C II A P. V.
The Scene changes—Some Account of a- 'beautiful Fetfiale.
Slave— TheManner of; travellings in Surinam >—'The:
Colonel explores The,Situation of the Rivers—Barbarity
of a Planter—Wretched Treatment oflfopte S a ilo p ss
CHAP. T TA V IN G in the firft chapters given,^forne account
L V‘ . of our incorporation} our. voyage’, , our landing,
and our reception in the colony, in February: 1773;. and
having deferibed the colony of Surinam, itsrhntiridafries, ■
and revolutions, from its earlieft d ife o v e ry h fhall now
proceed in iny narrative, by oonne&inrgVthe proceedings
o f eur little corps with the general oohain ©f-events-;
and write precifely what I have learned by local* and
ocular ohfervation.
Having already Rated that from our arrival - till
February 27th, we feemed to be laiided in Gdiida’for
little more than idle difiipation; I fhall 'ndw7 proceed
from the- fame date, which was about the commencement
o f the rainy feafori, when our mirth and
conviviality ftill continued* to prefent to‘ the reader, aS:
a contraft to the preceding feenes of horror, a de-
‘ feription of the beautiful mulatto maid Joanna.^ This
charming young woman I firft faw a t the h'oufe of a
Mr.Demelly, fecretary to the court of policy, where I
daily
E X P ^ B I T I ^ | | T G ^ SURINAM. , 87
daily ^eakfafied,;. ap^with.whpl^/la^-y^Jpanna, but fif- CHAP,
teen age,,. ^ vppy reni^rh-aMe, favourite. ^ _f
Rather taller thaii the middle fizeyl&e was pofTefled of
the moR sdegantpiype tlputpat^epan exhibit;, proving her
yefl-for-med limb^with more ith.an-.comm©n gracefulnefsi
Her „facp.ryas, fulj.'ofinatiye.modefty, and the.; dif“
tinguifhedifwje^tq-e^fthfF black asiebony, were
large .anq^ARi of; expreffton, befpeakjng the gopdnejfskof
her heart; with cheeks through whichglpwed, in fpite of
the darknefs of hercppapjle^jèn, a beautiful tinge-of.ver-
mïïEpn, when gazed upon . ^ Her, nofe ^was. perfectly well
formed, rather fmall; her lips ajittle prominent, which-,
when >fhfer fpoke, ,difco,vered two-r^g^hr; rows of teeth,
as white as mountain ifnow; her hair was a, dark brown
< inclining - tp black, forming a beautiful^globe of fmaH
ringlets, ornamented with flowers , and'.gold' fpangles.
Round her neck, hér arms, and her -ancles,, fhe wore. gold,
chains, rings-and medals: while a fhawl ,0^ India muflin,
the end. of which was negligently thrown pver her po-
lifhed fhoulders, gracefully covered part of her lov.ely
bpfom, a petticoat of rich chintz ^alone completed her
apparel. Bare-headed ,and bare-footed, ,fhe fhope with,
double luftre,, as fhe carried in her delicate hand a beaver
hat, the crown trimmed round with filvpr.-^'Jhe figure
and appearance of this charming creature could not hut
attract my particular attention,, as they did indeed that of
all who beheld her; and induced me to enquire from Mrs.'
8 ( ‘ - Demelly,