i68 N A R R A T I VE O F A N
c h a p , difeontented with fuch a load, look every opportunity, in
. my absence, o f torturing him, by Knocking him againft
roots and ftones, and dragging, him through mud and
wafer as they Went along. Different patroles were now
ordered out to reconnoitre the grounds, while the remainder
o f the troops encamped in the weft part o f Go-
fa a y ; and thefe patroles difcovered no lefs than four
beautiful fields in one chain, fituated due weft from Co?
faay, well ftocked with caffava, yams, plantain s, piftachio
nuts, with maize and pigeon peas : alfo were feen feveral
human carcafes, the. relidls of'our late engagements^ in
Auguft. We found here a fpecies oi medlars o f a crim-
fon colour, and o f a tafte very much like that q f ftraw-
berries. This fruit grows on a largegreen lhrub, and is
cultivated in many gardens at Paramaribo. We alfo met
with a kind of wild plum-tree called monpe: the fruit i§
yellow, oblopg, and final!*; the ftone is large, the pulp
thin, and though o f a fharp acid has an agreeable fla-
your.
On the morning of the 21ft, all thefe and every ufeful
vegetable were cut down, and again deftroyed by fire;
after which, returning to our laft night’s camp, we fouqd
it alfo in flames, and were obliged to fling our hammocks
in the. ^ ^ lkirts of the woods. Here, recollecting that
the poor difabled rebel was left alone, I ran back weft, to
the burning camp to afford him affiftance; but after feek-
jng him in Vain through clouds o f fmoke and darknefs, I
was forced to confult my own fafety, by haftily return-
E X P E D I T I 0 % T O S U R I NAM. 169
|pgtQ n^ q^mpipipi^ ;, fpme blamingme much for my te- c h a p .
merity, others damning the jkeleton, whether dead or alive, ^xxil ^
The, heipg^ now compleated, we marched
^ack'to" Jervhfafemitwhereton the 24th Wje.arrived perfectly
exhaufted, gnd Ifqurgeoud at laft fo ill with a
phrenzy fever,,that hq ^as.confined tp his hammock,
with fmall hopes-, of fomving the night. Brit he however,
ftill, continued to command, and the next morning
ordered a marine to be baSonaded, for afking fboes, although
he was bare-fopted, and liis fget tore to pieces;
while another was flogged, for .coughing, who had a fe -
vere qoldj a captain ,\ya£ difmiff^d from aCtual fqrvice,
and confined in Fort Zealandia, for having .dared to
marry, without his\ c q n f e n t .Sicknefs, and death now
raged through the camp, and every thing was in the
utmoft confufion.
To compleat the whole, o n f f ie ift o f November,
twehty-five more negro flaves ifah; away.; and on,the 3d
we’’ received''intelligence that no lefs than, fifty griped
rebels had been feen fwimming acrofs. the River Cottica,
' a^out a rnufket-fhot a]boVe Barbacoeba.
In cQnfequence. of this ahformation,'Colonel Seyburg
was detached, with the' few men that remained able to
carry arms, who’ through1 diftrefs and famine were now
almoft ready to attack their own officers; and who being
unfupplied with theiy favourite luxury, Tobacco*, fat
. * All -failors,, foldiers, and negroes are keeps up their Spirits,'.they fay, and fome
particularly miferable withoiit tobacco ; it almojl prefer it to bread.
VOL.II. Z fmoking