The regular troops from Europe that belo_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 ... Volume 1 (of 2)

were intended to be twelve hundred men when complete, divided into two

battalions, paid partly by the society, and partly by the inhabitants:

but they can never produce that number in the field, for many

reasons—such as their either dying on their passage, while they are

seasoning to the climate, or during their dangerous and fatiguing duty

in the woods and swamps. Besides this number, a reinforcement of three

hundred more was now sent them from the town of Amsterdam; but of these

poor wretches scarcely fifty were landed fit for service; the

remainder, owing to the inhumanity of their leader, Mr. H., having

participated in a fate little better than that of the poor African

negroes in the vessel of the inhuman Captain C—gw—d, who, in 1787,

threw 132 living slaves into the sea to perish. The unhappy creatures,

under the command of Mr. N. were starved and tormented by unnecessary

severity; and his lieutenant, unable to continue a witness of the

tyrannical punishments he inflicted, leaped from the cabin window, and

terminated his existence.

The military in Surinam are composed of several very good and

experienced officers, and well inured to the service, but for their

private men I cannot say much; they are, in fact, little better than

the outcasts of all nations: they are of all ages, shapes, and sizes,

and seem by chance wafted together from all the different corners of

the globe. Notwithstanding this, however, it has often been found that

they behave well in action, and have on many different occasions, by

their bravery, been of infinite service to this settlement [11].

Here is also a small corps of artillery, being part of the twelve

hundred, which I must acknowledge to be a very fine company in all

respects. As for what they please to call their militia, they are, a

few gentlemen excepted, who command them, so strange a collection of

ill-disciplined rabble, that they can scarcely be mentioned as fighting

men.

With respect to the new-raised corps of manumitted slaves, though in

number they amounted but to three hundred, they indeed proved

ultimately of as much service to the colony as all the others put

together [12]. These men were all volunteers, and in general stout able

young fellows, selected from the different plantations, the owners of

whom received for them their full value in money. None were accepted

but those who were reputed to be of unexceptionable character. It must,

however, be observed, that what we Europeans call a good character,

was, by the Africans, looked on as detestable, particularly by those

born in the woods, whose only crime consisted in revenging the wrongs

done to their forefathers. I have been an ocular witness to astonishing

proofs of the fidelity of these enfranchised slaves to the Europeans,

and their valour against the rebel negroes.

Their chief leaders are three or four white men, called Conductors, to

whom they pay the strictest obedience: one or two of these attend them

when they set out on any enterprize of consequence. Every ten privates

have one captain, who commands them in the forest by the different

sounding of his horn, as the boatswain commands the seaman by his call,

or as the cavalry of Europe are directed by the sound of the trumpets

in the field; by which they advance, attack, retreat, spread, &c.: they

are armed only with a firelock and sabre. Of both these weapons they

understand the management in the most masterly manner; they generally

go naked, in preference, in the woods, excepting trowsers, and a

scarlet cap, the emblem of liberty, on which is their number, and

which, together with their parole or watchword, which is orange,

distinguishes them from the rebels in any action, to prevent

disagreeable mistakes. They have, indeed, of late years, been farther

distinguished by green uniforms.—Thus far as to the force of the

colony.

I have already stated, that the newly revolted rebels, called Cotticas,

were just preparing to give the finishing blow to Surinam; and I shall

now proceed to relate how this catastrophe was prevented.

These negroes, being commanded by a desperate fellow named Baron, had

erected a strong settlement between the river Cottica and the

sea-coast, whence they sallied forth to commit their depredations on

the plantations in Cottica river, &c.

I have called this settlement strong, because, like an island, it was

entirely surrounded by a broad unfordable marsh or swamp, which

prevented all communication, except by private paths under water, known

only to the rebels, and before which Baron had placed loaded swivels,

which he had plundered from the neighbouring estates: it was moreover

fenced and inclosed on every side by several thousand strong

pallisadoes, and was on the whole no contemptible fortification. To

this spot Baron gave the name of Boucou or Mouldered, intimating that

it should perish in dust rather than it should be taken by or

surrendered to the Europeans. He even presumed to suppose, that it

would never be discovered.

After many marches and counter-marches, however, this nest of

desperadoes was at last discovered, by the vigilance and perseverance

of the Society troops, and the black soldiers or rangers, by which name

I shall for the future distinguish them, their service being chiefly

like that of the rangers in Virginia, who were sent out against the

Cherokee Indians. Another settlement of the rebels was, indeed, well

known to exist in that corner of the colony, known by the name of the

Lea-shore, and situated between the rivers Surinam and Seramica; but

here the situation, by marshes, quagmires, mud, and water, is such,

that it fortifies them from any attempts of the Europeans; nay, they

are even indiscoverable by negroes, so thick and impenetrable is the

forest on that spot, and so choked with thorns, briars, and every

species of underwood.

From these coverts they sally forth in small parties, during the night,

to rob the gardens and fields surrounding Paramaribo, and carry off the

young women, &c. In this wilderness a young officer, Lieutenant

Freidrecy, was lost two or three days and nights, as he went out on a

shooting party, and would probably never have been heard of, had not

the governor, by ordering a gun to be fired at intervals, given a

signal for him to find his way back, and thus restored him once more to

his friends.

As soon as it was determined that the rebels commanded by Baron, at

Boucou, should be besieged and rooted out, a strong detachment of white

and black troops were sent against them, under the command of the brave

Captain Myland, who was to head the first; and Lieutenant Freidrecy, a

spirited young officer, with the conductors, was to lead the latter.

The detachment, on their arrival at the marsh, however, were obliged to

encamp on its borders, not being able to pass through it on account of

its unfordable depth.

On the discovery of the troops, the bold negro Baron immediately

planted a white flag within their view, which he meant not as a token

of peace, but of defiance; and an incessant firing instantly took place

on both sides, but with very little effect.

It was then projected to throw a fascine bridge over the marsh, by the

troops; but this plan, after several weeks had been spent in the

attempt, and a number of men shot dead while employed upon it, was of

necessity laid aside. Thus every hope of passing through the marsh into

the fortress being frustrated, and the food and ammunition being

considerably lessened, added to the loss of many men, affairs were at

length arrived at such a crisis, that the siege must have been broken

up, and the remaining troops must have marched back to Paramaribo, had

not the rangers, by their indefatigable efforts, and (however strange

to think) implacable enmity against the rebels, found out and

discovered to the Europeans the under-water paths of communication to

Boucou, several being shot and drowned in the execution of this

important service.

Captain Myland with the regulars, on this intelligence, now forded the

swamp on one side, and instantly making a feint attack on the fortress,

drew Baron with all the rebels, as was expected, to its defence; while

Lieutenant Freidrecy, with the rangers, having crossed the swamp on the

other side, embraced the opportunity of leaping, with his black party,

over the palisadoes, sword in hand, without opposition.

A most terrible carnage at this time ensued, while several prisoners

were made on both sides, and the fortress of Boucou was taken; but

Baron, with the greatest number of the rebels, escaped into the woods,

having first found means, however, to cut the throats of ten or twelve

of the rangers, who had lost their way in the marsh, and whom he seized

as they stuck fast in the swamp; and cutting off the ears, nose, and

lips of one of them, he left him alive in this condition to return to

his friends, with whom however the miserable man soon expired.

This Baron had formerly been the negro slave of a Mr. Dahlbergh, a

Swede, who on account of his abilities had advanced him to the rank of

a favourite, had taught him to read and write, and bred him a mason; he

had also been with his master in Holland, and was promised his

manumission on his return to the colony. But Mr. Dahlbergh breaking his

word with regard to his liberty, and selling him to a Jew, Baron

obstinately refused to work, in consequence of which he was publicly

flogged under the gallows. This usage the negro so violently resented,

that from that moment he vowed revenge against all Europeans without

exception; fled to the woods, where putting himself at the head of the

rebels, his name became dreadful, and particularly so to his former

master Dahlbergh, as he solemnly swore that he should never die in

peace till he had washed his hands in the tyrant’s blood.

To those who know how greatly mankind are affected by self-interest, it

will not appear so extraordinary, as it may to a superficial observer,

that these black rangers should so inveterately engage against their

friends and countrymen. What will not men do to be emancipated from so

deplorable a state of subjection! and this emancipation was obtained

upon more certain and advantageous grounds by the consent of the

Europeans, than if they had absconded into the woods. Having thus once

engaged in this service, it is evident they must be considered by the

other party as apostates and traitors of the blackest dye; they must be

convinced, that defeat must not only expose them to death, but to the

severest tortures; they were therefore fighting for something more than

liberty and life: success was to bring them the most solid advantages,

miscarriage was to plunge them in the severest misery.

The taking of Boucou was now greatly spoken of, and deemed a very

severe blow to the rebels; both the regulars and the rangers, indeed,

behaved with unprecedented intrepidity and courage. Captain Myland’s

gallant conduct was most highly acknowledged; while Lieutenant

Freidrecy was presented by the Surinam Society with a beautiful sabre,

a fusee, and a brace of pistols, mounted in silver, and ornamented with

emblems expressive of his merit; besides which, he obtained the rank of

captain. It must be confessed, that on this occasion the whole

detachment, white and black, without exception, justly met with the

fullest marks of approbation for their spirited behaviour.—In this

state were the public affairs of Surinam; when, in 1773, our fleet

dropped anchor before the town of Paramaribo.

CHAP. V.

The Scene changes—Some Account of a beautiful Female Slave—The

Manner of travelling in Surinam—The Colonel explores the Situation

of the Rivers—Barbarity of a Planter—Wretched Treatment of some

Sailors.

Having in the first chapters given some account of our incorporation,

our voyage, our landing, and our reception in the colony, in February

1773; and having described the colony of Surinam, its boundaries, and

revolutions, from its earliest discovery; I shall now proceed in my

narrative, by connecting the proceedings of our little corps with the

general chain of events; and write precisely what I have learned by

local and ocular observation.

Having already stated that from our arrival till February 27th, we

seemed to be landed in Guiana for little more than idle dissipation; I

shall now proceed from the same date, which was about the commencement

of the rainy season, when our mirth and conviviality still continued,

to present to the reader, as a contrast to the preceding scenes of

horror, a description of the beautiful mulatto maid Joanna. This

charming young woman I first saw at the house of a Mr. Demelly,

secretary to the court of policy, where I daily breakfasted; and with

whose lady Joanna, but fifteen years of age, was a very remarkable

favourite. Rather taller than the middle size, she was possessed of the

most elegant shape that nature can exhibit, moving her well-formed

limbs with more than common gracefulness. Her face was full of native

modesty, and the most distinguished sweetness; her eyes, as black as

ebony, were large and full of expression, bespeaking the goodness of

her heart; with cheeks through which glowed, in spite of the darkness

of her complexion, a beautiful tinge of vermillion, when gazed upon.

Her nose was perfectly well formed, rather small; her lips a little

prominent, which, when she spoke, discovered two regular rows of teeth,

as white as mountain snow; her hair was a dark brown inclining to

black, forming a beautiful globe of small ringlets, ornamented with

flowers and gold spangles. Round her neck, her arms, and her ancles,

she wore gold chains, rings and medals: while a shawl of India muslin,

the end of which was negligently thrown over her polished shoulders,

gracefully covered part of her lovely bosom, a petticoat of rich chintz

alone completed her apparel. Bare-headed and bare-footed, she shone

with double lustre, as she carried in her delicate hand a beaver hat,

the crown trimmed round with silver. The figure and appearance of this

charming creature could not but attract my particular attention, as

they did indeed that of all who beheld her; and induced me to enquire

from Mrs. Demelly, with much surprize, who she was, that appeared to be

so much distinguished above all others of her species in the colony.

“She is, Sir,” replied this lady, “the daughter of a respectable

gentleman, named Kruythoff; who had, besides this girl, four children

by a black woman, called Cery, the property of a Mr. D. B. on his

estate called Fauconberg, in the upper part of the river Comewina.

“Some few years since Mr. Kruythoff made the offer of above one

thousand pounds sterling to Mr. D. B. to obtain manumission for his

offspring; which being inhumanly refused, it had such an effect on his

spirits, that he became frantic, and died in that melancholy state soon

after; leaving in slavery, at the discretion of a tyrant, two boys and

three fine girls, of which the one now before us is the eldest [13].

