In this cabinet I also saw the blue dipsas of Surinam, which had almost the colour of ultramarine on the back; its sides were lighter, and the belly nearly white. I did not learn that the bite of this reptile was fatal, but that it occasions immoderate thirst in the patient, from which it took its name; the word dipsa signifying thirst in the Greek language. Another snake I also observed here, about three feet long, being annulated with different colours, and called amphisbœna, from the supposition of its having two heads; but the truth is, that from its cylindrical [[197]]form the head and tail so much resemble each other, that the error is almost pardonable; besides which, the eyes are nearly imperceptible. This is the snake which, being supposed blind, and vulgarly said to be fed by the large ants already described, is in this country honoured with the name of King of the Emmets[9].
Amongst Mr. Roux’s numerous collection of fine butterflies, one of a middle size I thought peculiarly beautiful; all its wings, both above and below, being elegantly streaked with transverse bars of velvet, black, and a variegated bright green. The amazing height to which they ascend, and the great velocity with which these insects fly, make them so rare, being, for these reasons, but very seldom caught. The caterpillar is a sea-green, and all covered over with hard feelers, not unlike feathers.—For a better idea of the above snakes, and this fly, see the plate annexed, where the last was improved from Madam Merian’s collection.
I have just said that we were ordered to leave the colony, and that all were overjoyed with the news, myself excepted. But on the 15th, by letters from Holland to our chief, our return was again countermanded for six months. My companions were therefore suddenly cast down with disappointment, while I was as suddenly revived, and now determined to save all my pay until Joanna’s redemption should be fully accomplished: but what [[198]]grieved me very much was the other news from Europe, viz. that the Scots Brigade had been invited to England by his Britannic Majesty, while I was lamenting that I could not possibly be one of the number[10]. I at the same time had the offer of an American company under General Washington, but this I refused without any hesitation, as may be supposed.
In short, on the 18th of February, the poor dispirited men were again sent up to Magdenburg, a large party still remaining at the Java Creek; whilst the temper of the officers was now so ruffled, that a Mr. Fisher of our corps fought no less than two duels in two succeeding days, dangerously wounding both his antagonists, who were both officers of the Society regiment.
As I was not yet recovered, I staid some time longer at Paramaribo, where at the house of a Mr. Reynsdorp, I saw a Portuguese Jew teaching his children the Christian religion, while the pious mother of the charity-house kept flogging the poor slaves daily, because they were, as she said, unbelievers. To one black woman, in particular, she wantonly gave four hundred lashes, who bore them without a complaint.
But to change the disagreeable subject;—while I have the leisure and the opportunity, I feel the inclination to state to the public a short account of the trade and intrinsic value of this blood-spilling colony; which still [[199]]might be richer, did they not follow the example of the woman in the fable with her golden eggs.
In the first place, in Surinam are computed to be about six or eight hundred plantations, producing sugar, coffee, cacao, and cotton, besides some indigo, and valuable timbers, &c.—The exportation of which four first articles only, and their value, may be seen at one view in the following table for four successive years.
| The Years. | Barrels of SUGAR. | lbs. of COFFEE. | lbs. of CACAO. | lbs. of COTTON. |
| 1771 | 19,494 | 11,135,132 | 416,821 | 203,945 |
| 1772 | 19,260 | 12,267,134 | 354,935 | 90,035 |
| 1773 | 15,741 | 15,427,298 | 332,229 | 135,047 |
| 1774 | 15,111 | 11,016,518 | 506,610 | 105,126 |
| Total | 69,606 | 49,846,082 | 1,610,595 | 534,153 |
| 69,606 barrels of sugar, at 60 florins per barrel, make | ƒ. | 4,176,360 | — | — |
| 49,846,082 lbs. of coffee, at 8½d. per lb. make | 21,184,584 | 17 | — | |
| 1,610,595 lbs. of cacao, at 6½d. per lb. make | 523,443 | 7 | 8 | |
| 534,153 lbs. of cotton, at 8d. per lb. make | 212,661 | 4 | — | |
| Sum total | ƒ. | 26,097,049 | 8 | 8 |
| Which makes in one year exactly | ƒ. | 6,524,262 | 7 | 2 |
| But this average produce was shipped off for the town of Amsterdam only. | [[200]] | |||
| If I now add what goes to Rotterdam and to Zealand, besides the home consumption, and the return of the rum and molasses, the indigo at 4 ƒ. per lb. and the timber from 5 d. to five florins per cubic foot, it will amount to as much more | 6,524,262 | 7 | 2 | |
| Thus altogether | ƒ. | 13,048,524 | 14 | 4 |
Which, supposing it was but 11,000,000 ƒ. makes a yearly income of one million neat in sterling money.