29a n a r r a t i v e o f a n
CHAP, weftexquiftte-workmanttupr Rift nothing difplays the
.fSp luxury of the -inhabitants o f Surinam, more than the
number. o f Haves by whom they- are attended, often
twenty or thirty:in ope rfatmily. White fervants are
feldom to helmet with in this colony.:
The current money, asI have already Rated, are ftamped
cards of different value, from five Ihillings to fifty pounds*
gold and- filver is fa fcaree* that the exchange, ^premium
for fpecie is often above ten per cent. A bale Dantzjic
coin called a bit* value fomething lefs than fixpence, is
' allb current in Surinam. Englilh and Portuguefe coin
are fometimes met with, but moftly vffeef as ornaments
by the Mulatto, Samboe, Quaderoon, and Negr^. girls*
The Negro Haves never receive any paper money, for as.
they cannot read they do not. upderftand its v^lue; be*%
fides. jn tlreir hands it -would, he liable to. nanny
dents, (frbm fire or-children, and particularly from the.
rats, when it becomes? a, little greafy.-- .
This town isr -welf -fupplied with proyiliOfif^jliP’'
cher’s-meat, fowls,: fiflx and vemfep. ^ V e g ^ ^ e ^ n particular
the country abounds with ; befides the luxuries,
peculiar to this climate, they import whatever Europe,
Africa, and Afia can afford. Provifions, however, are ex-
celfively dear in general, efpecially thofe imported, which:
are moftly Ibid? by the Jews and matters of flops. The.
firft enjoy extraordinary privileges in this colony; the.
latter ere«5l temporary warehonfes for the purpofe o£
trade, during the time their Ihips are loading with the
k productions
E X P E D I T I O T 0** Sf tr- R i n a m. 29r
p rO d i x a i c ^ |f ^ . c l i , n aM ^ W M floMi&fold from c h a p .
four p e h « ito one' I butter two fhil- XIL
fcngs$'butchery fhW une|% onefiifil'i%%nd often *
I HI | the rate Of five,
and Eumpean-potatb^twefV^ far-Tix/pencb.AiWine'three
fhill|ng|% bottle^ Ja to |(c ^ 'ru rn ' a"
and j P j S P l Seffe? f ^ a lth in g .
My black - b<Jyr Qusfcoj has?- i|fp n bfhiigkt m2 f fo k f.
orange^ for fi* pen^e; and half . for
tbfe fame:pris|^ while limbs, and Tamarinds* unhy;d>e%ad
for gath&ftuf^ Houferre^ is:^xe;effi^efy ^igh. fmar]1
room.unfuriailhed cotts three or fou^guinea*.a month *
and a houfe with two apartment on a? floor, lets for one
hundred guineas yearly; '%)e$ fell .forbhajf-^guinea'Ia
pair; and a fuit o f cloafehs, with lilyer^landing, has oott
me'twenty: guineas. |
n^The wood with which the houfesj aregederally built
.deferves aHbito benbticdd, f c the/sWane, sm ith ^.Cuppy.
The Wana is a light durable, timber:of a coaifie grain, and
does not take, the beftpolifh; it & ib f p, very;pale;red, approaching
mahogany, and moftly. tried fbr.doors and cup-
boards, alfo,for boats and barges.,.fThis tree grows to a
eonfiderable height*.
* This Dr. Bancroft, I think,. calls die Ttttmer.
VO L . L P p 2 The