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the planter, Mr. de Lange, and his lady, received us with great hospitality. This sugar estate being the farthest that is cultivated in Rio Comewina, and consequently exposed to the neighbourhood of the rebel negroes, makes the slaves liable to their seductions; they are therefore treated with peculiar kindness and indulgence, to prevent their concurring in any insurrection, or being persuaded to leave their present situation.

Here we saw a great novelty indeed, the young negro women waiting at the table all stark naked, as they came into the world. I was at first startled at the unusual appearance; and asking the cause, was modestly answered by the lady of the house, that it was ordered so by their mothers and matrons, to prevent (by such means of detection, said they) their too early intercourse with the males, and child-bearing, which would spoil their shapes, weaken their strength, and cramp their growth. Indeed finer made figures I never beheld than were both the men (witness Philander) and the women on this plantation, whose beautiful shapes, liveliness, strength, and activity, were inferior to no Europeans.

'Next day we departed for Magdenberg an hour before sun-set, against the advice of Mr. and Mrs. de Lange, in a small barge, covered only with a loose awning. We had not rowed above two miles when not only night came on, but we were overtaken by such a shower of rain, as had nearly sunk us, the boat's gunwale not being more than two inches above the water: however, by the help of our hats and calibashes, we kept her afloat, while a negro sat upon her bow, holding out a boat-hook straight before him to prevent us from being overset, by inadvertently running, in pitch darkness, against the roots of mangroves, &c. which thickly lined both the banks of the river all the way upwards.

In this state of wet and obscurity, at ten o'clock at night, we came to the Jacob, being just afloat and no more; for Bolts and I had no sooner leaped upon the beach, than the boat sunk with all that was in her, the slaves luckily swimming ashore. Alas! amongst the wreck, was my poor box, with my journal, and all my paintings, which had cost me above two long years so much labour, care, and attention. I was

truly distressed at this loss, when a skilful negro dived several times to the bottom, and at last brought me up my little trea sure, which, though thoroughly soaked, I was very happy to have again in my hands. Thus ended our shipwreck, when having drank some warm grog and slung our hammocks, we all fell asleep round a good fire, by which I made shift to dry myself, and, what was of more consequence, my papers.

The following morning we again set out, and rowed for Magdenberg, but about half-way our voyage was once more obstructed by an enormous tree which had accidentally fallen across the creek, so that we could neither drag the boat over nor under it. Thus we were again obliged to return to the Jacob, whence we now proceeded to Magdenberg on foot, through thorns, roots, brambles, and briers, and where we finally arrived wet and bloody; and my ancle, which had been nearly well, fresh wounded to the bone, the skin and flesh being quite torn away by the numberless obstructions to our steps.

'Here we were acquainted that Mr. Orleigh, one of the two officers that I had set up to Magdenberg from the Hope on the 23d, was no more. Thus died almost all our gentlemen, who had been during the last month upon the hopeless Hope, from which now scarcely one single private returned in health; and this, I am firmly of opinion, was greatly owing to the dry and burning month of June, when the sun suddenly scorched them, after marching and even sleeping in cold watery swamps, and constant heavy showers during the rainy season. However, I hitherto escaped by the strength of my constitution and good spirits, which I determined by every possible means to keep from depression, by laughing, whistling, singing, and (God forgive me!) sometimes swearing, while all the rest were sighing, bewailing, and dying around

me.

The rainy season being again approaching, colonel Fourgeoud, having selected all the remaining healthy people, who now amounted to but 180 in number, on the 3d of July, 1775, proceeded on his march for Barbacoeba, in the river Cottica; which spot he appointed for the general rendezvous, previous

to the grand attack on the rebels. Of this party I had the honour to be one; but on the surgeon's declaring that I should run the hazard of losing my foot if I marched into the woods, I was ordered to remain at Magdenberg, with liberty, if I soon recovered, to join Fourgeoud, and make the best of my way to Barbacoeba. My limb, indeed, was now so swelled, and my wound so black with the mortification, that an amputation. was dreaded by Mr. Knollaert, Fourgeoud's surgeon, and I could not even stand without excrutiating pain.----I shall bear the mark of it as long as I live.

I have said that all the officers and most of the privates who had lately been stationed at the Hope, had died, or were sent up dangerously ill, while I had escaped the contagion. But, alas! now it became my turn, having only had a reprieve, and no more: for on the 9th I was seized with the same burning fever that had carried off the rest; and even my black boy Quaco was very ill.

