About this time the Hind, an English frigate, with her tender, were on the coast, looking out for American prizes.
The 24th, being the Prince of Orange’s birth-day, the whole corps of officers were entertained with salt beef, salt pork, barley puddings, and hard pease, by Colonel Fourgeoud. And this day (poor Joanna being inflexible in her resolutions) I ratified the agreement with the good Mrs. Godefroy, in presence of her mother and other relations, whereby the above lady bound herself “never to part with her, except to myself alone, as long as she lived; and that upon her death, not only her full liberty, [[301]]but a spot of ground for cultivation, besides a neat house built upon it, should be her portion for ever, to dispose of as she pleased.” After this she returned my remaining bond of 900 florins, and gave Joanna a purse with gold containing near twenty ducats, besides a couple of pieces of East India chintz, advising me at the same time “to give in a request to the court for little Johnny’s immediate manumission; which,” she observed, “was a necessary form, whether I should be able to obtain the bail usually required or not; and without which formality, even if I had the bail ready to appear, nothing would be done in the course of business.”
Having both of us thanked this most excellent woman, I went to sup with the Governor, where being transported with joy, I gave him my request in full form, which he coolly put in his pocket with one hand, while he gave me a hearty squeeze with the other; and shaking his head, told me frankly, “that he would lay it before the court; but at the same time was perfectly convinced my boy must die a slave, unless I could find the necessary bail, which he was at the same time well persuaded very few people would wish to appear for.” Thus, after spending so much time and labour, besides the expence of above a hundred guineas already paid, I had still the inexpressible mortification to see this dear little fellow, of whom I was both the father and the master, exposed to perhaps eternal servitude; as for Joanna, she was now perfectly safe, to my heartfelt satisfaction. [[302]]
One consolation, however, in the midst of this disappointment, most opportunely presented itself. The famous negro, Graman-Qwacy, formerly mentioned, who was just returned from Holland, brought the news, that partly by his interest a new law was there enacted, by which all slaves were to be free six months after their landing at the Texel; which, indeed, on application of their masters, might be extended to twelve, but not a single day longer on any account whatsoever.—Thus being persuaded that I should one day joyfully carry both him and his mother over the Atlantic, my heart was greatly relieved.
Of this Graman-Qwacy I will beg leave to give a short account, before I take farewell of the reader. Suffice it for the present to say, that the Prince of Orange, besides paying his out and homeward passage, and giving him several presents, sent him back to Surinam dressed in a suit of blue and scarlet, trimmed over with broad gold lace: on his hat he wore a white feather, and looked upon the whole not unlike one of the Dutch generals; which goodness made this king of the negroes, however, very proud, and even frequently very saucy.
On the 25th, the Governor of the colony gave a very sumptuous feast to several of his friends at his indigo-plantation, which was situated but a few miles at the back of his palace, where I had the honour to be invited as one of the party, and had the pleasure of inspecting the [[303]]process of making indigo, a detail of which will probably be acceptable.
In the first place, therefore, I shall present the curious with a drawing of the indigo plant, which is a knotty shrub produced from seed, which grows to about two feet from the ground, and comes to perfection in the space of two months. This plant requires a very rich soil, which besides ought to be kept perfectly clean from weeds. In the plate, A is the colour of the sprig; B, the leaves above; C, the same below; D, the seed inclosed in small brown pods; E, the size of the leaf as it grows; F, a piece of indigo ready made for use. The above sprig was designed from nature on the spot, but on a small scale: it has something the appearance of the tamarind branch, principally in the size of the leaf, which also grows in pairs, and is darker above than below; but at the extremity of each shoot in this shrub, one leaf grows single, which is not the case in the other. The young shoot in the tamarind-trees also appears at the extremity of the branches; but in this they spring forth, as may be seen, from the base.
The mode in which this plant is converted into indigo is as follows:—When all the verdure is cut off, the whole crop is tied in bunches, and put into a very large tub with water, covered over with very heavy logs of wood by way of pressers: thus kept, it begins to ferment; in less than eighteen hours the water seems to boil, and becomes of a violet or garter blue colour, extracting all the grain or colouring matter from [[304]]the plant: in this situation the liquor is drawn off into another tub, which is something less, when the remaining trash is carefully picked up and thrown away; and the very noxious smell of this refuse it is that occasions the peculiar unhealthiness which is always incident to this business. Being now in the second tub, the mash is agitated by paddles adapted for the purpose, till by a skilful maceration all the grain separates from the water, the first sinking like mud to the bottom, while the latter appears clear and transparent on the surface: this water, being carefully removed till near the coloured mass, the remaining liquor is drawn off into a third tub, to let what indigo it may contain also settle in the bottom; after which, the last drops of water here being also removed, the sediment or indigo is put into proper vessels to dry, where being divested of its last remaining moisture, and formed into small, round, and oblong square pieces, it is become a beautiful dark blue, and fit for exportation. The best indigo ought to be light, hard, and sparkling. In Surinam but little of it is cultivated, for what reason I know not, since one pound is sold for about four florins, which is about seven shillings in sterling money.
Sprig of the Indigo Plant.