March.
The next morning we rose at three o’clock to prepare for our last day’s
journey up the river. At a little before five we went into the boat,
accompanied by Pezano, and attended by a venerable Indian in his canoe.
We were six hours and a half rowing to the falls. On the way we saw,
within the woods at the sides of the river, several houses of the
Indians, some of which we visited; but we met fewer of the Bucks moving
in their canoes, than we had seen the preceding day. In one of the
houses we found Mrs. Mutz, the wife of the Post-holder, lying in a
hammock suspended over a fire, according to the Indian mode of sleeping.
This part of the country was diversified with hills; some of which were
more lofty than any we had passed in the course of the river, and at one
spot we observed, for the first time upon the coast of Guiana, a naked
rock of stone, hanging in huge form, over the edge of the water. It
being the only mass of the kind, I might almost say the only stone, that
I had seen in the colony, I took away a piece as a specimen of the
mineralogy of the country.
At half past eleven o’clock, we arrived at what are called _the falls_—a
term which had conveyed to my expectation the idea of a cascade, perhaps
something like the falls of Schaffhausen, or the great body of the river
pouring down from a vast height in one immense column, forming an
example of very grand, or highly picturesque scenery: but you will judge
of my disappointment, when you are informed that instead of a second
Niagara, these falls were merely the shallow water, gently rippling in
broken stream, over some irregular rocks of whinstone, which here
crossed the river from side to side, and that they more resembled the
running of an ordinary brook, than the rushing torrent of a loud-roaring
cascade. Nothing could be more tame and unimpressive. We were able to
row in the boat up to the very rocks, and even to step upon them, in the
middle of the current that was passing over them, without wetting our
shoe-tops. In no part were the falls two feet in height. The Indians are
in the habit of carrying their canoes over them, and proceeding in their
course up the river: or, in the rainy season, when the stream is more
rapid, they make a path in the bordering woods, and carry their canoes
through the forest, until they have passed the falls, and then resume
their voyage upon the water.
After inspecting all that we wished to see, and breaking off some
specimens of the rock which caused the falls, we took our dinners in the
boat, and concluded our expedition up the river by marking its date,
together with each of our names, upon a piece of paper, which we
inclosed in a glass bottle, and having corked it securely, left it
fastened up in one of the trees, upon the bank of the river.
I wish it were possible to convey to you a just idea of the joy and
happiness expressed by the negroes, upon putting about the boat to
return. From rowing a heavy load always against the current, and
sometimes against the tide, together with feeling no interest in the
voyage, nor in any way comprehending the object of it, the journey, to
them, had been very fatiguing, and they were totally at a loss to
conjecture why we should have undertaken it. Each seemed to say by his
looks, “What have ye journeyed hither to see?” and one of them even
ventured to ask, “_For what Massa come so far?_” when on being informed
that it was to see the country, and the river, he exclaimed, “_Country,
where country? River, wa’ river?_” then, all of them uttering a loud,
and most significant laugh, they plied their oars with redoubled vigour,
to conduct us back towards the sea. At the very turning of the boat all
sense of fatigue was banished, and with unurged exertion they rowed Us
to the Post-holder’s within three hours and a half; notwithstanding a
considerable delay, produced by our going on shore to ascend one of the
hills at the side of the water, which we conjectured to be about 200
feet above the level of the river.
We remarked that upon this hill the woods did not appear so thick and
crowded as they are commonly found to be upon the lower lands, nearer
the sea; but the trees were of stronger growth, and formed pillars of
uncommonly majestic stature, being, both in height and diameter,
immense. Towards the bottom, they throw out several flattened
projections, which, making so many parts of the trunk, stand round it,
like the supporting buttresses of an old cathedral, and form, between
them, deep recesses, into which it would be possible to retire for
concealment, or for protection, against the heaviest storms of rain; and
in some instances ten or twelve persons might find shelter between these
projections, within the superficies of a single tree.
We arrived at Mr. Mutz’s between six and seven o’clock, just as it was
growing dark, and found a plentiful supper, prepared by the bounteous
Post-holder, for our refreshment.
The society of Mr. Mutz and Pezano afforded us another very pleasant
evening, and I could gladly have sat until morning listening to their
anecdotes and observations; but, at an hour, which to me seemed early,
as indeed any hour would, under such circumstances, we retired to our
sleeping-births, placed as on the preceding night.
At six o’clock we again left our hammocks, when, from the chilliness of
the air, all the party complained of cold, and on placing the
thermometer at the outside of the door, the mercury fell to 66; which
was one degree below what it had been at the same hour at the Sand-hill,
and as low as I had seen it, in any situation, upon this coast.
Having effected the leading objects of our excursion, it only remained
to us to return with all speed, and exchange the wild scenery of rocks,
hills, and lofty forests, for the muddy coast, and flat fields of sugar
and cotton. Accordingly we made our acknowledgments to Pezano and the
Post-holder, and, as soon as we had breakfasted, took our seats in the
boat to proceed down the river. Early in the afternoon we arrived at the
wood-cutter’s, where we had been so hospitably received by the
intelligent black woman of the house. Unluckily the master was again
absent, but we were liberally entertained, as before, by his kind Wowski
and Mr. John Hill, the mulatto, who very quickly added to our
boat-supply a pepper-pot, some cassada, and such other provisions as the
situation afforded.