“The gold medals, &c. which seem to surprize you, are the gifts which

her faithful mother, who is a most deserving woman towards her

children, and of some consequence amongst her cast, received from her

father (whom she ever attended with exemplary affection) just before he

expired.

“Mr. D. B. however, met with his just reward: for having since driven

all his best carpenter negroes to the woods by his injustice and

severity, he was ruined, and obliged to fly the colony, and leave his

estate and stock to the disposal of his creditors; while one of the

above unhappy deserters, a samboe [14], has by his industry been the

protector of Cery and her children. His name is Jolycœur, and he is now

the first of Baron’s captains, whom you may have a chance of meeting in

the rebel camp, breathing revenge against the Christians.

“Mrs. D. B. is still in Surinam, being arrested for her husband’s

debts, till Fauconberg shall be sold by execution to pay them. This

lady now lodges at my house, where the unfortunate Joanna attends her,

whom she treats with peculiar tenderness and distinction.”

Having thanked Mrs. Demelly for her account of Joanna, in whose eye

glittered the precious pearl of sympathy, I took my leave, and went to

my lodging in a state of sadness and stupefaction. However trifling,

and like the style of romance, this relation may appear to some, it is

nevertheless a genuine account, and on that score I flatter myself may

not entirely be uninteresting to others.

When reflecting on the state of slavery altogether, while my ears were

stunned with the clang of the whip, and the dismal yells of the

wretched negroes on whom it was exercised, from morning till night; and

considering that this might one day be the fate of the unfortunate

mulatto I have been describing, should she chance to fall into the

hands of a tyrannical master or mistress, I could not help execrating

the barbarity of Mr. D. B. for having withheld her from a fond parent,

who by bestowing on her a decent education and some accomplishments,

would probably have produced, in this forsaken plant, now exposed to

every rude blast without protection, an ornament to civilized society.

I became melancholy with these reflections; and in order to

counterbalance, though in a very small degree, the general calamity of

the miserable slaves who surrounded me, I began to take more delight in

the prattling of my poor negro boy Quaco, than in all the fashionable

conversation of the polite inhabitants of this colony: but my spirits

were depressed, and in the space of twenty-four hours I was very ill

indeed; when a cordial, a few preserved tamarinds, and a basket of fine

oranges, were sent by an unknown person. This first contributed to my

relief, and losing about twelve ounces of blood, I recovered so far,

that on the fifth I was able, for change of air, to accompany a Captain

Macneyl, who gave me a pressing invitation to his beautiful coffee

plantation, called Sporkesgift, in the Matapaca Creek.

Having mentioned tamarinds, I will, before we proceed on our journey,

embrace the opportunity of introducing a short description of them. The

tree on which this fruit is produced is about the size of a large

apple-tree, and is very strait, and covered with a brownish-coloured

bark; the twigs are slender, arched, and knotty, producing leaves and a

pod, which will be best known by the annexed representation, where A is

the leaf of the natural size; B the extremity of the branch; C the

fruit green and unripe; D the pulp, which is brown when in perfection;

and E the purple kernels or stones that are inclosed within it. The

upper part of the leaves are a darker green than underneath: upon the

whole, they form a very agreeable shade, on which account the

tamarind-trees are frequently planted in groves.

The male and female species bear a remarkable distinction in their

colour; that of the first having the deepest hue.

I shall not presume to be minute with respect to the medicinal

qualities of these or any other vegetable in Guiana, which are as amply

as I believe justly described by Dr. Bancroft, in his letters to Dr.

Pitcairn, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in London, except

in mentioning such efficacy as I have found them to possess by my own

experience, and which consists in the pulp; which when preserved is a

most delicious refreshment in hot climates: it is a laxative, and when

dissolved with water, makes a very cooling and agreeable beverage, and

is much recommended in all diseases, particularly in fevers.

We now set out from Paramaribo for Sporkesgift, in a tent-boat or

barge, rowed by eight of the best negroes belonging to Mr. Macneyl’s

estate; every body, as I have already mentioned, travelling by water in

this colony.

These barges I cannot better describe than by comparing them with those

that accompany what is usually styled the Lord Mayor’s Show on the

river Thames. They are, however, somewhat less, though some are very

little inferior in magnificence, and are often decorated with gilding

and flags, filled with musicians, and abound in every convenience. They

are sometimes rowed by ten and even by twelve oars, and being lightly

built, sweep along with astonishing celerity. The rowers never stop,

from the moment they set out till the company is landed at the place of

destination; but continue, the tide serving or not, to tug night and

day, sometimes for twenty-four hours together, singing a chorus all the

time to keep up their spirits. When their labour is over, their naked

bodies still dripping with sweat, like post-horses, they headlong, one

and all, plunge into the river to refresh themselves:—

“The wanton courser thus, with reins unbound,

Breaks from his stall, and beats the trembling ground;

Pamper’d and proud, he seeks the wonted tides,

And laves in height of blood his shining sides.”

We now passed a number of fine plantations, but I could not help taking

particular notice of the Cacao estate, called Alkmaar, situated on the

right side in rowing up the river Comewina, which is no less

conspicuous for its beauty than for the goodness of its proprietor, the

invaluable lady the widow Godefroy, whose humanity and friendship must

always be remembered by me with gratitude.

At our arrival on the estate Sporkesgift, I had the pleasure to be the

spectator of an instance of justice which afforded me the greatest

satisfaction.

The scene consisted in Mr. Macneyl’s turning the overseer out of his

service, and ordering him to depart from the plantation in an inferior

boat, called a ponkee [15], to Paramaribo, or wherever he thought

proper; which was instantaneously put in execution. The cause of his

disgrace was having, by bad usage and cruelty, caused the death of

three or four negroes. His departure was made compleatly joyful to all

the slaves, by an holiday, which was spent in festivity, by dancing and

clapping hands on a green before the dwelling-house windows.

The overseer’s sentence was the more ignominious and galling, as at the

time of receiving it a negro foot-boy, who was buckling his shoes, was

ordered back, and he was desired to buckle them himself. The spirited

conduct of this planter, the joy of his negroes, the salubrity of the

country air, and the hospitable manner in which we were entertained at

his estate, had such an effect on my constitution and my spirits, that

on the ninth I returned, if not recovered, at least greatly benefited,

to Paramaribo. But I should be guilty of partiality, did I not relate

one instance, which throws a shade over the humanity even of my friend

Macneyl.

Having observed a handsome young negro walk very lamely, while the

others were capering and dancing, I inquired into the cause of his

crippled appearance; when I was informed by this gentleman, that the

negro having repeatedly run away from his work, he had been obliged to

hamstring him, which operation is performed by cutting through the

large tendon above one of the heels. However severe this instance of

despotism may appear, it is nothing when compared with some barbarities

which the task I have undertaken will oblige me, at the expence of my

feelings, to relate.

On our return to the town of Paramaribo, the only news that occurred

consisted in a few shocking executions; also that the Boreas man of

war, Captain Van-de-Velde, had sailed for Holland; and that Colonel

Forgeoud had on the eighth, the Prince of Orange’s anniversary,

entertained a large company with a ball en militaire, in the officers

guard-room. The music on this occasion consisted of two fiddlers only,

who had the confidence to make the colonel pay one hundred and twenty

Dutch florins for rosin and catgut.

About this time I was attacked by a distemper called the prickly heat,

by the colonists rootvont. It begins by the skin taking a colour like

scarlet, (occasioned by a number of small pimples) and itching

inconceivably; under the garters, or any place where the circulation is

impeded, the itching is almost insupportable.

With this pest all new-comers from Europe are soon infested; the cure

is to bathe the parts with the juice of limes and water, as for the

bites of gnats or musquitoes. The prickly heat is supposed to be a

prognostic of good health by the inhabitants; which I have reason to

think true, since from that period my health and spirits were perfectly

re-established, and I was once more as happy as Paramaribo could make

me.

At this time Colonel Fourgeoud set out with a barge, to inspect the

situation of the rivers Comewina and Cottica, in case the actual

service of our troops should soon be wanted; being at his departure

saluted by the guns from Fort Zealandia, and by those of the ships in

the roads. This compliment I acknowledge astonished me, after the

coolness which took place, and was now rooted, between this gentleman

and the governor of the colony.

As we were still in a state of inaction, I made another excursion, with

a Mr. Charles Ryndorp, who rowed me in his barge to five beautiful

coffee estates, and one sugar plantation, in the Mattapaca, Paramarica,

and Werapa Creeks; the description of which I must defer to another

occasion; but on one of which, called Schoonoort, I was the witness to

a scene of barbarity which I cannot help relating.

The victim of this cruelty was a fine old negro slave, who having been

as he thought undeservedly sentenced to receive some hundred lashes by

the lacerating whips of two negro-drivers, in the midst of the

execution pulled out a knife, which, after having made a fruitless

thrust at his persecutor the overseer, he plunged up to the haft in his

own bowels, repeating the blow till he dropped down at the tyrant’s

feet. For this crime he was, being first recovered, condemned to be

chained to the furnace which distils the kill-devil [16], there to keep

in the intense heat of a perpetual fire night and day, being blistered

all over, till he should expire by infirmity or old age, of the latter

of which however he had but little chance. He shewed me his wounds with

a smile of contempt, which I returned with a sigh and a small donation:

nor shall I ever forget the miserable man, who, like Cerberus, was

loaded with irons, and chained to everlasting torment. As for every

thing else I observed in this little tour, I must acknowledge it to be

elegant and splendid, and my reception hospitable beyond my

expectation: but these Elysian fields could not dissipate the gloom

which the infernal furnace had left upon my mind.

Of the coffee estates, that of Mr. Sims, called Limeshope, was the most

magnificent, and may be deemed with justice one of the richest in the

colony. We now once more, on the sixth of April, returned safe to

Paramaribo, where we found the Westerlingwerf man of war, Captain

Crass, which had arrived from Plymouth in thirty-seven days, into which

port he had put to stop a leak, having parted company with us, as

already mentioned, off Portland, in the end of December 1772. This day,

dining at the house of my friend, Mr. Lolkens, to whom I had been, as I

have said, recommended by letters, I was an eye witness of the

unpardonable contempt with which negro slaves are treated in this

colony. His son, a boy not more than ten years old, when sitting at

table, gave a slap in the face to a grey-headed black woman, who by

accident touched his powdered hair, as she was serving in a dish of

kerry. I could not help blaming his father for overlooking the action;

who told me, with a smile, that the child should no longer offend me,

as he was next day to sail for Holland for education; to which I

answered, that I thought it almost too late. At the same moment a

sailor passing by, broke the head of a negro with a bludgeon, for not

having saluted him with his hat.—Such is the state of slavery, at least

in this Dutch settlement!

About this time, Colonel Fourgeoud made a second excursion, and now

departed with a barge, to explore the banks and situation of the river

Surinam, as he had before done those of Rio Comewina and Rio Cottica.

At this time died Captain Barends, one of the masters of the

transports, which were still kept in commission, in case they should be

wanted for our return to Europe. Five or six sailors now were buried

every day, belonging to the merchant ships, whose lamentable fate I

cannot pass by unnoticed, being actually used worse than the negroes in

this scorching climate, where, besides rowing large flat-bottomed

barges up and down the rivers, day and night, for coffee, sugar, &c.

and being exposed to the burning sun and heavy rains, and besides

stowing the above commodities in a hold as hot as an oven, they are

obliged to row every upstart planter to his estate at a call, which

saves the gentleman so many negroes, and for which they receive in

return nothing—many times not so much as a mouthful of meat and drink;

palliating hunger and thirst, by begging from the slaves a few bananas

or plantains, eating oranges and drinking water, which in a little time

relieves them from every complaint, by shipping them off to eternity.

