6

After marching two days more, the party encamped on the river Pirica, where Stedman refusing to apologize to the colonel, was disarmed and placed under the guard of a sentinel. The marines loudly declared their determination to mutiny in his behalf, and their favourite was obliged to use both threats and remonstrances to divert them from their design. The party finally arrived at Devil's Harwar on the 1st of October. I had written,' says Stedman, on the preceding day to colonel Fourgeoud, informing him, that I was weary of existence in my present state, and requesting that a court-martial might be immediately called; and this letter I had sent by a slave to the commander-in-chief. On our arrival at this station, I indeed found very hard means employed to bring me to terms; and such was the severe usage I experienced, that one of the rangers, called captain Quaci, exclaimed, "If in this manner these Europeans treat one another, is it to be wondered at that they should take a pleasure in torturing us poor Africans ?"

At Devil's Harwar, however, my stormy voyage drew to a conclusion. Colonel Seyburgh was evidently convinced that he was wrong, and knowing what must follow, now only wished for a handsome opportunity of extricating himself from the effects of his unmanly passion. On the 2d, therefore, he asked me with a smile, "If I had a heart to forget and forgive ?” To which I sternly replied, "No!He repeated the question.---I then said, "I venerated truth, and would never confess myself in an error, unless my heart coincided in the acknowledgement--that this was a concession I would make to no man living, and least of all to him."--He here grasped my hand, begged me to be pacified, and declared, "That he would make peace on any terms;" but I again drew back with contempt, and decidedly avowed, "That I could not agree to any compromise, unless he owned his fault in the presence of all the officers, and with his own hands tearing from his journal every sentence that could reflect upon my character." The journals were immediately produced, my arms were returned me, and my triumph was attended with every circumstance that could add to my full satisfaction. I then frankly and sin

cerely gave my hand to colonel Seyburgh, who gave a feast in honour of our reconciliation; and after dinner, to my utter surprize, produced the letter which I had written to colonel Fourgeoud, which he acknowledged he had intercepted to prevent the affair proceeding to extremities: at the same time he acquainted me, that Fourgeoud was encamped at the Wana creek, instead of lieutenant-colonel de Borgnes, who had fallen sick, and was gone to Paramaribo. A perfect reconciliation having taken place, and every thing being now adjusted, while the troops having had some rest, we set out once more on the 4th for the head-quarters at Jerusalem; but I was obliged to leave poor Quaco, who was very ill, at Devil's Harwar, under care of the surgeon.'

On the 9th, Fourgeoud arrived at Jerusalem with half of his party, the other half being sent to receive the coup-de-grace in the hospital at Devil's Harwar. Death had now become so familiar to them, that upon losing a friend or relation, the first question generally was, has he left any brandy, rum, or tobacco? However, on the 15th, the indefatigable Fourgeoud set out again in pursuit of his enemies. Having discovered some cultivated grounds belonging to the rebels, the whole was destroyed, and the party after nine days severe march returned to Jerusalem.

Distress and famine were now ready to attack even the officers, who sat smoking grey paper, and chewing leaves and leather, as a substitute for tobacco. Our author was both naked and starved, with a running ulcer in his foot, and To

naked and stery, says he, the little blood I had remain

complete my

ing was in two successive nights again nearly sucked away by the vampire-bat, or spectre: thus I fainted away in my hammock, and was almost sorry to recover, particularly upon being informed by a letter that Joanna and her boy were dying with a putrid fever at Paramaribo.

At last, on the 12th of November, serjeant Fowler arrived from Mocha, with one of my boxes; when this poor fellow, notwithstanding my situation, made me laugh aloud by producing a letter from his mother in Europe, which made him

extremely happy; and which I must beg leave verbatim to transcribe.

