The mansion at Bluebergh is-accounted one of the finest country
houses in the colony; its situation is very pleasant; before it is the
river Surinam, forming a capacious mid circular bason; and it
stands on d rising ground at the foot of the Blue Mountain; the
other parts of the scenery consist of a large plain, in which at a
short distance are situated the negroes’houses, which are well built,
and in so great a number as to form a considerable village.
The negroes on this plantation having behaved remarkably well,
and particularly by repulsing several times the attacks of the Bush
negroes, have obtained many indulgences. They breed a considerable
quantity of poultry, and plant a great number of vegetables,
not only for their own use, but tor ,sale at Paramaribo, where they
dispose of them to advantage; They are also supplied with clothing
and other necessaries; nevertheless they are kept Under proper
discipline, and when they are guilty of a fauliy-tlie direciob
the two black overseers. Called in thiscolotiy,Bastians, who are
chosen from among the,best behaved negroes; and the punishment
which they conceive the culprit to have deserved, is never increased
by the director. This sentence is carried;into execution in the
presence of the other negroes, and they have never any reason
of complaining of too much severity. " ..
This woody plantation is very considerable, consisting of near
eight thousand acres of ground; there are several gentlemen who
have it in common, and as they are men of fortune^ and of liberal
understandings, they are particularly - careful to procure a good
director, who is. allowed a considerable salary : his employers know
that upon his conduct they haves to rely, in preventing their'
negroes from joining the Bush negroes, who live in the vicinity;* and
indeed the present director, Mr. B. is a very intelligent man, and
is much- beloved by the negroes. He told us that he was yery sorry
he could not go with us into the woods, to shew us the negroes at.
work, as the ground was at present overflowed with water.
; _a W ]•
each weighing twelve hundred pounds of sugar; such a mill with
the foiling house, coppers, and machinery, is estimated at from
seventy to eighty, thousand Dutch florins; but mills of so great an
expense, are only; built on plantations of two thousand, or two
thousand five hundred acres,-of which four hundred are only culti*
vated at^pnee, three t^undred planted with sugar canes, and one:
hundred allotted to the maintenance of the negtoesy.who cultivate
thereon bananas, yams, &c. The whole population o£ negroes on
s^eh a p^ntationt consists of about three hundred;■
'Hhere are aj^o several cacao plantations, The trees are left to
grow JOj thejr natural.heighth, which,is about that.of a:cherry,-tree;
their leaves resemble those of the broad-leayedtjaurel, and areof a
dark green c o lo u rth e fruit.in shape resèmbles'a lemon, but is?
rather more oval; it is at first green, and when ripe, yellow; / I t is
said that there are some trees which produce- above» tyyo, hundred:,
each; containing about twenty beans ofrnuts. The,, fruits not
oifiy proceeds from the branches, but even from j$herstem ; and.
though .there is always ripe and unripe fruit, it is only-gathered
twice a,-year. The chocolate isc3,hqye , in a general" ,of isn , inferior
quality, known by its dark brown colour, and rough taste;
buf the superiority of the cocoa depends principally on| the soil
where, the trees are planted. Having some time, since, that the,
coccia n,ut when prepared in the, same wayias, the. cacao, made;a«
fine„chp,colate, I ^Aditdqne by myoiynordeiyand upffer my own
inspectie^» by,,a person, who well understands i t ; ) but .the beverage,
w#s,yery indifferent, and nothing,equal to the real chocolate,
Wec. were now far advanced, onI our journey whentpthe tide
turned ;* on which Mr. .S, told the rowers that this was quite*
unexpected to him, as he had never been here before, nor h^d he,.;
any acquaintance, where we could stay the nighty and as the plantation
of Bluebergh was^pot far, off, he hoped they would not be
discouraged, pr feel any unwillingness in rowing a shprt distance
* A circumstance which happens here during the floods o f the rainy season.