en.c© there m in their blossoms I have not je t had an opportunity
of examining ; Dr. D ----- was so. obliging.-as t®. send me- the
reai bread fruit. This fruit, when its is half ripe, and then roasted,
tastQs., the most like the finest flour bread, as I can declare ‘from
experience >* but the fruit, when entirely ripe is stated to taste like
rteh; pngerbread. I ha,ve beea assumed by a gentleman who li^
soine of the real bread, fruit trees on. his. plantations; tW lb is tree
will multiply here very fast,, by cutting a Mmfe. o# foe root afrd
planting it.. But the valuable bread fruit tree, which has' been
brought with mecbexpease from the islands of the Pacific Ocean, is
not yet esteemed in- the western world as it really merits. However;
cann°t be much surprised at this, when we consider that it? is
not. above: sixtyyears* since several European princes found themselves
under the necessity of offering rewards to those, who would
cultiv^teia proper quantity of potatoes in those cou&trids, whefo
this, valuable root now forms a principal articleof suMenancefo the
country people^ and afavoarite esculent ad the the table*ofifoe fi&gfe
I have, seen many Negroes. Imre on the cotton plantations,, foil
of ulcers and scorbutic complaints, which seem to arise from the
brackish: water they are obliged to drink, there being no other near
the sea coast; and to fill large cisterns of rain water would be
hardly possible, as it rains here but seldom; they might however
get fresh water at no. great distance from the upper Commewyne.
Tlte rowing down the canal of the Warappa creek is particularly
charming,, as many plantations; have veisy fine buildings and brt
some there are so many houses* as to have the appearance of vill
a g e : the whole scenery calls to one’s recollection, and may be
compared to a tour on a canal, through the richest provinces in
Holland.
At the end, of the Warappa creek is situated the plantation
Alsimo, which produces very fine cotton, and has a* view of the sea.
The air is delightful, and the director* who live in this part of the
coloay* enjoy as .good a state of health as* in any part of the world.
• ïlf e iam o tonly.»wingito.«he'-iàiyjnesfe of the soil, but also to the
cleariragiof the coast fromthe mangrove, trees,. which fnrmerly prevented
the free çircdation of the sea breezes. By : cutting à canal
froanbOneb tolhe.sea, in heavy gaiesof wind the waves have forced
(heir way so violently against the points of the canal, as already
tp have washed away a considerable part of the land On the
coast. This has alarmed the owners of those plantations which
-hé nearest to the canal, and several of them havé sold their possessions.
‘ Paramaribo also formerly possessed a, great advantage, in
being odt> effdanger of an attack from an enemy till all thé fortresses
wtóie taken, but now at is completely exposèd by this method Of
cutting separate canals into the sea; and of -tins it had expe-
perience in the last attack upon the-colony, when a body of
troops wbnt up this esnal and took possession o f the coun try before
the fortresses surrendered. Though it is now better guarded by a
military post being stationed on the canal, yet this always weakens
foe garrison of toe fortresses.
I have heard that there is a plan proposed, to fill up the present
communication of the canal with the toa, and to make à new
opening in an oblique line, though not far from where i t now is ;
but even this does not seem to promise any abatement of the danger,
which would be more completely effected if the new projected
canal between the river Commewyne and the sea coast were to run
parallel with, and at an equal distance from, them both ; leading into
tHé entrance of the river Surinam, between the battery of Leyden
and Bramspoint, where the canal would be as well defended from
the approach of an enemy, as secure from the encroachment of
the sea; but-it seems this projected canal will not be very speedily
executed, as the owners who possess land along it, must all of them
contribute thereto, and send their negroes to work upon it.*
* This may be more clearly ynderstoôd, by referring to the Map of Surinam, just
.published by Mr. Faded. *