In every part of the colony they are no better treated, but, like

horses, they must (having unloaded the vessels) drag the commodities to

the distant store-houses, being bathed in sweat, and bullied with bad

language, sometimes with blows; while a few negroes are ordered to

attend, but not to work, by the direction of their masters, which many

would willingly do to relieve the drooping sailors, to whom this usage

must be exceedingly disheartening and galling. The planters even employ

those men to paint their houses, clean their sash-windows, and do

numberless other menial services, for which a seaman was never

intended. All this is done to save the work of their negroes; while by

this usage thousands are swept to the grave, who in the line of their

profession alone might have lived for many years; nor dare the West

India Captains to refuse their men, without incurring the displeasure

of the planters, and seeing their ships rot in the harbour without a

loading;—nay, I have heard a sailor fervently wish he had been born a

negro, and beg to be employed amongst them in cultivating a coffee

plantation.

I now took an early opportunity to enquire of Mrs. Demelly what was

become of the amiable Joanna; and was informed that her lady, Mrs. D.

B. had escaped to Holland on board the Boreas man-of-war, under the

protection of Captain Van-de-Velde, and that her young mulatto was now

at the house of her aunt, a free woman, whence she expected hourly to

be sent up to the estate Fauconberg, friendless, and at the mercy of

some unprincipled overseer appointed by the creditors, who had now

taken possession of the plantation and stock, till the whole should be

sold to pay the several sums due to them by Mr. D. B.—Good God!—I flew

to the spot in search of poor Joanna: I found her bathed in tears.—She

gave me such a look—ah! such a look!—From that moment I determined to

be her protector against every insult, and persevered, as shall be seen

in the sequel.—Here, reader, let my youth, blended with extreme

sensibility, plead my excuse; yet assuredly my feelings will be

forgiven me—by those few only excepted—who delight in the prudent

conduct of Mr. Incle, to the hapless and much-injured Yarico at

Barbadoes.

I next ran to the house of my friend Lolkens, who happened to be the

administrator of Fauconberg estate; and asking his assistance, I

intimated to him my strange determination of purchasing and educating

Joanna.

Having recovered from his surprize, after gazing at me silently for

some time, an interview at once was proposed; and the beauteous slave,

accompanied by a female relation, was produced trembling in my

presence.

Reader, if you have perused the tale of Lavinia with pleasure, though

the scene admits of no comparison, reject not the history of Joanna

with contempt.—It now proved to be she who had privately sent me the

cordial and the oranges in March, when I was nearly expiring, and which

she now modestly acknowledged “was in gratitude for my expressions of

compassion respecting her sad situation;” with singular delicacy,

however, she rejected every proposal of becoming mine upon any terms.

She was conscious, she said, “that in such a state should I soon return

to Europe, she must either be parted from me for ever, or accompany me

to a part of the world where the inferiority of her condition must

prove greatly to the disadvantage of both herself and her benefactor,

and thus in either case be miserable.” In which sentiments Joanna

firmly persisting, she was immediately permitted to withdraw, and

return to the house of her aunt; while I could only intreat of Mr.

Lolkens his generous protection for her, and that she might at least

for some time be separated from the other slaves, and continue at

Paramaribo; and in this request his humanity was induced to indulge me.

On the 30th the news arrived, that the rangers, having discovered a

rebel village, had attacked it, and carried off three prisoners,

leaving four others dead upon the spot, whose right hands, chopped off

and barbecued or smoke-dried, they had sent to the governor of

Paramaribo as a proof of their valour and fidelity.

On receiving this intelligence, Colonel Fourgeoud immediately left the

river Surinam, where he still was, and on the first of May returned to

town, in expectation of his regiment being employed on actual service,

but there the business ended; and we still, to our utter astonishment,

were allowed to linger away our time, each agreeably to his own

peculiar fancy. On the 4th of May, the rangers however were reviewed in

the Fort Zealandia, at which ceremony I was present, and must confess

that this corps of black soldiers had a truly manly appearance:

warriors whose determined and open aspect could not but give me the

satisfaction of a soldier in beholding them. They here once more

received the thanks of the governor for their manly behaviour and

faithful conduct, particularly at the taking of Boucou; besides which,

they were entertained with a rural feast, at the public expence, at

Paramaribo, to which were also invited their families; and at which

feast several respectable people of both sexes made their appearance

with pleasure, to witness the happiness of their sable friends, the day

being spent in mirth and conviviality, without the least disturbance,

nay even with decorum and propriety, to the great satisfaction of the

inhabitants.

The Westerlingwerf, Captain Crass, now left the river also, bound for

Holland, but first for the colony of Demerary. Thus both ships of war

having sailed without us, there was some reason to suppose we were soon

to be employed on actual service. There were many motives, indeed, for

wishing either that this might be the case, or that we might speedily

be permitted to return to Europe. Not only our officers, but our

privates, began to feel the debilitating effects of the climate, and

many, of that continued debauchery so common in all ranks in this

settlement: and as hard labour and bad treatment constantly killed the

poor sailors, so now our common soldiers fell the victims of idleness

and licentiousness, and died frequently six or seven in a day; whence

it is evident to demonstration, that all excesses, of whatever kind,

are mortal to Europeans in the climate of Guiana.

But men will give lessons which they do not themselves observe. Thus,

notwithstanding my former resolution of living retired, I again

relapsed into the vortex of dissipation. I became a member of a

drinking club, I partook of all polite and impolite amusements, and

plunged into every extravagance without exception. I did not, however,

escape without the punishment I deserved. I was seized suddenly with a

dreadful fever; and such was its violence, that in a few days I was no

more expected to recover. In this situation I lay in my hammock until

the 17th, with only a soldier and my black boy to attend me, and

without any other friend: sickness being universal among the new-comers

to this country, and every one of our corps having so much to do to

take care of themselves, neglect was an inevitable consequence, even

among the nearest acquaintance. This, however, is a censure which does

not apply to the inhabitants, who perhaps are the most hospitable

people on the globe to Europeans. These philanthropists not only supply

the sick with a variety of cordials at the same time, but crowd their

apartments with innumerable condolers, who from morning till night

continue prescribing, insisting, bewailing, and lamenting, friend and

stranger without exception; and this lasts until the patient becomes

delirious, and expires. Such must inevitably have been my case, between

the two extremes of neglect and importunity, had it not been for the

happy intervention of poor Joanna, who one morning entered my

apartment, to my unspeakable joy and surprize, accompanied by one of

her sisters. She informed me that she was acquainted with my forlorn

situation; that if I still entertained for her the same good opinion,

her only request was, that she might wait upon me till I should be

recovered. I indeed gratefully accepted her offer; and by her

unremitting care and attention had the good fortune so far to regain my

health and spirits, as to be able, in a few days after, to take an

airing in Mr. Kennedy’s carriage.

Till this time I had chiefly been Joanna’s friend; but now I began to

feel I was her captive. I renewed my wild proposals of purchasing,

educating, and transporting her to Europe; which, though offered with

the most perfect sincerity, were, by her, rejected once more, with this

humble declaration:

“I am born a low contemptible slave. Were you to treat me with too much

attention, you must degrade yourself with all your friends and

relations; while the purchase of my freedom you will find expensive,

difficult, and apparently impossible. Yet though a slave, I have a

soul, I hope, not inferior to that of an European; and blush not to

avow the regard I retain for you, who have distinguished me so much

above all others of my unhappy birth. You have, Sir, pitied me; and

now, independent of every other thought, I shall have pride in throwing

myself at your feet, till fate shall part us, or my conduct become such

as to give you cause to banish me from your presence.”

This she uttered with a down-cast look, and tears dropping on her

heaving bosom, while she held her companion by the hand.

From that instant this excellent creature was mine;—nor had I ever

after cause to repent of the step I had taken, as will more

particularly appear in the course of this narrative.

I cannot omit to record, that having purchased for her presents to the

value of twenty guineas, I was the next day greatly astonished to see

all my gold returned upon my table; the charming Joanna having carried

every article back to the merchants, who cheerfully returned her the

money.

“Your generous intentions alone, Sir, (she said) were sufficient: but

allow me to tell you, that I cannot help considering any superfluous

expence on my account as a diminution of that good opinion which I hope

you have, and will ever entertain, of my disinterested disposition.”

Such was the language of a slave, who had simple nature only for her

instructor, the purity of whose sentiments stood in need of no comment,

and these I was now determined to improve by every care.

I shall now only add, that a regard for her superior virtues, so

singular amongst her cast, gratitude for her particular attention to

me, and the pleasure of producing to the world such an accomplished

character under the appearance of a slave, could alone embolden me to

risk the censure of my readers, by intruding on them this subject: let

this be my apology, and if it be accepted but by few, I shall not be

inclined to complain.

In the evening I visited Mr. Demelly, who, with his lady, congratulated

me on my recovery from sickness; and at the same time, however strange

it may appear to many readers, they, with a smile, wished me joy of

what, with their usual good-humour, they were pleased to call my

conquest; which, one of the ladies in company assured me, while it was

perhaps censured by some, was applauded by many, but she believed in

her heart envied by all.—A decent wedding, at which many of our

respectable friends made their appearance, and at which I was as happy

as any bridegroom ever was, concluded the ceremony; with which I shall

beg leave to conclude a chapter, which, methinks I hear many readers

whisper, had better never had a beginning.

CHAP. VI.

Account of a dreadful Execution—Fluctuating State of political

Affairs—Short Glimpse of Peace—An Officer shot dead; his whole

Party cut to Pieces, and the general Alarm revived throughout the

Colony.

On the 21st of May our Lieutenant Colonel Lantman died, and a number of

our officers lay sick.

Instead of gaiety and dissipation, disease and mortality now began to

rage amongst us; and the devastation increased from day to day among

the private men, in a most alarming proportion. The remains of the

deceased officer were interred with military honours, in the centre of

the Fortress Zealandia, where all criminals are imprisoned, and all

field officers buried. At this place I was not a little shocked, to see

the captive rebel negroes and others clanking their chains, and

roasting plantains and yams upon the sepulchres of the dead; they

presented to my imagination, the image of a number of diabolical fiends

in the shape of African slaves, tormenting the souls of their European

persecutors. From these gloomy mansions of despair, on this day, seven

captive negroes were selected, who being led by a few soldiers to the

place of execution, which is in the Savannah, where the sailors and

soldiers are interred, six were hanged, and one broken alive upon the

rack, with an iron bar; besides which a white man was scourged before

the court house, by the public executioner, who is in this country

always a black. The circumstance which led me to take particular notice

of this affair, was the shameful injustice of shewing a partiality to

the European, who ought to have been better informed, by letting him

escape with only a slight corporal punishment; while the poor

uneducated African for the same crime, viz. stealing money out of the

Town Hall, lost his life under the most excruciating torments, which he

supported without heaving a sigh or making a complaint; while one of

his companions with the rope about his neck, and just on the point of

being turned off, uttered a laugh of contempt at the magistrates who

attended the execution. I ought not in this place to omit, that the

negro who flogged the white man inflicted the punishment with the

greatest marks of commiseration. These transactions almost induced me

to decide between the Europeans and Africans in this colony, that the

first were the greater barbarians of the two—a name which tarnishes

Christianity, and is bestowed on them in too many corners of the globe,

with what real degree of justice I will not take on me to determine.

Having testified how much I was hurt at the cruelty of the above

execution, and surprized at the intrepidity with which the negroes bore

their punishment, a decent looking man stepped up to me, “Sir, (said

he) you are but a new-comer from Europe, and know very little about the

African slaves, or you would testify both less feeling and surprize.

Not long ago, (continued he) I saw a black man suspended alive from a

gallows, by the ribs, between which, with a knife, was first made an

incision, and then clinched an iron hook with a chain; in this manner

he kept alive three days, hanging with his head and feet downwards, and

catching with his tongue the drops of water (it being in the rainy

season) that were flowing down his bloated breast. Notwithstanding all

this he never complained, and even upbraided a negro for crying while

he was flogged below the gallows, by calling out to him—You man?—Da boy

facy? Are you a man? you behave like a boy. Shortly after which he was

knocked on the head by the commiserating sentry, who stood over him,

with the butt end of his musket.”—“Another negro, (said he) I have seen

quartered alive; who, after four strong horses were fastened to his

legs and arms, and after having had iron sprigs driven home underneath

a every one of his nails on hands and feet, without a motion, he first

asked a dram, and then bid them pull away, without a groan; but what

afforded us the greatest entertainment, (continued he) were the

fellow’s jokes, by desiring the executioner to drink before him, in

case there should chance to be poison in the glass, and bidding him

take care of his horses, lest any of them should happen to strike

backwards. As for old men being broken upon the rack, and young women

roasted alive chained to stakes, there can nothing be more common in

this colony.”—I was petrified at the inhuman detail; and breaking away

with execrations from this diabolical scene of laceration, made the

best of my way home to my own lodgings.

