Demarara, April 19, 1797.
You will not be surprised to hear that, although we are removed from the
busy metropolis of England, and all the gay scenes and adventures
indicated in the _jeux d’esprit_, _bon mots_, _doubles entendres_, and
the many idly amusing histories which daily swell the columns of the
newspapers, we are not without our little cabals and intrigues, and
anecdotes, and _particular heads_ of news, which, in the absence of more
weighty occurrences, often acquire a degree of importance they do not
merit, and become the subjects of general conversation and remark. At
present the prevailing topic is not devoid of interest. It relates to a
mulatto woman called Princess Changuion, regarding whom a degree of
concern has been excited, in consequence of a proclamation which has
lately appeared in the Essequibo Gazette, and which has called forth a
sense of compassion, and of party feeling in her behalf.
She is a free mulatto, and was lately the favored dulcinea of a person
high in office: circumstances having rendered her name the general theme
of the day, her crimes, her merits, and her sufferings are warmly
canvassed in every society, and even those who never saw, nor heard of
her before, would appear, from their confident remarks, to be intimately
acquainted with every particular of her history and conduct. It has been
thought that in consequence of having committed an offence, which
certainly would not appear to be of the first magnitude, the arm of
power has been too severely extended towards her; and from the sentence
seeming to imply prejudice, it is even hinted that private, or party
pique, has had its influence in deciding the quota of punishment:
indeed, if loud whisper may be credited, her persecutors have been
exasperated against her, in proportion as others have betrayed towards
her situation feelings of compassion.
As the tale is told, some dispute had arisen between a Dutch dame, and
this yellow _princess_, in which the white lady alleged an unjust
accusation against the mulatto, and otherwise so ill treated her as to
provoke her to hold up her hand in a menacing manner; for which most
heinous offence, the poor Changuion has been subjected to an arbitrary
confinement, and sentenced to be further punished with a severe
flogging—burning in the forehead—the loss of an ear—and banishment! This
you will readily perceive, was dealing out, to a person in freedom, the
cruel treatment practised upon slaves, and for no better reason, than
because nature had given a yellow tint to her skin. The undue severity
used towards her has had the effect of animating the benevolent
exertions of those who regard her as a victim of prejudice, and it being
known that in some countries not only law and justice, but even despotic
authority might be softened by gold, due inquiries were made, and it was
understood that a _thousand guilders_, properly employed, might
mitigate, if not efface the decree. But, from the influence of a power
opposed to the party, who thus interested themselves in the cause of
humanity, the chastisement was ordered to be inflicted, at the very
moment when the thousand guilders were expected to be taken as the price
of her release. Still it happened that the iron arm of despotism was
disappointed of its blow; for, in the course of the night, preceding the
morning when this unhappy female was to have been led out to punishment,
she contrived to effect her escape from confinement; and it is
whispered, in a certain circle, that she will probably find a place of
concealment, until she can meet with an opportunity of executing the
latter part of her sentence by _self_-banishment.
You will be pleased to know that the climate upon this coast has lately
become quite salubrious, and that our sick list has rapidly decreased,
in consequence of great numbers of patients being discharged, and but
few admitted. I may also remark that we have found the month of March
the most pleasant, as well as the most healthy season of the year: not
only has the weather been drier, the breeze stronger, and the air
cooler, but we have been less subject to prickly heat, and less annoyed
with musquitoes. Happily the wings of these tormenting insects have not
been able to support their light bodies against the increased strength
of the breeze. The roads have likewise been dry, and peculiarly pleasant
for travelling, which in these colonies is no trifling consideration;
for, in consequence of their being low, and flat, and muddy, only a
moderate fall of rain leaves the highways deep in wet, and almost
impassable.
Although the month of March has been the driest of all the twelve, some
parts of October, November, and February were likewise very fine, and
the muddy roads were then, also, dry and smooth.
After long waiting, I may at last announce to you that a ship is come
in, direct from England; by which we are furnished with an ample supply
of hospital dresses, bedding, and other stores, for the accommodation of
the sick. The arrival of these things is rather late, it must be
confessed; but it will afford me the satisfaction of leaving the
department well provided, and free from the many inconveniences, to
which it has been, necessarily, exposed while under my direction.
A copy has also reached my hand of the new regulations, for improving
the situation of regimental surgeons, by doing away their
medicine-money, and other perquisites, and consolidating their pay into
a regular and specific sum: likewise for establishing their rank, and
putting them upon a footing with military officers, in respect to
quarters and field-allowances. This is an important and well-advised
arrangement, and does honor to its projector. Indeed it is matter of
surprise that the system of granting medicine-money, and other
perquisites, should have been so long continued, since it not only
offered an inadequate reward, but held out encouragement to a neglect of
duty, by lessening the emoluments of the surgeon, in proportion as he
supplied the requisite means to the sick.
But I am sorry to remark, that the new regulation, excellent as it is,
from being limited to regimental surgeons, stops short of its effect. To
have rendered it complete in its operation, it should have extended
further, and have defined the rank of the different officers of the
hospital staff: thus it might have become a general, and standard rule
for the whole medical body; and have prevented many cavillings, and
unpleasant occurrences on service; while it would have given the
department the respectability that is due to it, and have fixed its
importance among military men. As it now stands, it is manifestly
defective, from giving to a regimental surgeon a degree of rank, of
which it leaves him again divested, upon his receiving promotion to the
staff. The regulation might also have gone still further, with
additional benefit, and have fixed the title as well as the rank of the
various medical appointments, for, at present, without a due regard to
the military system, the department is branching out into multiplied
divisions, devoid of the appropriate distinctions of rank and duty.
It would perhaps be a task, which might puzzle the whole war-office,
with the army medical board included, to discriminate between the
endless ramifications and subdivisions which are made to display
themselves in the army medical code; more especially with respect to the
higher appointments, under all the various degrees of physicians and
surgeons, and deputies and assistants, and _heads_ and _principals_—such
as, “physician-general, surgeon-general, inspector-general of regimental
hospitals, inspector-general of hospitals, deputy inspector-general of
hospitals, assistant inspector-general of hospitals, director of
hospitals, inspector of hospitals, assistant inspector of hospitals,
field inspector of hospitals, head of hospitals, principal medical
officer of hospitals[3], &c. &c. &c.”
By a late arrival from head-quarters, we learn that the commander in
chief has sailed, with the expedition recently fitted out at Martinique,
and is supposed to be bound to Porto Rico. We hope soon to ascertain its
destination, by receiving happy tidings of its issue.