On the 11th we received intelligence that a number of armed rebels had been just seen opposite to Devil’s Harwar, [[179]]and afterwards informed they were upon their retreat from the Comawina River, where on the 5th they had burnt to ashes the dwelling-house of the estate Killestyn Nova, with Mr. Slighter the overseer in it, ransacked the whole plantation, killed and carried off thirty-three women, and chopped off the limb of a male mulatto child, to be revenged of its father; and that the Pirica rangers were in pursuit of them. Captain Fredericy also arrived this day, who had exchanged from the Society troops into Colonel Fourgeoud’s regiment of marines, and confirmed to us the above unhappy news.
About this time, after having starved four months, my remaining stores arrived at last from Mocha, but three-fourths rotted and destroyed by the blata or cockroaches: the remaining part I distributed among the sick people. But what proved truly acceptable, was the cheering account that Joanna and Johnny were past danger, and recovering at Paramaribo. This intelligence indeed so elevated my spirits, that the next morning I reported myself fit for duty, though God knows that I was not; and to this I was the more induced by the want of fresh air, of which I was perfectly debarred in my confinement, and stood so much in need. The same evening a boat full of Caribbee Indians rowed up Cormoetibo, for the River Marawina, by the communication of the Wana Creek.
In eight days more, which was the 20th of December, being actually recovered of the wound in my foot, and Seyburg of his phrenetic fever, another officer and I played him the following trick, for his bad usage. [[180]]Having invited this gentleman, with his adjutant, and a few more, to see us act a farce by candle-light, we affected to quarrel, and beating out the candle, the door being well secured, laid on in the dark with such success upon a certain somebody’s shoulders, that, calling out Murder! he leaped out at the window. Nothing ever gave me greater entertainment than to perceive his agility; but Colonel Seyburg declared he would never more to our play be a spectator.
At this time orders arrived from Colonel Fourgeoud, who was also better, to break up our camp at Jerusalem, and march once more to the Wana Creek. In consequence the sick were again sent down in barges to the hospital at Devil’s Harwar, which was nearly full, while several were labouring under a disease something like the tympany, called here the kook, being a prodigious hardness and swelling in the belly, occasioned, it is said, by drinking muddy water without spirits, which was indeed our daily and general beverage.
On the 22d, at six o’clock in the morning, we all decamped, and scrambled up along the banks of the Cormoetibo Creek, through a perfect bog, while one poor negro, who had his head fractured, was left behind, and another knocked over-board one of the barges, who was drowned.
We this day again saw great numbers of pingoes or warree-hogs, which as usual breaking through our line, were cut down by sabres and stabbed, while some ran off with the bayonets sticking in their hams. [[181]]
This march was peculiarly disagreeable, upon account of the heavy rains, which now began to fall down in torrents, overflowing the banks of all the rivers; and so cold were the damps in the morning, contrasted with the late warm days, that we frequently lay shivering in our hammocks as in frost, especially when sleeping in wet cloaths. This inconvenience, however, I obviated to day by marching half naked, like the rangers, and putting my shirt in one of the reversed kettles, during the rain—thus my skin soon drying, after a shower, I again put on my linen, and found myself much more comfortable than any of my trembling ghastly looking companions.
On the evening of the 23d, we encamped near a rivulet called the Caymans or Alligator Creek; where a tree called Monbiara afforded some excellent fruit, but this was entirely stripped by the slaves before I could either taste or even see it in perfection.
The rains continuing to pour down in a deluge, I again marched stripped on the 24th, and we slung our hammocks in the evening, near a brook called Yorica, or the Devil’s Creek, where we made huts or sheds to cover us, and stowed the provisions upon rafters.
On the following day we once more laboured through deep mud and water, in very heavy rains, and encamped at another small brook, called the Java Creek, three miles below the Wana.