On the 24th, having received a supply of provisions from Holland, and

absolutely doing no service in the colony, it was universally resolved

that we should proceed home; our regiment, notwithstanding its being

partly paid by the United Provinces, still being exceedingly chargeable

to the society and the inhabitants, who, in conjunction, paid all other

expences; thus, in the hopes of sailing in the middle of June, the

transports were ordered a second time to wood, water, and make all

other necessary preparations.

I must say nothing of what I felt on this occasion; I continued,

however, not long in this state of suspense; for the following day

intelligence being brought that a plantation was demolished, and the

overseers murdered by the rebels, our stay was prolonged a second time,

at the request of the governor himself and inhabitants; and, in

consequence, the three transports, which had since February the 9th

been kept waiting at a great expence, were finally put out of

commission, and the provisions stowed at the head-quarters in a

temporary store-house erected for that purpose.

The minds of the people began now to be quieted, finding at last that

the troops were in earnest preparing for actual service, a circumstance

greatly, indeed, to be lamented as to the occasion, but certainly much

better for the colony, than to let the regiment linger away an idle

life at Paramaribo.

Thus our warlike preparations for some days proceeded, and our marines

appeared in excellent spirits; when again, on the 7th of June, to our

unutterable surprize, we were for the third time officially acquainted,

that things seeming quiet, and presuming that tranquillity was at last

re-established, the colony of Surinam had no farther occasion for our

services; these fluctating councils did not fail to produce much

discontent among the military, as well as the inhabitants; and cabals

were formed, which threatened to break out into a civil contest.

Some charged the governor with being jealous of the unlimited power

which was vested in Colonel Fourgeoud, who was also by many others

blamed as abusing that power, and as not treating the governor with

that civility, which he might have evinced without lessening his own

consequence. Thus, while one party acknowledged us to be the bulwark of

the settlement, by keeping the rebels in awe, the opposition hesitated

not to call us the locusts of Egypt, who were come to devour the fruits

of the colony.

Without entering into the merits of the question, it is sufficient to

say, that our life was rendered very uncomfortable, and a great number

of us could not help thinking, that between the two parties we were but

ill treated. This same day, while at dinner on board a Dutch vessel in

the roads, the company were alarmed by the most tremendous clap of

thunder I ever heard in my life. On our side of the continent, several

negroes and cattle were killed by lightning; while, on the other side,

nearly at the same time, the city of Guatimala, in Old Mexico, was

swallowed up by an earthquake, by which eight thousand families are

said to have instantly perished.

On the 11th, the ships, being taken again into commission, were ordered

with all possible expedition to prepare for our final departure, and

every one was making himself ready for the voyage.

Being thus apparently disengaged from military service, I received a

polite invitation from a Mr. Campbel, who was lodged with a Mr. Kerry

at my friend Kennedy’s, to accompany him on a visit to the island of

Tobago, where I might recruit my debilitated health and dejected

spirits. His plan was to return with me by the Leeward Islands to

Europe. It was, indeed, to me a most agreeable offer, all things

considered, and I should certainly with pleasure have accepted it, had

not my application to Colonel Fourgeoud been prevented by a fresh

alarm, which was received on the 15th. The substance of this was no

less, than that an officer of the Society troops had been shot dead by

the rebels, and his whole party, consisting of about thirty men,

entirely cut to pieces. So alarming a piece of intelligence could not

fail to throw the whole colony once more into the utmost confusion and

consternation; the above gentleman, whose name was Lepper, and only a

lieutenant, was in a great measure the cause of this misfortune, by his

impetuosity and intrepidity, totally unregulated by temper or conduct

[17]; but as this censure in general terms may appear severe, it

becomes in some degree incumbent on me to relate the particulars.

The period when this unhappy event took place, was that which, in the

language of the colony, is termed the short dry-season. During this,

Mr. Lepper having been informed that between the rivers Patamaca and

Upper Cormootibo, a village of negroes had been discovered by the

rangers some time before; he determined with his small party, which was

only a detachment from the Patamaca post, to sally through the woods

and attack them. But the rebels being apprized of his intentions by

their spies, which they constantly employ, immediately marched out to

receive him; in his way they laid themselves in ambush, near the

borders of a deep marsh, through which the soldiers were to pass to the

rebel settlement. No sooner had the unfortunate men got into the swamp

and up to their arm-pits, than their black enemies rushed out from

under cover, and shot them dead at their leisure in the water, while

they were unable to return the fire more than once, their situation

preventing them from re-loading their musquets. Their gallant

commander, being imprudently distinguished by a gold-laced hat, was

shot through the head in the first onset. The few that scrambled out of

the marsh upon the banks were immediately put to death in the most

barbarous manner, except five or six, who were taken prisoners and

carried alive to the settlement of the rebels. The melancholy fate of

these unfortunate men, I shall, in a proper place, describe, as I had

it since from those that were eye-witnesses of it.

The intelligence had scarcely reached Paramaribo, than the whole town

was in a tumult; some parties were so vehement that they were ready to

tear the governor and council to pieces, for having dismissed Colonel

Fourgeoud with his regiment; while others ingenuously declared, that if

we were intended for no further use than we had hitherto been, our

company might without regret be dispensed with. All this could not but

be exceedingly galling to our officers, who wished nothing more than to

be employed on actual service for the advantage of the colony. On the

other side, most bitter lampoons were spread through the town against

the governor and his council; libels of such a black and inflammatory

nature, that no less than a thousand gold ducats were offered as a

reward for the discovery of their author, with a promise of concealing

the name of the informer if he required it: but the whole was to no

purpose, and neither author nor informer made their appearance; the

general clamour however still continuing, the governor and council were

forced a third time to petition us to remain in Surinam, and to protect

the distracted colony. To this petition we once more condescended to

listen, and the ships were actually a third time put out of commission.

We, however, still continued doing nothing, to the unspeakable surprize

of every person concerned: the only part on duty, hitherto, having

consisted of a subaltern’s guard at the head-quarters, to protect the

chief, his colours, his store-houses, pigs and poultry, which guard

regularly mounted every day at half past four o’clock, and another on

board the transports, until the provisions had been stowed on shore in

the magazines. This, a few field-days excepted, when the soldiers were

drilled for pomp alone in a burning sun till they fainted, comprehended

the whole of our military manœuvres. But I perceive the reader is

already impatient for some information respecting these two

extraordinary men, who, from their inveteracy and opposition to each

other, as well as from other causes, were the authors of these

unaccountable and fluctuating proceedings; and the outlines of these

two characters may perhaps assist in unravelling the mystery.

As the ingredients of flattery or fear make but a small part of that

man’s composition who presumes to give them, and who pretends perfectly

to have known both, the reader may depend on having them painted in

their true original colours, however strong the shades.

Governor Nepveu was said to be rather a man of sense than of learning,

and was wholly indebted to his art and address, for having risen to his

present dignity from sweeping the hall of the court-house. By the same

means he was enabled, from nothing, to accumulate a fortune, by some

computed at no less than eight thousand pounds sterling annually, and

to command respect from all ranks of people, no person ever daring to

attack him but at a distance. His deportment was affable, but ironical,

without ever losing the command of his temper, which gave him the

appearance of a man of fashion, and rendered his influence almost

unbounded. He was generally known by the appellation of Reynard, and

was most certainly a fox of too much artifice to be run down by all the

hounds in the colony.

Colonel Fourgeoud was almost exactly the reverse of this portrait. He

was impetuous, passionate, self-sufficient, and revengeful: he was not

cruel to individuals, but was a tyrant to the generality, and caused

the death of hundreds by his sordid avarice and oppression. With all

this he was partial, ungrateful, and confused; but a most indefatigable

man in bearing hardships and in braving dangers, not exceeded by

Columbus himself, which, like a true buccaneer, he sustained with the

most heroic courage, patience, and perseverance. Though unconquerably

harsh and severe to his officers, he was however not wanting in

affability to the private soldiers. He had read, but had no education

to assist him in digesting what he read. In short, few men could talk

better, but on most occasions few could act worse.

Such were the characters of our commanders, while the opposition of two

such men to each other could not fail to produce unhappiness to the

troops, and operated as a sufficient cause for the fluctuating state of

political affairs in this dejected colony.

As we still continued totally inactive, I am necessarily deprived of

the pleasure of relating any of our hero’s warlike atchievements.—To

relieve the sameness of the narrative, I therefore take the liberty of

describing one of his favourites.—This was no other than a bird called

the toucan, and in Surinam banarabeck or cojacai, either from its bill

having some resemblance to that fruit, or from its being accustomed to

feed on it, and perhaps from both. This animal the colonel kept hopping

tame amongst his poultry.

The toucan is not larger than a tame pigeon, and yet its beak is no

less than six inches in length, if not more. It is shaped like a

jackdaw, carrying its tail almost perpendicular, except when it flies:

its colour is black, except a little white under the throat and breast,

which is bordered with red in the form of a crescent reversed, and a

few feathers above and under its tail, some white and some crimson. The

head is large, with a blueish ring round the eyes, of which the iris is

yellow, and its ash-coloured toes are much like those of a parrot. Its

remarkable beak deserves the most particular attention, which is

serrated, and of a size utterly disproportioned to its body. This beak,

however, which is arched, is as thin as parchment, and consequently

very light; it is yellow on the top, and on the sides of a beautiful

deep orange, inclosing a tongue which bears a strong resemblance to a

feather. The toucan feeds on fruit, especially pepper, and is very

domestic.

I shall here also take the opportunity to describe another tame bird,

which I saw with pleasure at the house of Mr. Lolkens, and which I take

to be what we call the fly-catcher; they denominate it in this country

sun-fowlo, because when it extends its wings, which it frequently does,

there appears, on the interior part of each wing, the most beautiful

representation of a sun. This bird is about the size of a woodcock, and

of a golden colour, but speckled; its legs are very long, and also its

slender bill, which is perfectly strait, and very pointed. With this it

darts at the flies while they creep, with such wonderful dexterity and

quickness, that it never misses the object, which seems to constitute

its principal food; and this property renders it both useful and

entertaining. This bird might, with some degree of propriety, be styled

the perpetual motion, its body making a continual movement, and its

tail keeping time like the pendulum of a clock.

Having described these two contrasts in appearance, I must add, that

neither they, nor any of those birds in Guiana which are remarkable for

their beautiful plumage, ever sing with any degree of melody, three or

four perhaps excepted, whose notes are sweet, but not varied. Of these

I shall speak at a proper opportunity.

“———— ——— ——— For Nature’s hand,

That with a sportive vanity has deck’d

The plumy nations, there her gayest hues

Profusely pours. But if she bids them shine,

Array’d in all the beauteous beams of day,

Yet, frugal still, she humbles them in song.”

One bird more I shall only mention in this place, which may be

considered as the rival of the mock-bird, viz. the Caribbean wren. This

bird, which is called by the Surinam colonists Gado fowlo, or the bird

of God, probably from its familiarity, inoffensiveness, and its

delightful music, is rather larger than the English wren, which in its

plumage it much resembles; it frequently perches upon the

window-shutters with the familiarity of the robin. From its enchanting

warbling, it has been honoured by many with the name of the South

American nightingale.—But to proceed with my narrative.

On the 21st died Mr. Renard, one of our best surgeons, who was buried

the same afternoon, a process quite necessary in this hot country,

where putrefaction so instantaneously takes place, and more especially

when the patient dies of a putrid fever, which is in this country

extremely frequent. This dreadful disease first appears by bilious

vomiting, lowness of spirits, and a yellowish cast of the countenance

and eyes; and unless proper remedies be immediately applied, the

distemper becomes fatal, and certain death in a few days is the

consequence. The belly-hatty, or dry-gripes, by some compared to the

Devonshire cholic, is also a common complaint in this country, and not

only causes excruciating pains, but is exceedingly dangerous. This also

had now attacked a great number of our people. As to the causes of this

disorder I can give no account. The prevailing symptom is an obstinate

costiveness, which they endeavour to remove by a quantity of castor oil

taken internally, and also injected by the rectum.