"Dair Shonny,

"I have relaved your girl from Bridevail-and your shits from the panbroker-the baby is died-blessed be Goat, while I hop yow be living. I am your laffing mother tell death,

On the 14th, a barge filled with sick and dying was sent to the hospital at Devil's Harwar. Even Fourgeoud was obliged to relinquish his command and proceed to town, being danger. ously ill of the phrenzy fever, and on the same evening his successor was attacked by the same disorder, which at this time had become very common. The whole camp was also plagued by swarms of locusts, which devoured every thing that lay in their way. Our author proceeds :--

I have just mentioned, that, on account of a very bad foot, I had been returned unfit for duty by the surgeon, on the 19th of November; yet this day, December 5th, another surgeon, with two captains, and the adjutant, were sent to inpect both me and a captain Perret, who was also sick. The surgeon gave his declaration upon oath, that we were incapable of walking without danger, much more of enduring fatigue; but Seyburgh, who was still in his phrenzy fever, declared we should instantly enter the woods, though he should see us carried in two wheel-barrows. Poor captain Perret complied to turn out, though he looked like a ghost, and could scarcely stand; but I solemnly swore, that I would blow out the first man's brains who dared disrespectfully to touch me: in consequence of which I was close guarded by a sentinel; while the whole camp, upon my soul, now seemed to be composed of none but madmen.

On the 11th, intelligence arrived that the rebels had burnt to ashes the dwelling-house of the estate Killestyn Nova, with Mr. Slighter the overseer in it, ransacked the whole plantation, killed and carried off 33 women, and chopped off the

limb of a male mulatto child, to be revenged of its father; and that the Pirica rangers were in pursuit of them.

About this time, after having starved four months, my remaining stores arrived at last from Mocha, but three-fourths rotted and destroyed by the blata or cockroaches: the remaining part I distributed among the sick people. But what proved truly acceptable, was the cheering account that Joanna and Johnny were past danger, and recovering at Paramaribo.This intelligence indeed so elevated my spirits, that the next morning I reported myself fit for duty, though God knows I was not; and to this I was the more induced by the want of fresh air, of which I was perfectly debarred in my confinement, and stood so much in need.

"In eight days more, which was the 20th of December, being actually recovered of the wound in my foot, and Seyburgh of his phrenetic fever, another officer and I played him the following trick, for his bad usage. Having invited this gentleman, with his adjutant, and a few more, to see us act a farce by candle-light, we affected to quarrel, and beating out the candle, the door being well secured, laid on in the dark with such success upon a certain somebody's shoulders, that, calling out Murder! he leaped out at the window. Nothing ever gave me greater entertainment than to perceive his agility; but colonel Seyburgh declared he would never more be a spectaor to our play.'

Orders now arrived from Fourgeoud, who was recovering, to break up the camp, and proceed to the Wana creek. After marching several days above the knees in mud, and amidst heavy rains, the troops reached the place of their destination. Here poor Stedman allows that his foot was healed, but adds, 'I had now extracted out of my right-arm two dreadful insects, which left behind them very deep ulcers. These are called in Surinam the bush-worms, and are the shape and size of the aurelia of the common butterfly, with a pointed tail and black head. They stuck extremely fast in the flesh, and were extracted with a lancet. They breed naturally in stagnated waters, in marching constantly through which they had attached themselves to my flesh.

VOL. I.-(16)

2 Z

'My heart now began to sink with accumulated disasters; my mind was agitated and depressed with a constant train of tortures, to which I could see no end, and I became weary of life. In this dreadful situation I fell upon my naked knees, and invoked the malediction of Heaven to fall on me, if I did not separate myself from my present commanders and this service, the first honourable opportunity that should offer itself.

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. This floating charnelhouse weighed anchor on the last day of the year 1775.

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 Seyburgh 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 one another. In this condi tion 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.

On the evening of the 3d of January, 1776, at 6 o'clock, I arrived once more at Paramaribo, and found Joanna with her little boy perfectly well, after having both been blind for three weeks; with whom being now invited to lodge, at the