'On the 14th, necessity forced me to give up the command to another officer, and depart from this inhospitable spot on my way to Paramaribo: I could however reach no farther, than Goet-Accoord, and there, on the 15th, all expected my death; when an old negro woman found means to make me partake of some butter-milk boiled with some barley and melasses, which was the first food I had tasted since I was taken ill. This certainly did me infinite service; and the day following I was again able to be transported: the black boy also was much better.

The evening of the 15th I reached Fauconberg, where I was met by a packet of six or eight letters from different. friends, accompanied with presents of hung-beef, bullocks' tongues, Madeira, porter, rum, and two gallons of excellent shrub, besides a fine bacon-ham, and a beautiful pointer; both the last from the identical Charles Macdonald, the English sailor, which he had brought me from Virginia, in return for the little civility I had formerly shewn him so unexpectedly at the Hope. This mark of the poor fellow's gratitude and generosity, the true characteristics of a British tar, gave me greater pleasure than all the things I received put together.

But still I must except two letters, the one from Mr. Lude of Amsterdam, and the other from Mr. de Graav, his administrator at Paramaribo, acquainting me finally, and to my heartfelt satisfaction, that the amiable Joanna and the little boy were at my disposal, but at no less a price than 2,000 florins, amounting, with other expences, to near 2007. sterling, a sum which I was totally unable to raise. I already owed the sum of 50%., that I had borrowed for the black boy Quaco's redemption; but Joanna was to me invaluable, and though appraised at one-twentieth part of the whole estate, which had been sold for 40,000 florins, no price could be too dear for a young woman, possessing so much excellence, provided I could pay it.

'On the next day I went down so far as the estate Bergshove, whence the administrator, a Mr. Gourley, humanely caused me to be transported to Paramaribo in a decent tentbarge with six oars; but relapsing, I arrived just alive on the evening of the 19th, having past the preceding night on the estate called the Jalosee, apparently dead.

Being now in a comfortable lodging at Mr. de la Mare's, and attended by so good a creature as Joanna, I recovered apace; and on the 25th was so well, that I was able to walk out for the first time, when I dined with Mrs., Godefroy, Mr. de Graav not being in town to concert matters relative to the emancipation of Joanna, who had now once more literally saved my life.

On the 30th I met the poor sailor, Charles Macdonald, and having just bought 30 gallons of Grenada rum, I gave him a handsome return for his bacon-ham and his dog, besides a fine cork-screw (mother of pearl set in silver) as a keep-sake, he being to sail the day following for Virginia, on board the Peggy, captain Lewis, who at my recommendation,, promised to make him his mate.

'On the 3d of August, Mr. de Graav being arrived in town, having finally settled affairs with Mr. Lolkens, the late administrator of Fauconberg, I now thought proper to take the first opportunity of settling matters with him, by proposing him to give me credit till I should have it in my power to

pay the money for which Joanna and my Johnny had been sold to me, and which I was determined to save out of my if I should exist on bread, salt, and water; though even pay, then this debt could not be discharged in less time than two or three years. Providence however interfered, and at this moment sent that excellent woman, Mrs. Godefroy, to my assis tance; for no sooner was she acquainted with my difficult and anxious situation, than she sent for me to dine with her, when she addressed me in the following terms:

"I know, good Stedman, the present feelings of your heart, and the incapacity of an officer, from his income only, to accomplish such a purpose as the completion of your wishes. But know, that even in Surinam virtue will meet friends.--Your manly sensibility for that deserving young woman and her child must claim the esteem of all rational persons, in spite of malice and folly: and so much has this action recommended you to my attention in particular, that I should think myself culpable in not patronizing your laudible intentions.--Permit me then to participate in your happiness, and in the future prospect of the virtuous Joanna and her little boy, by requesting your acceptance of the sum of 2,000 florins, or any sum you stand in need of; with which money go immediately, Stedman, go and redeem innocence, good sense, and beauty from the jaws of tyranny, oppression, and insult.”

Seeing me thunder-struck, and gazing upon her in a state of stupefaction, without the power of speaking, she continued, with a divine benignity:

"Let not your delicacy, my friend, take the alarm, and interfere in this business: soldiers and sailors ought ever to be the men of the fewest compliments; and all I expect from you is, that you say not one word more on the subject.”—As soon as I recovered I replied, "that I was at a loss how to express my admiration of such benevolence." I said, "that Joanna, who had so frequently preserved my life, had certainly merited my eternal affection: but that my gratitude could not be less to one who had so generously put me in the way of redeeming that invaluable woman from slavery ;" and concluded with observing, "that I could not now touch a shilling of the mo