It was, indeed, lamentable to observe the state to which we were

already reduced, from a corps of the finest, healthiest young men that

ever sailed from Europe, with blooming fresh complexions, now changed

to the sallow colour of a drum-head. It was no alleviation of the

calamity to reflect, that all this waste of life and health had been

hitherto to no purpose; though some persons chose to report, that the

whole was no more than a political scheme to have another regiment

added to the war-establishment in Holland, as Colonel De Salve’s

marines had been before: but to this others gave but very little

credit.

Of the hospitality of the country at least we could not complain, since

this was actually one of the principal sources of our misfortunes, and

we were likely in a few months to be caressed to death by the

civilities of the men, and the kindness of the ladies: a circumstance

which rendered Surinam a real Capua to these brave fellows.

On the 27th of June, the gentleman-like Lieutenant-Colonel Baron de

Gersdorph died, much regretted indeed by every person; while the grim

King of Terrors, conscientiously beginning at the head of the corps

with the field officers, could not fail to afford some consolation to

the inferior gentry who succeeded to their places, by the appointment

of Colonel Fourgeoud, the commander in chief, who himself exhibited as

yet no symptoms of mortality. Major Becquer was now made

lieutenant-colonel, and a Captain Rockaph advanced to the rank of

major.

The European animals that live in this country are no less debilitated

and diminutive than the human species. The oxen, for instance, are very

small [18], and their beef not near so delicate as it is in Europe,

owing probably to their perpetual perspiration, and the coarseness of

the grass on which they feed, which is not so good as that of the salt

marshes in Somersetshire. On the banks of the Oronoque the oxen run

wild, and are sold by the Spaniards for two dollars per head. A single

piece of ready-roasted beef is often sent from Europe to Guiana as a

most valuable and delicate present. The manner of preserving the meat

for this long voyage, when roasted, is by putting it in a block-tin box

or cannister; then filling up the empty space with gravy or dripping

till it is perfectly covered over; after which the box must be made

fast and soldered round about, so that neither air nor water can

penetrate: by this means I was told it may be with safety carried round

the globe.

The sheep in this country are so small that, when skinned, they seem

not larger than young lambs in Whitechapel market; they have no horns

nor wool, but strait hair, and are to an European but very indifferent

eating: the more so, since all beef, mutton, &c. must be consumed the

same day that it is killed, which causes it to eat tough, while keeping

it longer exposes it to putrefaction. Neither of these animals are

natural to Guiana: the breed has been imported from the Old Continent.

So also was the breed of the hog, but with far better success; for

these animals, in my opinion, thrive better in South America than in

Europe. The hogs here are large, fat, good, and plentiful; as in

England, they feed on almost every thing that is eatable, and on the

estates are often fattened with green pineapples, a fruit which grows

spontaneously in this climate, and of which they are exceedingly fond.

As for the poultry, nothing can thrive better; the common fowls are

here as good and as plenty as in any country, but smaller, and their

eggs differ in shape, being more sharp-pointed. A smaller species of

the dunghill kind, with rumpled inverted feathers, seems natural to

Guiana, being reared in the inland parts of the country by the Indians

or natives. The turkeys are very fine, and so are the geese, but the

ducks are excellent, being of the large Muscovy species, with crimson

pearls betwixt the beak and the head: these are here juicy, fat, and in

great plenty.

After the various delays we had experienced, the reader will be

surprized to learn that the hour of action at last arrived, and all the

officers and men were ordered to be ready at a minute’s warning to set

out on actual service, though our little corps was already melted down

from five hundred and thirty able men to about three-fourths of that

number, by death and sickness, the hospital being crouded by invalids

of every kind. The loss of so large a proportion of men was supplied in

a manner that will appear extraordinary to a European.

There were two negroes, one called Okera, the other Gowsary, two

desperadoes, who had both been rebel captains in the colony of Berbice,

and who, for taking Atta their chief, and delivering him to the

governor of that settlement, had received their pardon. By these two

men the most inhuman murders had been committed on the Europeans in the

year 1762, when the revolt was in the above colony. These were now

admitted as private soldiers in our regiment, and were Colonel

Fourgeoud’s greatest favourites.

Before we left Paramaribo, I had an opportunity of seeing two very

extraordinary animals of the aquatic kind; the one was in Mr. Roux’s

cabinet of curiosities, and is called in the colony jackee, in Latin,

rana piscatrix. This fish is about eight or ten inches long, without

scales, exceeding fat and delicate, as I can testify by experience, and

is found in all narrow creeks and marshy places. But what is extremely

remarkable is, that this creature, however incredible it may appear,

absolutely changes to a perfect frog, but not from a frog to a fish, as

Merian, Zeba, and some random historians (among whom I am sorry to name

Westley) have been pleased to assert; and of this truth I was at this

time fully satisfied, by seeing the above animal dissected, and

suspended in a bottle with spirits; when the two hinder legs of a very

small frog made their appearance, growing inside from that part of the

back to which usually the intestines are fixed. I nevertheless humbly

presume to suppose, in this case, that the jackee is neither more nor

less than a kind of tadpole, which grows to a large size before it

undergoes the usual transformation.

The other animal I saw at the house of my friend Kennedy: this is what

Dr. Bancroft calls the torporific, and others the electrical eel, and

which Dr. Firmyn supposes to possess the same qualities with the

torpedo. This wonderful animal is of a lead-blue colour, formed in a

great measure like an eel, with one large fin that runs below from head

to tail, not unlike the keel of a ship. It lives only in fresh water:

its length is called by some three feet, and by others is asserted to

be not less than four or five times as much [19]. When this animal is

touched by the hand, or any rod of metal or hard wood, it communicates

a shock, the impulse of which produces the same effect as electricity;

and Dr. Firmyn has even assured me, that the shock of this electrical

eel has been communicated to him through the bodies of eight or ten

people, who stood hand in hand for the purpose of trying the

experiment.

For my own part, all that I can say concerning this animal is, that I

saw it in a tub full of water, where it appeared to be about two feet

long; that I threw off my coat, and having turned up my shirt-sleeves,

tried about twenty different times to grasp it with my hand, but all

without effect, receiving just as many electrical shocks, which I felt

even to the top of my shoulder, to the great entertainment of Mr.

Kennedy, to whom I lost a small wager on the occasion. The electrical

eel swims forward or backward at pleasure, it may be eaten with the

greatest safety, and is even by many people thought delicious.

It has been said, that this animal must be touched with both hands

before it gives the shock, but this I must take the liberty of

contradicting, having experienced the contrary effect: it is also

alledged, that they have been found in Surinam above twenty feet long,

but one of that length never yet came within the scope of my

observation; nor have I ever heard of any person being killed by them,

according to the account which is given by the same author, Alexander

Gardon, M. D. F. R. S. in a letter to John Ellis, Esq. dated

Charlestown, South Carolina, August 14th, 1774.

It is a painful circumstance, that the narrative of my travels must so

frequently prove the record of cruelty and barbarity: but once for all

I must declare, that I state these facts merely in the hope that it

may, in some mode or other, operate for their future prevention. Before

my departure, I was informed of a most shocking instance of depravity,

which had just occurred. A Jewess, impelled by a groundless jealousy,

(for such her husband made it appear) put an end to the life of a young

and beautiful Quadroon girl, by the infernal means of plunging into her

body a red-hot poker. But what is most incredible, and what indeed will

scarcely be believed in a civilized country, is, that for this most

diabolical crime the murderess was only banished to the Jew-Savannah, a

village which I shall afterwards describe, and condemned in a trifling

fine to the fiscal or town-clerk of the colony.

Another young negro woman, having her ancles chained so close together

that she could scarcely move her feet, was knocked down with a cane by

a Jew, and beaten till the blood streamed out of her head, her arms,

and her naked sides. So accustomed, indeed, are the people of this

country to tyranny and insolence, that a third Israelite had the

impudence to strike one of my soldiers, for having made water against

his garden-fence. On this miscreant I took revenge for the whole

fraternity, by wresting the offending weapon out of his hand, which I

instantly broke into a thousand pieces on his guilty naked pate.

I nevertheless was just enough to flog another man out of the regiment,

for picking a Jew’s pocket: and, to their credit be it mentioned, that

so jealous are the Dutch soldiers of what they call a point of honour,

that were a thief to be known, and kept in the ranks, the whole

regiment would lay down their arms. This etiquette is of great utility,

and would be no bad practice to be introduced into some other armies,

where a thief is too often accounted as good as another, if he is so

fortunate as to be six feet high.

About this time Colonel Fourgeoud issued the following orders, viz.

that in case it ever happened that two officers, or under-officers, of

equal rank, the one of the European the other of the Society corps,

should meet on any military duty, the first should always take the

command, independent of seniority, unless the latter bore a higher

commission.

We now seriously prepared for victory or death, on board the wooden

walls of the Colony, which consisted of half a dozen crazy old sugar

barges, such as are used by the colliers in the Thames, being only

roofed over with boards, which gave them the appearance of so many

coffins; and how well they deserved this name, I am afraid will too

soon appear by the number of men they buried.

On the first of July were dispatched for the river Comewina, one

captain, two subalterns, one serjeant, two corporals, and eighteen men.

Of this captain, I cannot help mentioning a very singular

circumstance—the first day we landed in this colony, having entered the

lodging on which he was billetted, his landlady declared she should

ever pride herself in shewing all the civility in her power to either

marines or naval officers, as she owed her life to one of them, who had

some years before picked her up in an open boat with several others,

after they had been tossed about sixteen days without either compass,

sail, or provisions, a little sea-biscuit and water excepted, on the

Atlantic ocean. To avoid circumlocution, this very gentleman, whose

name was Tulling Van Older Barnevelt, proved to be the individual

officer who had saved her from the jaws of death, as he at that time

belonged to the navy, being a lieutenant of a Dutch man of war.

This same day we also dispatched another barge with two subalterns, one

serjeant, one corporal, and fourteen men, commanded by Lieutenant Count

Randwyck, to the river Pirica; and in the evening, having entertained

some select friends in my house, I bade farewell to my Joanna, to whose

care I left my all; and herself to the protection of her mother and

aunt, with my directions for putting her to school until my return:

after which, I at last marched on board, with four subalterns, two

serjeants, three corporals, and thirty-two men under my command, to be

divided into two barges, and bound for the upper part of the river

Cottica.—

Now my Mulatto cast a mournful look,

Hung on my hand, and then dejected spoke;

Her bosom labour’d with a boding sigh,

And the big tear stood trembling in her eye.

The above barges were all armed with swivels, blunderbusses, &c. and

provided with allowance for one month: their orders were (that which

went to the Jews Savannah excepted) to cruize up and down the upper

parts of the rivers, each barge having a pilot, and rowed by negro

slaves, ten of which were on board of each for the purpose, and which

made my complement, including my black boy Quaco, exactly sixty-five,

thirty-five of which embarked with myself. With this ship’s company was

I now stowed in my hen-coop; while on board of my lieutenant’s barge

the crew consisted of twenty-nine only, and consequently were less

crowded.

