The place of our present encampment was now intolerable beyond every description, being constantly overflowed, so that the ammunition and provisions were stowed for preservation on wooden rafts; nor could we step out of our hammocks without being up to the knees in mud and water, where it was most shallow, while the gnats and other insects devoured us alive. The consequence of all which was, that another barge full of dying wretches was sent down the Cormoetibo Creek, bound for the hospital at Devil’s Harwar; among whom the poor old negro with his fractured skull, who had only yesterday rejoined us in his shocking condition. This floating charnel-house weighed anchor on the last day of the year 1775—with which I shall beg leave to conclude this gloomy chapter. [[185]]
[1] This was the more surprising, as we were at peace with all the Indians, and scalping was never practised by the negroes. [↑]
[2] All sailors, soldiers, and negroes are particularly miserable without tobacco: it keeps up their spirits, they say, and some almost prefer it to bread. [↑]
CHAP. XXIV.
Two Volunteer Companies raised of free Mulattoes and Negroes—Description of the Arrowouka Indian Nation—Colonel Fourgeoud’s Regiment receives orders to sail for Europe—Countermanded—Re-enter the Woods—Trade of the Colony—Description of a Cacao Estate—Sample of Sable Heroism.
To what good star I was obliged, in the midst of all our confusion and distress, I know not, but certain it is, that Colonel Seyburg having sent for me on the first day of the new year, not only solicited my future friendship, but declared he was sorry for all the ill-treatment he had ever occasioned me, for which he principally blamed Mr. Gibhart, his adjutant and spy; then taking me by the hand, as a proof of his real regard, permitted me from that moment to go to Paramaribo, or wherever I pleased, to refresh and refit until further orders; which had such an effect on me, that having instantly converted every drop of my rum into grog, we sat down, together with two other officers, and drowned all former animosity in oblivion, till we could hardly see each other. In this condition I took my leave that very evening of my new friend and the camp at Java Creek, and rowed down in the best spirits for Paramaribo. [[186]]
Next morning, having slept during most of the passage, I breakfasted at Devil’s Harwar, where I found that the unfortunate Gibhart had just set sail for the other world. In the evening we arrived at the estate Beekvlied, as my negroes had made extraordinary dispatch, summing wattra[1] all the time to encourage each other.
On the 3d I arrived at the fortress Amsterdam, where I was entertained with an excellent fish dinner, and where I must again intreat the reader’s patience, while I attempt to describe the different species, viz. the passessy, prare-prare, provost, and curema. The passary is above two feet long, and weighs sometimes twenty pounds: the head is broad and flat; it has two long barbs, and no scales, and is very delicate eating. The prare-prare is about the same size, and equally good. The provost is large, often five feet, and of a yellowish colour; the flesh of this is less agreeable, but the oil it produces comes to good account. As for the curema, this is a species of mullet, sometimes above two feet in length, with large silvery eyes, and the under jaw longer than the upper. Near this place are also found a kind of sea-snails, of which Madam Merian makes mention; and the fore-part of which exactly resembles those of a shrimp.