where they were stationed, is on thri frontiers of the woods of Guiana;
but they murdered first their officers iri a most savage manner, rob-
bed their quarters of every article, and then retreated into the forest,
after which: they plundered the neighbouring plantations, and kidnapped
the slaves wherever an opportunity offered. The commander
in chief of the troops at Surinam, Brigadier-General H—g-_s himself
pursued them with a detachment of regular troops in the
woods with the greatest activity; but the rebels always found
means to avoid an action with him; and after a very fatiguing
march for many weeks he was obliged to return to Paramaribo,
without even taking a single rebel. But what was so‘Very difficult
for the European troops to accomplish, a negro slave effected: h&
had been forcibly taken away by the rebels from one of the planta-
tations, and having made him their slave, they treated him very
severely, as he related. The poor fellow however wished much td
return to his former master; but was always strictly Svatched by
the rebels; at last a favourable opportunity Occurred; the deserters
began to wish for some female companions, and this negro toldlhem,
he had agister and two other female relatioris at. the plantation
where he had lived, who undoubtedly would be glad to live
with them if they h^d an opportunity of joining them. The deserters
at first were very suspicious.of accepting the offer of the negro;4
but at length they consented, and three of them resolved to go
with him, assuring him at the same time that if he was guilty of
falsehood or treachery towards them, he should löse his life. 1 They
went down the river in a boat, and had loaded muskets with them;'
but in the evening, when they quitted the boat to proceed to the
plantation; the negro observed to them, that they would be discovered
if they carried arms with them, therefore they had better
conceal their muskets in the bushes, till they returned with the
women. After some expostulation, arid again threatening the
negro if he was not faithful to them, they followed his advice
and went to the plantation, where they found in a hut the three
girls, to whom the negro | contrived the means of giving secret
information .of his- plan; they affected to .agree to the proposal of
accompanying him and his associates; rum was procured, and the
deserters now thought thrimselves quite secure of ;their object; but
when they became intoxicated, the negro went secretly to his former
master, and told him. how happy: he was in being abieito return to
the plantation again, and that there were; fchifequof the deserters
whom he could easily ; take ; the negro’s house<was immediately ordered
to be surrounded, and the prisoners, xyere- sent to Paramaribo^
After a confinementf which lasted several months, -;during: which
they confessed that they had been assisted rby sorqe^of the tribes
of the 'bush-: negroes, jj one of them died* in the .prison,-and the
other two were executed. I was not then in towp* but have heard
that they were -punished.with all the severity which the anjOiept
Jaws of this- colony! had prescribed for the offeriee. f The in ten lion of
this, vg^ye^ty is undoubtedly to hold up a tepfjfeje wexamplol to'
other, negroes;, but as at the time f||their-executiqp, the e#p® #
shew a great deal, of contempt, and even brave.the’ punishment
that is ? inflic led* upon them, it must have a contrary effect on the
negroes who witness it. Perhaps a . better, impression nwght/i be
madeupon the Jiving, if the delinqaeqts were only led through the
streets with the greatest; solemnity, and then executed in the' -
citadel* without exposing their obduracy, in a' public, place, where
the other negroes are liable to be powerfully affected by their
b e h a ||q f a n d stimulated to. similar acts, out of motives of resentment.
J^ow, if they had no opportunity qf witnessing tberbravado
and contempt of death displayed by criminals, imagination would-
paint the execution much more forcibly to their minds, and the
government again would be enabled to exercise more lenity in the ■
mode of punishment for capital offences..
But let me change the subject toone more agreeable, and consider