I must take notice that from our first landing in Surinam till this

time our private men were paid in silver coin, which the captains had

proposed to exchange for card money, at the rate of ten per cent. gain

for them; by which the poor fellows would have benefited between two

and three hundred pounds sterling per annum, to buy refreshment: but

Colonel Fourgeoud insisted they should continue to receive their little

pittance in coin, which in small sums was of no more value than paper;

and I thought unaccountably hard, since this was hurting the whole,

without profit to one single individual. One thing more I must remark,

which is, that all the officers who were now proceeding upon duty

continued to pay at the mess, which cost each captain at the rate of

forty pounds; but for which, in his barge, he was to receive in

provisions after the rate of ten pounds (thus he lost thirty pounds;

and these provisions were salt beef, pork, and pease) on an equal

footing with the private soldiers, a few bottles of wine excepted. But

certainly some greater indulgence was due, and I must say necessary, to

officers, who were going to be stationed where absolutely no kind of

refreshment was to be had, being surrounded by the most horrid and

impenetrable woods, beyond the hearing of a cannon-shot from any port

or plantation whatever. This was not the case with the other barges,

who were stationed in the midst of peace and plenty, being within view

of the most beautiful estates. We were indeed pitied by all ranks

without exception; who foreseeing our approaching calamities, crouded

my barge with the best commodities they had to present, which they

insisted upon my accepting. But the reader will have a better idea of

the liberality of my benefactors from the following list, than from any

encomiums which I could pass upon it:

24 Bottles of best claret,

12 Ditto of Madeira,

12 Ditto of English porter,

12 Ditto of English cyder,

12 Ditto of Jamaica rum,

2 Large loaves of white sugar,

2 Gallons of brandy,

6 Bottles of muscadel,

2 Gallons of lemon-juice,

2 Gallons of ground coffee,

2 Large Westphalia hams,

2 Salted bullocks tongues,

1 Bottle of Durham mustard,

6 Dozen of spermaceti candles.

From this specimen the reader will easily perceive, that if some of the

inhabitants of the colony of Surinam shew themselves the disgrace of

the creation, by their cruelties and brutality, others, by their

hospitality and social feelings, approve themselves an ornament to the

human species.—With this instance of virtue and generosity, I therefore

conclude this chapter; and trust I shall ever be found more ready to

record the good actions of my fellow-creatures, than to remark their

defects.

CHAP. VII.

Armed Barges are sent up to defend the Rivers—Description of the

Fortress New Amsterdam—A Cruise in the upper Parts of Rio Cottica

and Patamaca—Great Mortality among the Troops—View of the Military

Post at Devil’s Harwar.

On the third of July, 1773, at four o’clock in the morning, the fleet

cast off from their moorings, and with the ebb tide rowed down as far

as the fortress New Amsterdam, where, being wind and tide bound, we

dropped anchor off the battery.

It may not be improper, in this place, to describe the dress of our

marines, which was blue turned up with scarlet, short jackets, and

leather caps. They carried a musquet, sabre, and pistols; a large

wallet or knapsack across one shoulder, and their hammocks slung over

the other. While in the woods, they wore trowsers and check shirts,

with short linen frocks, as most adapted to the climate.

Having first reviewed both my ship’s companies, viz. four subalterns,

two serjeants, three corporals, thirty-two privates, two pilots, twenty

negroes, and my black boy Quaco; and having placed the arms, consisting

of blunderbusses, swivels, &c. stowed the luggage, and slung the

hammocks, I perused my orders, which were to cruise up and down Rio

Cottica, between the Society posts, La Rochel at Patamaca, and

Slanswelvaren above the last plantation, to prevent the rebels from

crossing the river, to seize or kill them if possible, and protect the

estates from their invasions: in all which operations I was to be

assisted, if necessary, by the troops of the Society on the above

posts, with whom I was also to deliberate on the proper signals to be

given in case of an alarm.

Having now time and opportunity, I visited the fortress called New

Amsterdam.

This fortification was began in the year 1734, and finished in 1747. It

is built in the form of a regular pentagon, with five bastions, being

about three English miles in circumference, surrounded by a broad

fosse, which is supplied from the river, and defended by a covert way,

well palisadoed. Its foundations are a kind of rocky ground; and its

principal strength by water a large bank of mud off the point,

supported by a strong battery of cannon, which prevents even

flat-bottomed vessels from making any approach in that quarter; and by

crossing the fire of the guns with the opposite redoubts, Leyden and

Purmerent, it protects the entry of both the rivers, Surinam and

Comewina, as I have said before: it has, besides, powder-magazines and

victualling-offices, and is well provided with all the other necessary

buildings for the use of a strong garrison. There are even a

corn-windmill, and a cistern which will hold above a thousand hogsheads

of water. This in fact is no more than necessary; since, according to

my opinion, it will take the whole army of Surinam to defend so large

an extent for any length of time. Adjoining to the fortress is also a

large spot of ground, well stocked with plantains, yams, &c. in order

to feed the Society slaves, which are kept here, at the colony’s

expence, to work at the fortifications, under the inspection of a

proper overseer.

In this fort is generally stationed a small garrison, commanded by an

officer of the artillery, which obliges all vessels whatever to

bring-to, shew their colours, and salute them with seven guns each, the

compliment being answered with three guns from the battery, and the

hoisting of a flag on the ramparts. I shall only add, that this

fortress is, on the north-east side, surrounded with bogs and

impenetrable bushes, and that the spot was, from these circumstances,

formerly called the Tyger’s Hole.

Having described Fort New Amsterdam, I cannot leave it without taking

notice of some very remarkable fish, which are always seen in great

quantities near this fortress, and which have actually four eyes,

swimming constantly with two above and two under the water. These

fishes are about the size of a smelt, and swim in shoals with

incredible velocity; they seem principally to delight in brackish

water, are accounted no bad eating, and are called coot-eye by the

inhabitants of the colony.

This evening my sentinel being insulted by a rowboat, which damned him,

and spoke of the whole crew in the most opprobrious terms, I

immediately manned the canoe, and gave chace; but by the help of

hoisting a small sail, and the intervention of a dark night, the rogue,

who kept course towards Baram’s Point, had the good fortune to escape

my resentment.

On the fourth of July, in the morning, we weighed anchor; and having

doubled the Cape, rowed with the flood till we arrived before

Elizabeth’s Hope, a beautiful coffee plantation, where the proprietor,

Mr. Kleynhans, inviting us on shore, shewed us every civility in his

power, and loaded my barge with refreshing fruits, vegetables, &c. He

told us that he pitied our situation from his heart, and foretold the

miseries we were going to encounter, the rainy season being just at

hand, or indeed having already commenced, by frequent showers,

accompanied with loud claps of thunder. “As for the enemy,” said he,

“you may depend on not seeing one single soul of them; they know better

than to make their appearance openly, while they may have a chance of

seeing you from under cover: thus, Sir, take care to be upon your

guard—but the climate, the climate will murder you all. However,”

continued he, “this shews the zeal of your commander, who will rather

see you killed, than see you eat the bread of idleness at

Paramaribo.”—This pleasant harangue he accompanied with a squeeze by

the hand. We then took our leave, while the beautiful Mrs. Dutry, his

daughter, shed tears at our departure.—This evening we anchored before

the Matapaca Creek.

I here created my two barges men of war, and named them the Charon and

the Cerberus, by which names I shall distinguish them during the rest

of the voyage; though the Sudden Death and Wilful Murder were much more

applicable, as will be seen. We now continued rowing up the river

Cottica, having passed, since we entered Rio Comewina, some most

enchantingly beautiful estates of coffee and sugar, which line the

banks of both these rivers, at the distance of one or two miles from

each other.

My crew having walked and drest their dinner ashore on the plantation

l’Avanture, we anchored, on the evening of the 5th, before Rio Pirica.

On the following day we rowed still further up the river Cottica, and

went on shore on the estate Alia. At all the above plantations we were

most hospitably received, but we met with fewer plantations as the

river grew narrower.

On the 7th we continued our course, and having walked ashore on the

estate Bockkestyne, being the last plantation up the river Cottica on

the right, except one or two small estates in Patamaca, at night we

cast anchor at the mouth of Coopman’s Creek. This day the Charon was on

fire, but happily it was soon extinguished.

On the 8th, we again kept rowing upwards, and at eleven o’clock A. M.

cast anchor off the Fort Slanswelvaren, which was guarded by the troops

of the Society. Here I stepped on shore, with my officers, to wait on

Captain Orzinga, the commander, and delivered three of my sick men into

his hospital; where I beheld such a spectacle of misery and

wretchedness as baffles all imagination: this place having been

formerly called Devil’s Harwar, on account of its intolerable

unhealthiness—a name by which alone I shall again distinguish it, as

much more suitable than that of Slanswelvaren, which signifies the

welfare of the nation.

Here I saw a few of the wounded wretches, who had escaped from the

engagement in which Lieutenant Lepper, with so many men, had been

killed; and one of them told me the particulars of his own miraculous

escape:—“I was shot, Sir,” said he, “with a musquet-bullet in my

breast; and to resist or escape being impossible, as the only means

left me to save my life I threw myself down among the mortally wounded,

and the dead, without moving hand or foot. Here in the evening the

rebel chief, surveying his conquest, ordered one of his captains to

begin instantly to cut off the heads of the slain, in order to carry

them home to their village, as trophies of their victory: this captain,

having already chopped off that of Lieutenant Lepper, and one or two

more, said to his friend, Sonde go sleeby, caba mekewe liby den tara

dogo tay tamara; The sun is just going to sleep, we must leave those

other dogs till to-morrow. Upon saying, which (continued the soldier)

as I lay on my bleeding breast, with my face resting on my left arm,

he, dropping his hatchet into my shoulder, made the fatal wound you

see, of which I shall perhaps no more recover.—I however lay quite

still. They went away, carrying along with them the mangled heads of my

comrades, and five or six prisoners alive, with their hands tied behind

their backs, of whom I never since have heard. When all was quiet, and

it was very dark, I found means, on my hands and feet, to creep out

from among the carnage, and get under cover in the forest, where I met

another of our soldiers, who was less wounded than myself; with whom,

after ten days wandering, in torment and despair, without bandages, not

knowing which way to proceed, and only one single loaf of black bread

for our subsistence, we at last arrived at the military post of

Patamaca, emaciated, and our putrefied wounds full of live worms.”

I gave the miserable creature half-a-crown; and having agreed with

Captain Orzinga upon the signals, we left this pest-house, and stepping

on board my man of war, rowed up till we arrived before a creek, called

Barbacoba, where we once more came to an anchor.

On the following day we continued to row farther up the river, till we

came before the Cormoetibo Creek, where we moored the fleet, as being

my head station, by Colonel Fourgeoud’s command. Here we saw nothing

but water, wood, and clouds; no trace of humanity, and consequently the

place had a most dismal, solitary appearance.

On the 10th I detached the Cerberus to her station, viz. Upper

Patamaca; for which place she rowed immediately, with a long list of

paroles, according to my orders, but which were never of any service.

We now tried to cook the victuals on board; our furnace was a large tub

filled with earth, and we succeeded, at the expence of having almost

scalded one of my men to death, and at the hazard of setting the barge

once more on fire. As we had no surgeon along with us, this office fell

to my lot; and, by the help of a small chest of medicines, I performed

so well, that in a few days the scalded marine recovered.

To prevent, however, a similar accident again, I sought an opening in

the creek above-named, which having found not very far from the mouth,

I ordered my negroes to build a shed, and my men to dress their

victuals below it, placing sentinels around them to prevent a surprize,

and in the evening we returned to our station. This cooking we

continued to perform every day, until the fourteenth, when we rowed

down to Barbacoba.

Here we built another shed on the 15th, for the same purpose; and then,

the rain already beating through my decks, we rowed down to Devil’s

Harwar for repair, where I put one of my negroes sick in the hospital.

On the 16th, I got my deck caulked and payed, and sent an account of

our arrival to Colonel Fourgeoud.

On the 17th, we returned to Cormoetibo Creek, having lost an anchor

among the roots of the mangrove-trees that on both sides line the banks

of all the rivers in the colony. These trees are of two species, the

red and the white, but the former is that of which I now speak: it

rises from a number of roots that shew themselves above ground for

several feet before they are joined together, and form the trunk, which

is both large and tall; the bark is grey on the outside, but the inside

is red, and used for tanning leather. The wood is reddish, hard, and

good for building and other purposes; but the most remarkable property

of this tree is, that from its extended branches, and even its trunk,

descend thousands of ligneous shoots, like the ropes of a ship, which

dropping to the earth, take root and again re-ascend, forming for a

great circumference an impenetrable thicket, while, like so many props,

they keep the tree steady in all weathers. The white mangrove is found

mostly in places more distant from the water.

This evening my sentinel, when it was very dark, called out that he saw

a negro, with a lighted tobacco-pipe, cross the Cormoetibo Creek in a

canoe. We lost no time in leaping out of our hammocks; but were not a

little mortified, when one of my slaves declared it was no more than a

fire-fly on the wing—which actually was the case.

These insects are above an inch long, with a round patch under the

belly, of a transparent greenish colour, which in the dark gives a

light like a candle: its eyes are also very luminous, and by the light

of a couple of these flies one may see very well to read small print.

