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 2 (of 2)

by John Gabriel Stedman

N^o 17. A field demolished by the rangers on the 23d.

N^o 18. The swamp or marsh which surrounded the settlement.

N^o 19. The quag-mire, or biree-biree, adjoining it.

N^o 20. The forest.

Having formerly described the manner in which we erected our huts, I shall here also add a small plan of [[126]]the mode of arranging them during our encampment in the woods of Guiana, which camps were generally of a triangular form, as being most secure in case of a surprize, and the easiest to defend our provisions and ammunition; but the situation of the ground would not always permit this, and then we encamped in any form, square, oblong, or circular, &c.—In the annexed plan,

N^o 1. Is the hut or shed of Colonel Fourgeoud, or the commanding officer, in the centre, with a sentinel.

N^o 2. The huts of all the other officers, in a small triangle, surrounding that of the commander in chief.

N^o 3. The angles of the outer triangle formed by the huts of the privates in three divisions, viz. the main body, the van, and the rear guards, with sentinels at proper distances, to cover the front of each.

N^o 4. Powder-chests, provisions, and medicines, with a sentinel.

N^o 5. The fires in the rear of each division to dress the victuals, and round which the negro slaves are lodged upon the ground.