Among the plants which I saw here was the American aloe, above half a foot in thickness, and twenty feet high; it is an ever-green, pithy within and without, covered [[235]]with sharp-pointed follicles, growing less as they approach the summit. This tree has numerous thick leaves diverging at its base, like the pine-apple plant, which are very long, broad pointed, and dentulated with strong prickles. On the top grows a cluster of yellow flowers, whose pedicles contain the seed of future aloes, and which never fail to come to perfection in the space of two months.
In the skirts of the surrounding woods I saw also the vanillas, or banilla, which is a shrub that climbs up along the trunks of other trees, adhering to the bark like nebees or ivy, by the help of its tendrils: the leaves are prodigiously thick, and dark green, the fruit consisting of a triangular pod six or eight inches long, and filled with small polished seeds. These pods, being dried a fortnight in the sun, become brown, and have a fat rich aromatic taste, and most agreeable flavour; on which account they are used to scent the chocolate. There are different kinds of vanilla, but that is most esteemed which has its pods the most long and most slender. The negroes shewed me here also a small sweetish seed, which they called bongora.
As I returned to the Hope, I met Cojo, Joanna’s uncle, who had shot one of the howling baboons, which he brought to the Hope to shew it me. These animals are the size of a small bull-dog, and the colour a reddish-brown, with long hair; they have also a beard, and are upon the whole extremely ugly; but what chiefly distinguishes them from other monkies is their abominable [[236]]howl, which they perform in chorus whole groupes together, and so loud, that it may be heard above a mile; these discordant concerts, the negroes told me, they generally repeat, both night and day, at the time of high water, which, it is supposed, the baboons know by instinct.—When speaking of instinct in animals, I cannot omit relating the following singular fact; after which I shall return to the historical part of my narrative.
On the 16th I was visited by a neighbouring gentleman, whom I conducted up my ladder; but he had no sooner entered my aerial dwelling, than he leapt down from the top to the ground, roaring like a madman with agony and pain, after which he instantly plunged his head into the river; but looking up, I soon discovered the cause of his distress to be an enormous nest of wild bees or wassee-wassee, in the thatch, directly above my head, as I stood within my door; when I immediately took to my heels as he had done, and ordered them to be demolished by my slaves without delay. A tar mop was now brought, and the devastation just going to commence, when an old negro stepped up, and offered to receive any punishment I should decree if ever one of these bees should sting me in person. “Massera,” said he, “they would have stung you long ere now had you been a stranger to them; but they being your tenants, that is gradually allowed to build upon your premisses, they assuredly know both you and your’s, and will never hurt either you or them.” I instantly assented to the [[237]]proposition, and tying the old black man to a tree, ordered my boy Quaco to ascend the ladder quite naked, which he did, and was not stung; I then ventured to follow, and I declare upon my honour, that even after shaking the nest, which made its inhabitants buz about my ears, not a single bee attempted to sting me. I next released the old negro, and rewarded him with a gallon of rum and five shillings for the discovery. This swarm of bees I since kept unhurt, as my body-guards, and they have made many overseers take a desperate leap for my amusement, as I generally sent them up my ladder upon some frivolous message, when I wished to punish them for injustice and cruelty, which was not seldom.
The above negro assured me, that on his master’s estate was an ancient tree, in which had been lodged ever since he could remember, a society of birds, and another of bees, who lived in the greatest harmony together; but should any strange birds come to disturb or feed upon the bees, they were instantly repulsed by their feathered allies, and if strange bees dared to venture near the birds nests, the native swarm attacked the invaders, and stung them to death: that his master and family had so much respect for the above association, that the tree was considered as sacred, and was not to be touched by an axe until it should yield to all-destroying time.
On the 22d, a patrole arrived from Rietwyk, in Pirica, who informed me, that a party of our troops were just returned to Java Creek from a cruize to Vredenburg, at [[238]]the Marawina; and that, in conjunction with the rangers, they had during this campaign destroyed many fields of provisions belonging to the rebels: also, that for their faithful services, our sable allies had been complimented by the Society with new arms, and, for the first time, cloathed in green uniform jackets. I further learned that the ambassadors to the Owca and Serameca negroes were returned after a fruitless journey, as neither of these associations would lend the smallest assistance. In consequence of this refusal, Colonel Fourgeoud, being wearied himself, and having exhausted his troops in destroying most of the rebel settlements, at length determined to relinquish the whole expedition; which resolution he previously communicated to his Serene Highness the Prince of Orange at the Hague.
On the 23d I received positive orders to prepare and be ready on the 15th of July, to break up, with all the troops under my command, leave the River Comewina, and row down to Paramaribo, where the transport ships were put in commission to convey us back to Holland. This order I instantly read before the front to all my men, who received it with unbounded joy and three cheers—but I alone sighed bitterly.—Oh my Joanna! Oh my boy! who were at this time both dangerously ill, the one with a fever, the other with convulsions, so that neither were expected to survive. Add to this, that I ran a nail quite through my foot—thus was completely miserable.
During this scene of sickness and distress, the strix or [[239]]night-owl of Guiana regularly paid us his nocturnal visits, even in the apartment where we lay, pouring out his melancholy hootings, until be was killed by one of my black attendants. This bird is here called Ooroocoocoo, from its note, to which this word has some affinity. It is about the size of a pigeon; the bill is yellow, and hooked like that of a sparrow-hawk; the eyes are also yellow; the tongue is cloven; the ears very visible; the legs strong, short, and armed with sharp claws: the general colour of this bird is a pale brown, except the breast and belly, which are white, intermixed with some spots of amber. The superstitious negroes generally believe that where the night-owl makes his appearance mortality must ensue: which prejudice is the more excusable, as this creature only frequents the apartments of the sick; but the real cause which attracts the animal, I apprehend to be the lights that upon these occasions are generally kept burning all night, or possibly the morbid, and putrid air, which excites its appetite for prey.
An old Indian woman of Joanna’s acquaintance being now sent for to the Hope, I myself was soon cured by her skill and attention; but my little family continued so very unwell, that I thought it right to send them to Paramaribo before it was too late. And on the 10th of July I sent all my sheep and poultry to Fauconberg, one couple of fat ewes excepted, which I killed, and with which, by the addition of fish and venison, I entertained for two days following twenty-four of the most respectable inhabitants [[240]]in the river, while the white bread, fruit, and Spanish wines to help out the feast, I received as a present from my very worthy friend, Mr. James Gourland, at Berghoven.
On the 13th I ordered down the troops from Clarenbeek, where an hospital had been a second time erected, and they this evening anchored off the Hope.