There is another species, which is smaller, and only to be observed

when they fly elevated, at which time they appear like the intermitting

sparks of fire emitted from the forge of a blacksmith.

On the 18th, having nothing else to do, I shot a bird, which is here

called a tigri-fowlo, or tiger-bird, but which I take to be of the

heron species; it is about the size of a heron, but of a reddish

colour, covered over with regular black spots, from which it has

derived its name: its bill, which is long and strait, as also the legs

and toes, are of a pale green colour, and seem to indicate that it

lives upon fish: the neck is also long, from which hangs down a kind of

hoary feathers. On the head, which is small, it has a roundish black

spot, and its eyes are a beautiful yellow.

By a water-patrole from the Cerberus I received intelligence this

evening, that the men began to be sickly; and on the following day I

was informed, that on the spot where we had dressed our victuals, in

the Cormoetibo Creek, and which is on the rebel side of the river, a

strong detachment had lately been murdered by the enemy. I therefore

ordered the shed to be burnt to the ground, and the meat to be dressed

on board the barges. Here all the elements now seemed to unite in

opposing us; the water pouring down like a deluge, the heavy rains

forced themselves fore and aft into the vessel, where they set every

thing afloat; the air was infested with myriads of musquitoes, which,

from sun-set to sun-rising, constantly kept us company, and prevented

us from getting any sleep, and left us in the morning besmeared all

over with blood, and full of blotches. The smoak of the fire and

tobacco, which we burnt to annoy them, was enough to choak us; and not

a foot-step of land could we find, where we might cook our salt

provisions in safety. To all this misery may be added, that discord

broke out between the marines and the negroes, with whom, as promises

or threats had as yet no weight, I was obliged to have recourse to

other means. I tied up the ringleaders of both parties; and after

ordering the first to be well flogged, and the latter to be

horse-whipped for half an hour, after due suspence and expectation, I

pardoned them all without one lash. This had equally the effect of the

punishment, and peace was perfectly re-established; but to prevent

approaching disease was totally out of my power. Not all the golden

rules in Doctor Armstrong’s beautiful poem upon health could avail in

this situation.

We rowed down on the 20th, till we arrived before the Casepoere Creek,

in hopes of meeting some relief, but were equally uncomfortable. So

very thick were the musquitoes now, that by clapping my two hands

together, I have actually killed to the number of thirty-eight at one

stroke.

In rowing down to Barbacoeba, we saw one or two beautiful snakes swim

across the river. In the course of our progress we occasionally met

with a little relief, by stepping ashore under the shade. I now had

recourse to the advice of an old negro.—“Caramaca,” said I, “what

methods do you take to preserve your health?”—“Swim every day twice or

thrice, Sir,” said he, “in the river. This, Masara, not only serves for

exercise where I cannot walk, but keeps my skin clean and cool; and the

pores being open, I enjoy a free perspiration. Without this, by

imperceptible filth, the pores are shut, the juices stagnate, and

disease must inevitably follow.” Having recompensed the old gentleman

with a dram, I instantly stripped and plunged headlong into the river.

I had, however, no sooner taken this leap, than he called to me for

God’s sake to come on board; which having done with much astonishment,

he reminded me of the alligators, as well as of a fish which is here

called pery.—“Both these, Sir,” said he, “are exceedingly dangerous,

but by following my directions you will run no hazard. You may swim

entirely naked, only take care that you constantly keep in motion; for

the moment you are quiet, you run the risk of their snapping off a

limb, or being dragged to the bottom.”

Having mentioned the alligator, I shall take the liberty to offer to

the reader (though he cannot but have met with some account of this

creature in reading different voyages) some particulars which I have

myself observed, or of which I have been informed on the best

authority.

It is an amphibious animal, and found in most rivers in Guiana; its

size is from four to eighteen or twenty feet in length; the tail as

long as the body, both of which are on the upper part indented like a

saw, its shape being something like a lizard; the colour on the back is

a yellowish brown, approaching to black, variegated on the sides with

greenish shades, the belly being a dirty white; the head is large, with

a snout and eyes somewhat resembling those of a sow; the last

immoveable, and guarded each by a large protuberance or hard knob. The

mouth and throat, extremely wide, are beset with double rows of teeth,

that can snap almost through any bone: it has four feet, armed with

claws and hard sharp-pointed nails. The whole animal is covered over

with large scales, and a skin so thick that it is invulnerable, even by

a musquet-ball, except in the head or the belly, where it is most

liable to be wounded; its flesh is eaten by the natives, but is of a

musky taste and flavour, owing it is said to a kind of bags or bladders

which are on the inside of each limb. The alligator lays its eggs on

the shore to a great number in the sand, where they are hatched by the

sun, the males eating the greater portion of them. On land this animal

is not dangerous for want of activity, but in the rivers, where he is

often seen lurking for his prey, with his muzzle alone above water,

something like the stump of an old tree, he is truly tremendous to all

that approach him; yet of man, as I have seen, he is afraid, during the

time he keeps his hands and feet in motion, but no longer. Some negroes

even have the courage to attack and vanquish the alligator in his own

element, notwithstanding his violent strength and unequalled ferocity,

being particularly fond of human flesh.

The difference between the above animal and the crocodile (which is

also found in Surinam) consists not merely in the name, but in the

shape and in the nature also, the latter being longer and more slender

in proportion, and not so ferocious; the alligator or cayman (as called

by the natives and negroes) is besides more frequently met with than

the crocodile, which partly may be the cause of its being supposed to

be more destructive. I shall only add, that in Asia there is a

considerable difference to be found upon a nice examination between the

above two reptiles, where they are also larger than they are in any

parts of America.

Had it not been for an accident, these creatures would never have been

known by any other name than that of crocodile: for had the first

navigators seen any thing more resembling their form than a lizard,

they would have adopted that which the Indians called them by, viz. the

cayman; but the Spanish sailors remarking their great resemblance to

that little reptile, they called the first of them which they saw

lagarto, or lizard. When our countrymen arrived, and heard that name,

they called the creature a-lagarto, whence is derived the word

alligato, or alligator.

The great advantage of such repositories of Natural History as the

British Museum is, that they enable the lover of nature and truth to be

satisfied by his own eyes of the extraordinary and almost incredible

productions of nature. In the above-named collection may be seen a

crocodile, differing in some particulars, but chiefly in its

dimensions, from the creatures of the same name in other parts of

India. Though so numerous in Bengal, I never heard upon good authority

of one much larger than this, which measures, above twenty-one feet. It

was taken in the river Indus, but not till it had received on many

parts of its body several three-pound balls, many of which could not

penetrate, or produce the least effect against his scales.

As I cannot so easily produce my voucher, I must pledge my veracity for

another specimen, which I have myself seen; which proves to me that

there have been some of this species of more than twice the size of

that which may be measured in the Museum.

At Maestricht, in 1781, I saw the head of a crocodile petrified, which

had been dug out of Mount Saint Pierre: the body of which, by

calculation, must have measured above sixty feet in length.—Query,

when, or how, did this animal come there? Yet there with astonishment I

beheld it, in the possession of a priest, who since sent it to Paris as

a very great curiosity.

In Guiana there are said to be lizards of the size of five or six feet;

but that species which is here called the iguana, and by the Indians

the wayamaca, is seldom above three feet long. From the head to the

extremity of the tail, it is covered over with small scales, reflecting

very brilliant colours in the sun; the back and legs are of a dark

blue, the sides and belly of a yellowish kind of green, as also the bag

or loose skin which hangs under its throat. It is spotted in many parts

with brown and black, and its eyes are a beautiful pale red, while the

claws are of a deep chesnut colour.

This lizard, like the alligator, has its back and tail indented, both

which are formed into a sharp edge. It lays its eggs in the sand, and

is often seen among the shrubs and plants, where the Indians shoot it

with their bows and arrows. These people esteem its flesh, which is

very white, as a great delicacy; it is sold dear at Paramaribo, and

bought as a dainty by many of the white inhabitants. This creature’s

bite is extremely painful, but seldom attended with bad consequences.

But to return to my negro Caramaca, I acknowledge his account at first

discouraged me from the plan of daily bathing for health; but finding

by following his direction that the dangers he represented were to be

avoided, I resolved to follow it, and derived great benefit from the

practice as long as I remained in the colony. This negro also advised

me to walk bare-footed and thinly dressed. “Now is the season,

Massera,” said he, “to use your feet to become hard, by walking on the

smooth boards of the vessel; the time may come when you will be obliged

to do so for want of shoes, in the midst of thorns and briers, as I

have seen some others. Custom,” said he, “Massera, is second nature:

our feet were all made alike. Do so as I advise you; and in the end you

will thank old Caramaca. As for being thinly dressed,” continued the

negro, “a shirt and trowsers is fully sufficient; which not only saves

trouble and expence, but the body wants air, as well as it does water:

so bathe in both when you have the opportunity.”—From that moment I

followed his counsels, to which, besides being cleanly and cool, I in a

great measure ascribe the preservation of my life. I now frequently

thought on Paramaribo, where I enjoyed all the delicacies of life;

while here I was forced to have recourse to many expedients much worse

than any savage; yet should I not have repined had any person profited

by our sufferings.—But I am forgetting the articles of war, viz.

implicitly to obey, and ask no questions.

Having, on the 22d, sent my serjeant and one man sick to the hospital

at Devil’s Harwar, we now rowed again to the head station before

Cormoetibo Creek.

Here one of my negroes caught some fish, amongst which was the

torporific eel already described, which he dressed and eat with his

companions; the others were the pery and que-quee: the pery was that

mentioned by the old slave as dangerously rapacious. This fish is

sometimes near two feet long, of a flattish make, scaly, and of a

blueish colour; the mouth large, and thick set with sharp teeth, which

are so strong, and the pery so voracious, that it frequently snaps off

the feet of ducks when swimming, nay even the toes, the fingers, and

the breasts of women. The que-quee may be called a fish in armour,

being covered over from head to tail with brown coloured moveable

rings, sliding the one over the other, and joined like those of a

lobster, which serve for its defence in place of scales. This last is

from six to ten inches long, with a large head and of a roundish shape.

Both the pery and the que-quee are very good eating.—But I must for

some time lay aside the description, and return to my journal.

The 23d, being the day appointed by Captain Orzinga and myself for the

trial of the signals, at twelve o’clock precisely the whole number of

blunderbusses and swivels were fired at Devil’s Harwar on board the

Charon, and on board the Cerberus still stationed at Patamaca; which

proved to be to no purpose, no person on board either of the vessels

having been able to hear the report of the guns fired by the other.

During this, however, I met with a small accident, by firing myself one

of the blunderbusses, which I placed like a musquet against my

shoulder; when I received such a stroke by its rebounding as threw me

backward over a large hogshead of beef, and had nearly dislocated my

right arm. This however it seems was owing to my ignorance of the

manner of using the blunderbuss, as I have since been informed that all

such weapons ought to be fired under the hand, especially when heavy

charged; and then by swinging round the body suddenly, the force of the

rebound is broken, and the effect scarcely sensible. I insert this only

to shew in what manner heavy-loaded muscatoons ought always to be

fired; especially since, without any aim, the execution from their wide

mouth is almost equally fatal.

On the 26th, by a canoe that came down from Patamaca, I received

intelligence that the Cerberus was in danger of being surprised by the

enemy, who had been discovered hovering round about her; and the part

of the river where she was moored being very narrow, I considered her

situation as critical. I therefore immediately rowed the Charon up

before the Pinneburgh Creek; and having manned the yawl, as being the

most expeditious, went myself, with six men, to their assistance: but

was agreeably surprised at finding the whole to be a false alarm. In

the evening we returned back to our station. In rowing down I was

astonished at being hailed by a human voice, which begged me for God’s

sake to step on shore. This I did, with two of my men; when I was

accosted by a poor old negro woman, imploring me to afford her some

assistance. It seems she was the property of a Jew, to whom belonged

the spot of ground where I found her, and where the poor creature lived

quite alone, in a hut not larger than a dog-kennel, surrounded by a

wilderness, with only a few plantain-trees, yams, and cassava, for her

support. She was no longer of use to work on the great estate, and was

banished here only to support her master’s right to the possession,

since this spot had been ruined by the rebels. Having left with her a

piece of salt beef, some barley, and a bottle of rum, I took my leave,

when she offered me in return one of her cats: but this I could not

accept, for by this token, I mean upon the information of the cats, my

negro rowers firmly insisted that she must be a witch; which evinces

that this superstition is not confined to Europe.

