C H A -P» keeptheir boufes extrërnbly' déhhV' They ufe ‘thé* fineft
. X1I‘ 3 lined, exquififê|ytwèll‘\Vk‘ffied with Caffile rfohp'; Tt^wh-ite-
rfefs can only be 'compared to möutffairh fnov^y an R would
ïhake the beft %leached: lineftMh f Europe- appear-Tike
canvS|& Their parlour floors are always '-fcbured with
four orangist cut through the middle, which gives'3 the
hoüfe an agreeable fragfah%ëi the NégfÖ'giMsjtaMng-one
half in each hand, keep fingingualoud while* th ey 'ru b
the boards: Such is .the;town, and - fueh; are the inhabitants
of Paramaribo, the capital ofiSurinam; and the
character, will apply to the natives-of all the Dutch fettle-
Tïienfs in the: Weft Indi e sBut to return to myharrative.
Being once more reconciled' to fhöès, T -vi’fited Gölotfel
Wefterloo on board a Wéft-India Ihip, botindTor Holland.'
This gentleman, who had relieved me at Devil’s Harwar
when l was ill, was now himfelf in a moft miferabfo condition,
having doft themfe o f hm limbs J Inhhistdebili-
tated ftate, it was doubtful whether any thing h u t the
air of his native .country wouM recover him. ** Se^êfal
officers were now under themeceffity of, felling their
effects to propure a fubfiftence, not being able either to
procure their pay or allowance from Foürgéöüd. I felt
this hard ufage the lefs, from the kindnefs I experienced
from my numerous friends. <
On the a8th of January, as I was walking in the morning
by the river fide, I faw a fifli brought aftiore, that
deferves to be mentioned for its iize and goodnefs, being
fometimes
fometimes .near two hundred pounds' weight *. It is here
called. or grey, friar, and is faid to be of
the cpd genus, to which it bears feme refemblance in
fhape and ec^our,,- .thejbahkf being a dark olive brown,
and the ^ellyj. white^.it wassfoonccut up into large flipes,
feyeral o f ^ h ie h l^ufqhafed,; and fent as, prefents toimy
friepcisj'S'8 it.wasi in my^qpinipn, even fuperior.to,turbot.
It is an inhabitant of the^fo^, but SBaaetimeyto.be met
\yithJn the rivers, The'-pegroesdaereiare the only fiftien-
meny.and are,^regularly trained up to this .’profeflion byi
their matters, \yho makejthemtpay a certain fum weekly.
If -they are expert’.and induttrious, they foon > acquire
money,for themfelves, and fome*even become rich-, but,
on the-contrary, if they are , indolent, and do not fulfil
their weekly engagements, they are certain to be pun jlhed
very feyerely.' * t
This cuftom!is: alfo common to many other trades,; and
by perfeverance and-fobriety they are a&ually'enabled to
live happily. Thus I have kpown flavps in-Surinam, who
have bought flaves for their own ufe. Some purchafe
their freedom from their matters, whilft others keep
their money, preferring to be - the Have of an indulgent
matter; being, fo long as they continue'flaves, free from
till duties* and taxes, which, in cafe o'f manumiffion, they
become liable to. A particular Tn ft ah c | of this kind was
a negro blackfmith, named jojiph, whq fe n g ' oftered his
* Dr. Fermyn is miftaken, when he % this fiih weighs but forty pounds.
VOL< É ? P 4 liberty