Whatever may be thought of Fourgeoud’s manœuvres, in not being able to bring the rebels to a pitched battle, it is very certain that he exerted himself and his troops to the utmost; and that by his constantly traversing the upper parts of the rivers, and scouring the skirts of the colony, he prevented many depredations on the estates, which was undoubtedly a very essential service to the inhabitants, though at a dreadful expence of blood and money.
Being now the commander in chief at this post, the two negroes I have formerly mentioned hunting and fishing for me, brought me almost every day one or two pingos, which are the wild boars formerly mentioned, besides a [[36]]fish called newmara, some of which are as large as cod, and which I shall afterwards describe. With these dainties I regaled all the officers without exception, while I gave to the hospital all the plantains, bananas, oranges, and lemons, that were occasionally sent me as presents from the Jacob and the plantations in Upper Comewina; and never was a deputy-governor more universally beloved. Patroles were also daily sent out to every quarter; and the environs of Magdenberg were so completely scoured, that no invasion from the rebels could be practicable. These precautions were the more necessary, as they had formerly surprised and taken by storm different military posts for the sake of ammunition and fire-arms, which are to them of the utmost value, and their seizure of the most pernicious consequence to the colony. Indeed some posts had not only been attacked and plundered of their stores and ammunition, but were actually massacred to a man.
Mortified that it was not in my power to take a more active part at present, I availed myself of this leisure, by taking drawings of every animal, reptile, or shrub, that I thought could illustrate my little collection of natural curiosities, which I now began to form some idea of exhibiting to the public, if it should be my fate ever more to return to Europe.
One of my negroes, on the 24th of this month, brought me two curious insects; which, though I had no opportunity of drawing, I will endeavour to describe:—[[37]]The one (which seemed to have some small affinity to the grasshopper kind) was what is here generally called spaanse-juffer, and is without exception the most singular animal I saw in the colony. The body of this surprising creature, though not thicker than a quill, was no less than seven inches and a half in length, including the tail; it had no wings, and was mounted like a spider on six legs that were near six inches long; it had four antennæ projecting from its head, two being nearly five inches, and two much shorter; the head was small, the eyes large, black, and prominent, and the tail articulated like that of most insects: its colour was a brownish green, and, upon the whole, it seemed a monster. This creature is found near the marshy places, where its long legs appear designed to enable it to wade through the water, but not to swim (according to Mr. Farmine’s opinion) for which its feet are not calculated, as they terminate in two small claws like those of some beetles. The other was a large fly, which Madam Merian, who gives a drawing of it, calls the vielleur, but which I have generally heard called the scare-sleep by the Dutch. These words being extremely applicable, from the noise it makes towards the evening, which nearly resembles the sound of a cymbal, or that of a razor-grinder when at his work. This remarkable fly, whose grinding noise always begins at sun-set or six o’clock, is also called the porte-lanterne or lantern-bearer, from the light it diffuses after that time, and which is much stronger than that of any of the fire-fly species, [[38]]affording sufficient light for almost any purpose: these flies are above three inches long, and very thick, the body green, with four transparent wings variegated with little marks of all colours, particularly the under wings, on which are two large roundish spots not unlike those on the tail feathers of a peacock. Beneath the head of this insect is seen an inverted straight trump or tube like a needle, with which it is said to suck its food from the flowers. With the same instrument it is here supposed to produce that disagreeable, loud, and grinding noise, which I have already noticed. But, for my own part, I should rather ascribe the noise to the fluttering of its transparent wings, as is supposed to be the case with some flies in England: a large proboscis or snout striped red and yellow, and shaped like the first joint of a man’s finger, projects from the head, and makes one-third of the whole animal; this protuberance is vulgarly called its lantern, and emits that surprising light whence it takes its second name. I shall only add, that it is a very slow creeper, but flies with amazing velocity.
On the 26th, my boy Quaco arrived from Paramaribo with the following list of provisions, which he had purchased for me. In order to give the curious a just idea of the prices in Surinam when things are cheapest, I will here insert some articles as charged to my account, with the prices in English money, calculating at the rate of eleven florins to one pound sterling. [[39]]
These articles were as follow:
- 2 bacon hams, 31 lbs. at 15d. per lb.
- 1 small cag of butter, 10 lbs. at 1s. 10d. per lb.
- 1 small ditto of flour, 100 lbs. at 4d. per lb.
- 1 Dutch cheese, 11 lbs. at 10d. per lb.
- 2 quart bottles of vinegar, at 1s. 10d. per quart.
- 4 lbs. spermaceti candles, at 3s. 8d. per lb.
- 2 lbs. dried sausages, at 2s. 9d. per lb.
The prices of wine and spirits I have already mentioned in the twelfth chapter.
He also brought me a goat with its kid to supply me with milk, for which I paid twenty florins, or near two pounds sterling: these prices are at least double, and some treble, to what they used to be in England.
Goats are very common in all Guiana; they are not large, but very beautiful creatures, with small horns, and very short smooth hair, mostly of a dun-colour; they are as nimble as stags, and are kept on all the estates, where they breed fast and give much milk; they are also delicious eating when killed young.