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of them who never fall into this excess., or that they get drunk
by turns. Notwithstanding the too great inclination for strong
liquors, which the Arrawoukes have in common with all the
other Indian nations, yet in other respects the comparison is
much in their favour, as they possess more talents, and it is
to be wished that more pains were taken for their ci vilization. The
Moravians have lately engaged in this good work; but as I have
not y€t visited those parts of the country where these missionaries
labour, I can give you no further account of them pr their success;
bur I intend to visit them as soon as I can get an opportunity.
Many inhabitants in this colony are of opinion, that the Indians
in general do not evince sufficient genius and talents to warrant
any reasonable expectation of their improvement ; but the history
of the world abounds with ample proofs that among all nations the
improvement of the mind has gone on slowly, and by degrees. If
we confine our views to,Europe only, how long were the Greeks and
Romans civilized before any of the other nations, emerge from a
condition very little better than that of the present Indians in America.
These Indians discover a considerable activity in their huntings,
and they have given many proofs of surprising sagacity to those
Europeans who have employed them in the war against the bush
negroes; and they shew their mechanical genius in the construction
of many useful articles, without the assistance of toolsmade of metal.
Their women in the workingof cotton hammocks, display equal skill,
industry, and ingenuity; they take up every thread as is done,in
darning, and the hammocks which they make are really handsome;
there is therefore no want of capacity in these people; but if there
be any fault it will be upon their instructor, who ought not only
to possess sound judgment, in choosing what is most useful for
the Indians to learn, but also particular talents in leaching them;
besides which he must be indued with uninterrupted perseverance,
and a generous disinterestedness. These are rare qualities to be
g | 93 ]
found united in one person, and where it is the case, will such a
man choose to go to the Indians and live with them in the wild forests
of Guiana ?—The Portuguese and Spanish missionaries» it is
reported, have already met in some parts of South America, with
happy success in their endeavours to instruct the Indians, and have
brought them, by their indefatigable zeal, to an industrious way of
living, so as not only to be useful to themselves, but of the greatest
service to the European settlers.
We rowed from this-Indian village to the Jews Savanna, which is
reckoned from Paramaribo'about sixty miles, though the distance
by land is supposed to be onlj forty; but there is no carriage roads
direct from the town hither. This place is considered as the most
populous village in tbè colony : the lews have here a large synagogue,
besides their principal schools and a kind of college. The
Dutch government wishing to invite the rich Portuguese Jews, and
particularly those who had before settled in the Brazils, to fix their
residence at Surinam, granted them all the liberty and rights of the
other nations here. 4 When they first settled in Surinam they
engaged much in agriculture, but they have since- found that their
talent for speculation succeeds better in the various branches of
commerce. Of this subject, however, I shall speak in another
place.
After the two directors had departed, Mr. S. and I went to
two other Indian villages, the way to which led over an eminence
covered with a multitude of different species ,of shrubs ; but when
we came to the first village, there was not a living creature to be
found in it. Our guide then brought us to another, which consisted
only of a few huts, but we saw no male Indians here ; some old
women were employed in cookery, while two young females were
occupied in making a new quejou, the only dress they wear, consisting
of a blue riband which forms a sash, to which an apron
is attached made of cotton, about eight inches long and six inches