N A R R A . T I V E . D F AN
The€uppy-tree refemblesthe -wild cheftiub is hard,
knotty» and -durablé; it is-fewedcinto hoards, and -ufed
to enelofe the houfes for fepces, in fte ad o fb rick and
ftone walls; the timber i r o f a brown colour, and.takes
a good polifh.
For a better "idea of this town, I fliall Tffer the t reader
to the aniïex^ plan; and proceed togiveriome further
account of its inhabitants^'-^
The whites or Europeans in thiscolony, and who {re*
fide principally in town»are computecf ut bye thoufandy
including the garrifon, I The negro flavesS' at.,ab o u t
feventy-five thonfench "The military mount guard every
morning at' eight o’clock, in the fortrefs; hut the fefefy
o f the town is entrufted to the bufghers -?or militia,
who keep watch during the night. At fix o’clock in
the morning, and the iame hour in th e evening,: dhh
morning and evening •guns are fired b y th e commanding
fhip in the harbour; at the evening fignal, all the flags
are inftantly lowered on board the different vèflèls$ their
bells are fet a ringings whilft the drums and. fifes beat
the tattoo through the town. The watch is then fdt, and
■no negro of either fekis allowed
•car oh the river, without a proper pafs i^n^d by.hfs
owner; without this h e is'taken up, and infallibly flogged
the next morning. At ten at night, a band of black
drums beat the burgher, or militia retreat, through the
ffreets of Paramaribo.
At
E X P E D I T I O N TO S U R I N A M . 293
At this time the ladies begin to make their appearance, q jj ^
who are particularly %nd o f 'X jti^a-m J} by moon-light,; XU.,
when they entertain w i t h ^ ^ f / , Sangat-e? *3, and wine
and wat^f r^befidfs the -mpffqnreferyed and unequivocal,
eonverfetion eongerningj themfelyes, as. wejl gsfthe peculiar
qualifications- of 'their hufbands, and thè fituation o f . *■
thejr female whom they propofè -the; acceptance
of .the! gentlemen1 they conveffejjwjth at £b much per,
week,.,according tQ.thejfc’ama eftimation. - Sometimes
placing half ;a'dp2ten\pf.them in a.irow, the.lady feyayi
“ Sir, this, i s t h a t is .a, maid, and this is n&t’l,—-
th'Mjare fthey nob ®®ly, unreferved ;im their oonvetfatioo*
but alfo profufe»ip- their encomiums- upon fuoh gentle-
men as havielthe honour of their ioftrudlivo company,^
and < whole perfpa or figure meets witfiitheir appro-:
baden:.
They are alfq rigid difcipljnariansi as the < b&cks; Inf"
their poor flayes»,.male and female,. fufikiently; teftify^.'
Th».S‘«y^iiCouniry,ihas its cufkomq* «and from thefe
eujjoms exceptions are to b e made* for..I have known,
fedies dnbufinam, whole delicacy and polite,convcrfatiou
Wbhid .have ^ c t d the fifft .circles- in Europe;; Befides
the amiufements- o& feeing,' .dancingi • riding,: add
they have a fmall theatre, Where the -inhabitants; cfi
fafhion plays'for-.their own amucfenj&ent, and: that of
their friends. As they are-elegant in their drefs,..fo they'
* Water, Madeira wine, nutmeg and fugar.
keep