In this creek, the banks of which on both sides are covered with

mangrove-trees, thorns, and briers, we found floating on the surface of

the water a kind of large white nut, which seemed to have dropped of

themselves by ripeness from the shell. They are sweet, crisp, and

exceedingly good eating; but I neglected to inquire from what tree they

had fallen. A kind of water shrub, called the mocco-mocco, is here also

to be found in great quantities. It grows about six or eight feet high,

thick at bottom, jointed and prickly all the way to the top, where it

is very small, and divided into three or four large smooth oval leaves,

which possess almost the quality of blistering by their violent

adhesion to the skin.

As we approached the Charon in the evening, I found my sentinel fast

asleep, which enraged me so much, that having quietly entered on board

the barge, I fired my pistol close to his ear, just over his head,

assuring him that I would the next time blow it through his brains: the

whole crew flew to their arms, and the poor fellow had nearly leaped

into the water. But however it might be necessary to threaten in this

manner, at a post where a surprize might be fatal, it would have been

excessive cruelty to have executed it in such a situation, where the

bite of the musquitoes rendered it impossible to reckon upon sleep at

stated times; and thus the interruption of it at one time made the

approach of it unavoidable at another.

We now returned, on the 27th, to Cormoetibo Creek, where my negroes,

having been ashore to cut wood for the furnace, brought on board a poor

animal alive, with all its four feet chopped off with the bill-hook,

and which lay still in the bottom of the canoe. Having freed it from

its torment by a blow on the head, I was acquainted that this was the

sloth, called loyaree or heay by the natives, on account of its

plaintive voice. It is about the size of a small water-spaniel, with a

round head something like that of a monkey, but its mouth is remarkably

large; its hinder legs are much shorter than those before, to help it

in climbing, being each armed with three very large and sharp claws, by

which it holds its body on the boughs, but which, as being offensive

weapons, my negroes had so cruelly chopped off: its eyes are languid,

and its voice is squeaking, like that of a young cat. The greatest

particularity of this creature however is, that its motion is so very

slow, that it often takes two days to get up to the top of a moderate

tree, from this it never descends while a leaf or a bud is remaining;

beginning its devastation first at the top, to prevent its being

starved in coming to the bottom, when it goes in quest of another,

proceeding incredibly slow indeed while on the ground. Some say, that

to avoid the pain of exercising its limbs, it forms itself into a ball,

and drops down from the branches: that may be true or not, but this I

know to be a fact, that it cannot mend its pace.

Of these animals there are two species in Guiana, viz. the Ai and the

Unan; but in Surinam distinguished by the names of the Sicapo and Dago

luyaree, or the Sheep and the Dog Sloth, on account of their hair; that

of the first being bushy, and of a dirty grey, while the other is lank

and reddish-coloured. This last has also but two claws on each foot,

and the head is less round than the former. Both these creatures, by

forming themselves in a clew, have often more the appearance of

excrescences in the bark, than that of animals feeding upon the

foliage, which frequently prevents them from being discovered by the

natives and negroes, who devour their flesh with avidity.

Now came down from Patamaca, on the 28th, Lieutenant Stromer, the

commander of the Cerberus, in a burning fever, and scorched by the sun

in an open canoe, drinking cold water from the river as his only

relief. In this situation, a Jew soldier, of the Society post La

Rochelle, accompanied him, with the account that the rebels had

actually passed the creek two days before, one mile above the last

estate, as had been first reported, viz. marching from east to west.—He

at the same time delivered to me a negro woman, with a sucking infant,

who had formerly been stolen by the rebels, and had now found means to

make her escape. From below I received also the news, that Major Medlar

had sent to town from the Jew Savannah two dried hands of the enemy,

killed by the rangers; that an officer with ten men and some provisions

were landed at Devil’s Harwar, there to be under my command; and that

one of my marines at that place was dead. The same dispatches brought

an order for me to look out for a dry spot, and, if possible, to build

a temporary storehouse.

I immediately detached my lieutenant, Mr. Hamer, to take the command of

the Cerberus, and having weighed anchor, rowed down till I arrived

before the Casepory Creek, where we passed such a night as no pen can

describe:—The sick groaned, the Jew prayed aloud, the soldiers swore,

the negroes intreated, the women sung, the child squeaked, the fire

smoked, the rains poured down, and the whole vessel stunk to such a

degree, that I began to think myself but little better off than the

unfortunate persons who were confined in the black hole at Calcutta. At

six o’clock the next morning, however, the joyful sun broke through the

clouds, and I dropped down with the Charon before Devil’s Harwar.

On the 29th, I delivered my sick officer and five sick men, besides my

other passengers, for whom I had done all that was in my power, but

that was very little; and having stowed the newly-arrived provisions in

a proper place, I once more returned to my dreadful station, where I

came to an anchor on the first of August.

The following day, between the showers, we saw great numbers of

monkies, of which I shot one, and having had no fresh meat for a long

time, I ordered it to be dressed, and eat it with a good appetite. We

were at this time in a shocking situation, not only wanting

refreshment; but the men’s cloaths and hammocks were rotting from day

to day, not only from their being almost constantly wet, but being also

composed of the very worst materials sent from Holland.

On the third, I received the account that Lieutenant Stromer was dead

at Devil’s Harwar.

On the fourth, we dropped down before the place, to bury him directly,

in the hope of doing it with decency, but we were disappointed; for

having contrived to make a coffin of old boards, the corpse dropped

through it before it reached the grave, and exhibited a shocking

spectacle: we nevertheless found means to go through the rest of the

interment with some decorum, having covered it over with a hammock by

way of a pall; then fired three vollies with all the troops that had

strength to carry arms. This being over, I regaled the officers with a

glass of wine, and once more took a farewell of Devil’s Harwar.

On the sixth, having first written to Colonel Fourgeoud, to acquaint

him that the rebels had passed above La Rochelle, and that I had found

a spot for a magazine at Barbacoeba, I informed him also of the death

of my lieutenant, Mr. Stromer; and recommended my serjeant, who had

been an officer of hussars, for advancement.

To give the reader some idea of this spot called Devil’s Harwar, I will

here take the opportunity to describe it.

This place was formerly a plantation, but is now entirely occupied by

the military, who keep here a post, to defend the upper parts of the

river Cottica. The soil is elevated and dry, which makes it the more

remarkable that it should be so extremely unwholesome, yet such it

certainly is: and here hundreds of soldiers have been buried. It lies

on the right side of the river as you go upwards, and had formerly a

path of communication with the river Pirica, on which were a few

military guards; but this is now little frequented, and quite

overgrown.

The buildings on Devil’s Harwar are all made of the pina or

manicole-tree; which tree, and the manner of using it for houses, &c. I

shall afterwards attempt to describe: but now must content myself with

only saying, that on this post the buildings consist of a

dwelling-house for the commanding-officer, with four very good rooms;

another for the subalterns; a good lodge for the private soldiers; and

an hospital for the sick, which is large and roomy: but this is no more

than is necessary, as it never is without inhabitants. There is also a

powder and victualling magazine, proper kitchens, a bake-house, &c.

besides a well with fresh water. The Society troops feed a flock of

sheep, pigs, and poultry at this place, for the use only of the

hospital: here was also at this time a cow, which had been allotted for

the rangers after Boeccow was taken, but the feast had not been kept at

this place. She had now a calf, and afforded milk for the officers to

their tea, &c. but for us poor fellows in the barges there was nothing

at all of the kind. I may add, that some of the officers had also

little gardens here, which afforded them sallad, &c.

The circumstance which renders Devil’s Harwar so unhealthy, in my

opinion, is the myriads of musquitoes that prevent the people from

rest, and the multitudes of chigoes or sand-fleas which abound in that

station.

On the seventh, I arrived again at Cormoetibo Creek, where I resolved

to make a landing on the south shore at all hazards, for my own

soldiers to cook their beef and barley; concluding it as well to be

shot by the enemy at once, as to be gradually consumed to death on

board the Charon. It was, however, a difficult task to find the

smallest spot for the purpose, the whole of that shore being so very

marshy, and over-grown with every kind of underwood, that we could

scarcely put our new project in execution; till at last, my negroes

having made a temporary kind of bridge, to step from the yawl upon a

small speck of dry ground, and having formed a slight shed of

manicole-leaves to keep off the rain, we found means to keep in a fire,

and were infinitely more comfortable than we were on board the Charon.

Our danger in this situation, however, was certainly greater than in

our former station; since an old rebel settlement was not very far from

this place, which was called Pinneburgh, from a neighbouring creek;

though others alledge that it obtained this name from the sharp pins

stuck in the ground, like crow-feet, or cheveux de frize, with which

the rebels had formerly fortified and defended it. Notwithstanding this

village had been demolished, it was well known that the rebels still

frequently visited the spot, to pick up some of the yams and casadas

(which the ground continued, in its uncultivated state, to produce) for

a temporary subsistence. I was indeed almost absolutely convinced that

the rebels, who had lately passed above La Rochelle in Patamaca, were

at this moment encamped at the above spot Pinneburgh, and ready to

commit some depredations on the estates on the river Cottica or Pirica,

if not to attack ourselves; on this account I always kept double

sentinels round the landing-place, and gave orders that no men should

be allowed to speak or make any kind of noise while on that spot, in

order that we might hear the smallest rustling of a leaf, and so

obviate our danger by vigilance and alacrity.

On the 8th my other officer Macdonald fell sick, but refused to be sent

to Devil’s Harwar, as he would not suffer me to be left quite by

myself.

I have said that we had no surgeon, but carried with us a parcel of

medicines, which consisted of emetics, cathartics, and powders, of

which I knew not the proper use. At their desire, however, I daily

distributed them to the men, who, loading their stomachs with heavy

salt provisions, and using no exercise, had sometimes occasion for art

to assist nature. But these briny meals of pork and beef, Colonel

Fourgeoud insisted were much more wholesome food in a tropical country

than fresh provisions; for, by a most curious theory, he asserted that

the latter corrupted in the stomach by the heat, whereas the others

underwent a proper digestion. Unfortunately for us, there were but few

on board either the Cerberus or the Charon, whose stomachs were in a

state to digest such food. I had also some plaisters on board the

barge, but these were soon expended by the running ulcers, with which

the whole crew was covered; and this was easily accounted for, since in

this climate, where the air is impregnated with myriads of invisible

animalcula, the smallest scratch immediately becomes a running sore.

The best antidote and cure for such complaints in this country is lemon

or lime acid, but this we had not. The next best mode of treatment is

never to expose an open wound, or even the smallest scratch, to the

air; but the instant they are received, to cover them with grey paper

wetted with spirits, or any kind of moisture, so that it may stick to

the skin. For my own part, no man could enjoy a better state of health

than I continued to enjoy, wearing nothing but my long trowsers, and

checked shirt loose at the collar and turned up in the sleeves. Nay,

even when the sun was not too hot, I stripped all together, and twice

every day continued to plunge into the water: by these means I was

always cool and clean; I also daily used a cheering glass of wine,

having first hung it a few fathoms under water, which rendered it much

more cool and pleasant.

During all these hardships, I must not forget the high gratification

which was afforded us one day by a few marcusas that we found in this

place, which had been left there standing ever since the estate, many

years ago, had been destroyed. There was indeed but one single old

tree, I should rather say a shrub, for the plant which bears them falls

more properly under that description. This delicious fruit is of an

oval form, and of an orange or golden colour; the blossom resembling

the passion-flower. They are commonly larger, but some less than a

hen’s egg, and are broken open as one would break an egg; they are then

found to inclose an ash-coloured succulent jelly, full of small seeds.

This is sipped out of the shell, being sweet mixed with acid, of an

exquisite flavour, and so cool that it reminds one of ice marmalade.

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 ... Volume 1 (of 2) · 第 16 / 19 章

The regular troops from Europe that belong to the society of Surinam,