston.
Grinstone (Thomas) Esq. Kilnwick.
Goodwin (G. R.) Esq. Bath.
Godefrooy (Mrs. Eliz.) Surinam.
Gray (Miss Jane) Edinburgh.
H.
Heathfield (Rt. Hon. Lord).
Harrowby (Rt. Hon. Lord) Sandon, Staffordshire.
Hamilton (Sir Alexander) Bart. Retreat.
Hildyard (Sir Robert D’Arcy) Bart. Winestead, York.
Hastings (Warren) Esq. late Governor General of Bengal.
Hamell (Colonel) Cape of Good Hope.
Home (Colonel Alexander) His Majesty’s Scotch Brigade.
Hamilton (Robert) Esq. of the Hon. East India Company’s Service.
Hunter (——) Esq. M. D. York.
Hamilton (Major) Exon.
Hilton (William) Esq. Jamaica.—2 Copies.
Hecke (C. A.) Esq. Demerary.
Harding (Rev. Mr.) Barnstaple.
Heathfield (Thomas) Esq. Nutwell.
Heneman (Gysbert) Esq. Hague.
Haringman (John) Esq. Admiral in the Dutch Navy.
Hogg (Jos.) Esq. Tiverton.
How (J. M.) Esq. Wiscome Park.
Hartford (Jos.) Esq. Bristol.
Hobroid (Mrs.) Richmond.
I.
Incledon (Robert) Esq. Pilton House.
Incledon (Capt. T.) 3d Regiment of Foot.
Jermain (Thomas) Esq. Bristol.
Johnson (J. R.) Esq. Jamaica.
K.
Keates (Rev. Richard) Tiverton.
Kincaid (Patrick) Esq. Exon.
Knight (Mr. Charles) Knightsbridge.
Kennedy (H. J.) Esq. Cleves.
Knollaerdt (——) Esq. Fourgeoud’s Marines.
L.
Lardner (John) Esq. London.
Lardner (Richard) Esq. Tiverton.
Lardner (James) Esq. Axminster.
Louïs (Mr. Jean) Exon.
M.
Macpherson (Sir John) Bart, late Governor of Calcutta.
M’Queen (Dundas) Esq. Edinburgh.
Macallester Loup (Duncan) Esq. Hague.
Macauley (Alex.) Esq. London.
Macauley (Angus) Esq. Bath.
Macleod (Colonel) of His Majesty’s Scots Brigade.
Mackay (John) Esq. London.
Mackay (Hector) Esq. War Office.
Maddison (Thomas) Esq. M. P.
Mowbray (Robert) Esq. M. D. Cockayrny.
Moore (John Hartnoll) Esq. Cadeleigh Court.
Marshall (Mr. Robert) Tiverton.
Moens (Mr. Adrian) Rotterdam.
Medlaer (George Crawford) Esq. Fourgeoud’s Marines.
N.
Northcote (Sir Stafford) Bart. Pine’s House.
Nagle (Joseph) Esq. Calverleigh.
Nagle (David) Esq. Bath.
Nibbs (J. Langford) Esq. Beauchamp.—2 Copies.
Needham (John) Esq. Gray’s Inn.
Noot (Captain) Fourgeoud’s Marines.
Nichols (Rev. Mr.) Richmond.
Newte (Rev. Mr.) Titcombe, Devon.
Newte (Thomas) Esq. late Captain in the Hon. East India Company’s
Service.
Newbiggen (Miss Jane) Edinburgh.
O.
Owens (George) Esq. Tiverton.
P.
Pepperel (Sir William) Bart. London.
Palmer (Thomas) Esq. Berkley Square.
Palmer (William) Esq. London.
Plidell (J. M.) Esq. 6th Dragoons.
Peachey (John) Esq. M. P.
Prince (J. D.) Esq. Holland.
Perret Gentilly (Major) Fourgeoud’s Marines.
Polson (Hugh) Esq. Exmouth.
Popple (Rev. Mr.) York.
R.
Ryder (Right Hon. Dudley) M. P.
Rockby (Right Hon. Lord) Horton, Kent.
Ricketts (Hon. W. H.) Jamaica.
Ricketts (E. Jarvis) Esq. Jamaica.
Rosendaal (Countess de) Holland.
Rolle (John) Esq. M. P. Tidwell.
Ridsdale (G. W.) Esq. 6th Dragoons.
Rolland (Adam) Esq. Advocate, Edinburgh.
Robinson (William) Esq. Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh.
Robinson (Capt. Thomas) of the Hon. East India Company’s Service.
Rigaud (P.) Esq. R. A.
Reynsdorph (Andrew) Esq. Surinam.
Reay (Henry N.) Esq. Blenkwell, Durham.
S.
Spencer (Rt. Hon. Lord Henry).
Strickland (Sir George) Bart. Bointon House, York.—2 Copies.
Strickland (Lady Eliza Letitia).
Strickland (Miss Charlotte).
Strickland (William) Esq. York.
Strickland (Capt. Geo.) 8th Regiment.
Sykes (Sir Christopher) Bart. York.
Small (Major Charles) Isle of Man.
Small (Peter) Esq. Montreal, Canada.
Stuart (Hon. General John).
Sampson (James) Esq. late His Majesty’s Consul General at Morocco.
Suttell (G.) Esq. York.
Sturgeon (T. W.) Esq. Trowbridge.
Swale (——) Esq. London.
Sheriff (Mr. Robert) Leith.
Stedman (John) Esq. M. D. Edinburgh.
Stedman (Capt. Wm. George).
Stedman (Miss Catherine) Edinburgh.
Sharrat (Mr. John) Walsall.
Sheldon (Miss Ann) Exon.
Somerville (Miss Elizabeth) Edinburgh.
T.
Todd (Mr. John) York.—2 Copies.
Tozer (Aaron) Esq. of the Hon. East India Company’s Service.
V.
Vance Agnew (Robert) Esq. Edinburgh.
Van Coeverde (Colonel) Fourgeoud’s Marines.
W.
Willoughby de Broke (Rt. Hon. Lord).
Westerloo (General) Holland.
Wemyss (Major) 11th Regiment of Foot.
Wierts (Francis) Esq. Captain in the Dutch Navy.
Winsloe (Thomas) Esq. Collipriest.
Woolery (R. P.) Esq. Jamaica.
Williams (Jos.) Esq. Jamaica.
Wyville (Rev. Christopher) York.
White (James) Esq. Counsellor, Exeter.
Wray (G. Lewis) Esq. Spence Farm.
Wood (Bevis) Esq. Tiverton.
Worth (John) Esq. Worth House, Devon.
Worth (Mrs. Mary) Tiverton.
Wray (Mrs.) Richmond.
Watt (Mr.) London.
Wardlaw (Mrs. Susan) Edinburgh.
Y.
York (His Grace the Archbishop of).
Yorke (Hon. John).
CONTENTS.
CONTENTS of the FIRST VOLUME.
Chapter I. Page 1.
Introduction.—Revolt among the Negroes in Dutch Guiana—An
Expedition sets out from the Texel—Short Account of the Voyage—The
Fleet arrives in the River Surinam—Reception of the Troops in that
Colony—Sketch of the Inhabitants, &c.