■ 268 NARRAT I V E OF AN
chap, bles, and were expofedto fale, like butchers me^tun
, , Teadenhall market.; And Captain /ohnKeeney formerly
o f .the Etojfcbin GptlpFi but late.ejf the Naimbana £chooser*
in the Sierra Efona [company’s, fervice, pofitively jaffured
me, that when he, a few years lince, was on the^Geiaftrof
Africa, in the brig Fame, from Briftol, Mr. Samuel Biggs
. owner, trading for wood, iron, and gold-dnft, a. Cap-,
tain -Dunnigqriy with his whole, crew, belonging to the
Najfau fchooner, which Was her tender, were cut in pieces^
falted, and eaten by the negroes,of Qffiat i^evgTn, abovtf
thirty miles Nqrt^hof the BiveF St.' Andrew‘s who having
torn the copper off her bottom, burned ;tlje veffel. • ,
But from thefe deformities o f character I will now relieve
the attention of the reader, and proceed in. j uftice to
difpel the gloomy cloud, iby introducing the fun-fhine of
their virtues.
Their genius has been already treated of,Tohas tbeir
gratitude; which laft they carry to fuch a length, that
they will even die for thofe who have fhewn them any
particular favour. Nothing can exceed the. fidelity and
attachment they have for thofe matters who ufe them
well, which proves that their affection is as ftrong as.,their
hatred. Negroes are generally good-nature.d, partieii-
larly the Coromantyn, and thofe of Nago. They are alfo
fufceptible of the tender paflion, and jealoufy in their
breafts has produced the moft dreadful effects. The delicacy
o f thefe people deferves likewife to be noticed: I
do not remember, amongft the many thoufands I have
feen
mm
E X P E D I T I O N TO SURINAM. 269
Teen,during feveral years refidence among them, ever to chap.
have obfervedTven an offer to kifs a woman in public. ^ XXVL .
Materpal, tendernefs for their children is < alfo natural to
the females^ for in ■ general^during the two years which ■
they-ufually fuckle.them, they never-cohabit with their
hufbands; this they nonfider as unnatural, and prejudicial
to . the infants :■ and: the cafefof Lefperanza (who
hor.e Co naanyjchildren in a fhort time)- is-no exception, as
her children died almoft as; (bon sas they came into the
world. The cleanlinefs o f the negro nation is peculiarly
remarkable, as they bathe above three times a day. The
»Congotribè>int particular are fo fond o f theWater, that §
,they may,, not improperly, be called amphibious animals.;
■
The negroes are likewife fpirited and brave, pa-
-tient. in adverfify, meeting death and torture with the
moft undaunted fortitude. Their conduct, in the moft
trying iituations, approaching even to heroifm; no negro
fighs, groans, or complains, though expiring in the
jmidft of furrounding flames. Nor do I remember, upon
.any occaiion whatever, to have feen an African fhed a
-tear, though they beg for mercy with the greateft ear-
neftnefs when ordered to he flogged for offences which
they are confcious deferve to be puniihed; but i f they
think-th(eir puniihment unmerited, kamèdiéte^ jdde ■ is
too oftèn the fatal confequence, efpecially amongft the
Coromantyn negroes, who frequently, during the a£t of
flagellation, throw back their heads in the neck, and
/wallow
M S ê i y y