One night, in the midst of this festivity, I secretly ordered the sentinel to fire his piece, and cause a false alarm, as if the enemy were on the estate; when I had [[232]]the satisfaction to see them seize their arms, and rush out with the utmost order and intrepidity. This experiment I was the rather inclined to put in practice, as it was reported that the rebels intended soon to pay a visit to the River Comewina. But we soon experienced that no scene of perfect felicity can be lasting, for the dry season now suddenly setting-in, disease and mortality once more began to rage among us, ten or twelve men dying daily at the Java Creek and Magdenburg, while those under my command at the Hope diminished hourly.
On the 3d, the surgeon made me the following report, “That my Ensign, Mr. Decabanes, had his anchor-a-peek, and would certainly set sail for the other world with the ebb-tide;” which was really the case, for he died that very evening. This grieved me the more, as he had obtained his commission through my interest, and bore an excellent character.
On the 4th of June, the spring-flood broke down my dams while we were drinking the King’s health, and laid the whole post under water, which created vast confusion; and in this distress the overseer Blenderman refused to lend me any assistance, which occasioned so violent a quarrel, that he was glad to take to his heels, and make his escape from the plantation. I shall never have done mentioning the insolence of these savage brutes, who mostly are the refuse of the earth, brought up in Germany, or elsewhere, under the cane of a corporal. [[233]]“Well,” said one of these miscreants ironically to an old free negro, “don’t you believe that the monkies are a race of damn’d Christians, who have been thus transformed for shewing so much lenity to such as you?”—“No, sir,” replied the black man, “we do not think that the monkies are damn’d Christians; but I, and all of us, believe that many who call themselves Christians are a pack of damn’d monkies.”—Which pointed repartee afforded me infinite satisfaction.
Of the administrators I shall say nothing, nor of the appraisers of estates; having, I believe, already mentioned that the first got ten per cent. of all the produce, and many of the latter enrich the purchasers and themselves by selling under the value such property as is entrusted to their care.
On the 7th, Mr. Moryn, administrator of the Hope, being in a piece of newly-cultivated ground on the opposite shore, I rowed over to obtain satisfaction of the impertinent Blenderman, who was along with him; but this fellow’s cowardice being equal to his insolence and barbarity, he made every concession, and promised likewise to repair my dams, rather than run the risque of broken bones—thus a reconciliation was established.
Walking through these new fields, where a neat house was already built, I saw some beautiful birds, amongst which was the wood-pecker. I ought indeed to have described this bird before, and another, the name unknown to me, having had an opportunity of doing it when I was at Magdenburg, but I then took only drawings of them. [[234]]The wood-pecker is about the size of a thrush, and of an elegant cinnamon-colour, speckled with dark brown and yellow; near the rump it is entirely yellow; the head is crested with a fine crown of small feathers, of the same colour as the body: the tail is long and black; the bill is straight, and of a sea-green colour, as are the legs and iris of the eyes, under which on each side are two spots of beautiful crimson.
The anonymous bird, which, however, the negroes called woodo-louso-fowlo, from its feeding on wood-lice, is larger than the former, and uncommonly brilliant in its plumage; the head and upper part of its body being of a rich grass green; the breast and belly crimson, divided by an ash-coloured bar. The tail is long, and of a dark blue, as are the prime feathers in the wings, which are also divided from the green by another ash-coloured bar; the bill is yellow and hooked, being surrounded by a number of small black feathers, as are the eyes, the iris of which is of a blood colour. (Both these birds may be seen in the annexed plate.)—As I have already observed, however rich and beautiful the plumage may be which decorates the groves of Surinam, the melodious song there is but seldom heard. They had also here the tame galinas, or Guinea-hens, called tokay, which being so well known in England, require no particular description.
The Yellow Woodpecker & Wood-louse fowl.
London, Published Decr. 1st, 1791, by J. Johnson, St. Paul’s Church Yard.