Hill had been into the woods in the morning, and killed a fine laba,
which, immediately upon our arrival, was scalded to remove its coat, and
within a few minutes it was cut in pieces, and put into the kettle with
cassada juice, pods of red pepper, and various vegetables, for the
purpose of being stewed into a most excellent pepper-pot, which in a
little time was placed on the table.
The negroes took their meal of rice, and after giving them sufficient
rest to fit them for their further toil, we proceeded upon our journey,
purposing to sleep at the Loo; but it grew late before we reached this
estate, and the tide being for some time against us, it was a day of
severe labour to the slaves, yet they supported it with great
cheerfulness; and, in their willing exertions, evinced the high
satisfaction they felt on returning towards the coast and the town.
Exclusive of delays and stoppages we were fourteen hours on the water.
Towards the end of the journey we felt extremely anxious on account of
the fatigue of the negroes; but upon one of the gentlemen saying that
“surely the Loo must have run away,” they replied with animation,
“_Neber mind Massa, if he run to de Sand-hill, we catch him dere_:”—the
Sand-hill was sixteen or seventeen miles further down the river.
The evening was peculiarly still. A dampness hung over the water, and
although the thermometer fell only to 74, the air felt chilly; but the
moon shone bright, and upon the whole it was pleasant; we felt glad,
therefore, of the opportunity of making a tranquil moonlight journey,
upon the silent river, amidst these wild and endless woods. At one spot
we heard the sound of paddles upon the water, and on listening to it,
found that a canoe was pursuing us. Presently it came up with us, and we
were accosted by some negroes, who had been despatched by the proprietor
of an estate which we had passed, to invite us to return and spend the
evening at his house. At this moment we thought ourselves nearer to the
Loo than we really were, and declined the invitation: but afterwards, on
account of the slaves, we were sorry that we had not accepted it. It was
half past ten o’clock when we arrived at the Loo, and all the family
were in bed; but they quickly roused from their repose, and, in a short
time, a supper of grilled chickens, and various other dishes was set
before us. At midnight we very willingly sought our hammocks, having
suffered nearly as much fatigue from sitting still so many hours, as the
negroes had experienced from the labour of pulling the oars.
The next morning all the party had their ears and noses actually pinched
with cold, and on observing the thermometer, we found that it had fallen
to 65¾, being ¼ of a degree lower than at the Post-holder’s. Some of the
gentlemen even complained that they had been kept awake in the night,
from the severity of the cold, which was a very unusual occurrence, and
such as I had not before witnessed in this climate.
Coffee was served to us at the hour of rising, and we afterwards sat
down to a most copious breakfast, consisting of cassada-bread, ham,
fresh butter, roasted potatoes, plantains, tea, coffee, &c. &c.
We embarked at the earliest moment of the tide, in order to make a long
day, and, if possible, to reach an estate called the _Garden of Eden_ at
night; which with great toil we did effect at half past ten o’clock: the
whole day being spent afloat. About dinner-time we found ourselves
opposite the Sand-hill, but, recollecting our former unwelcome
reception, we contented ourselves with resting upon our oars, in the
middle of the river, to take our dinner of bread and cheese, and cold
ham, without going on shore.
This day was even more severe for the negroes, than the day preceding,
but they still laboured with great willingness, being impatient to reach
the town, besides knowing that, upon the way, there was no other
convenient resting-place for the night, and that from being longer
absent than we had expected, we were all anxious to arrive at Stabroek
as speedily as possible. But, however willing the exertions of the
slaves, strong signs of fatigue were evinced, long before we came to the
Garden of Eden; and it was only by great encouragement, and a
well-devised stratagem, that we were prevented from being detained all
night on the water. Observing that they rowed with languor, and that we
made but little progress, the cockswain was desired to exchange the helm
for an oar, and to enliven his comrades with a song, encouraging them to
join in chorus, and to pull together in musical time. This operated with
magic effect. Every slave seemed to be inspired, and forgetting all
sense of weariness, they laboured with renovated spirit. We were not
more pleased with the result of the expedient, than amused by the ready
ingenuity with which our wizard cockswain composed his appropriate song,
and gave it all the effect of enchantment. Resigning the helm to the
weakest slave, he placed himself amidst the crew in the centre of the
boat, and plying his oar more vigorously than the others, he invented
extempore lines for a favorite African tune, finishing each stanza with
“_gnyaam gnyaam row, gnyaam gnyaam row_,” in which all were to join by
way of chorus; and we found that “gnyaam gnyaam row” never failed to
give additional force to the oar, and consequent head-way to our
pinnace.
The names of the slaves, their wives, their food, drink, and all their
pleasures were introduced in song, and tuned to the stroke of the oar;
likewise the names of each of the party whom they were rowing, their
professions, qualities, and occupations, and their several intentions
towards the crew, all made a part of this inspiring air, which, however
ridiculous in the words and music, in its effect succeeded even to a
wonder. The tugging of the oar, the directing of the helm, even the
position of the slaves, and the compensation each might expect, as the
reward of his toil, were all adroitly included, and “gnyaam gnyaam row”
accompanied and invigorated every stretch of the oar. Led on by these
persuasive themes, each seemed to emulate the exertions of the
all-animating cock swain, and throwing off the heavy marks of fatigue,
they conducted us merrily and speedily to “Garden-Eden.”