Guiana, Geographical and Historical: For the Use of Schools

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F
2308.5

ftUIAKA:

!xijO(ii4PHlQL
lilSTMICM.

J

'L\

STANFORD

GUIANA: '■'^'"^'"^s

GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTOEICAL.

jfor % tfist of S^t^ob.

By J. O. BAQDON,

KOBMAL MA8TBB Of BIBHOF'b OOLLXQX.

DEMEBABA:
R. SHOBT, GEOROEiT^O^^

PEEFACE.

This little book, as may be seen from its title-page,
is not intended to supersede the use of any of the
larger and more complete works on Guiana which
have been already published, but to serve as an
introduction to them, and hence to a more general
diffusion of the knowledge of its geography and
history, by introducing these subjects into our Colo-
nial Schools. The want of a book suitable for
children has long been felt by all engaged in tuition.
I have therefore endeavoured to produce a School
Book.

As this work does not lay claim to much origin-
ality of matter, it follows, as a natural consequence,
that the greater part of it must have been compiled
from existing works. I am especially indebted to
the following : Dalton's " History of British Guiana,"
Schomburgk's " Guiana," Schomburgk's " Illustra-
tions of the Interior of Guiana," and Brett's " Indian
Missions."

The particular passages taken from these works,
have not been noticed in tlieit -^ptongex^'a.e.^'s.Oc^^^^'^^^^'^
I have learnt by experience tSci^X ^?XeTv^^> ^^^^^^^'^

\v PREFACE.

foot-notes, &q., tend greatly to puzzle the class of
readers for whose use this book is intended : it is
therefore hoped that this general confession may
screen me from the charge of plagiarism.

Those who desire to obtain a more complete
knowledge of Guiana and its inhabitants than may
here be found, will do well to read the following
works, besides those before mentioned : — Davy's^
" West Indies, before and since Emancipation,
Bolingbroke's " Demerara," Bancroft's " Guiana,
" The Local Guide of British Guiana for 1843,
Stedman's " Surinam," Wallace's " Travels on the
Amazon," and Humboldt's " Travels in Central
America."

9»

Bishop's College,
May 23, 1857.

GUIANA.

GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

fjtviAJXk, Guyana, Guayana, or Guiannay is the name given
to a large tract of the South American continent, lying
between the parallels of 8^ 40' N. lat. and 3^ 30' S. lat.,
and 50* and 68° W. long. Its boundaries are the Atlantic
Ocean on the east and north-east, the Biver Orinoco on
the north and north-west, the Elver Amazon on the south,
the Biver I^egro on the south-west, and the natural Canal
of Cassiquiare, which connects the Negro and Orinoco,
on the west. Its greatest length, measured from North
Cape to the confluence of the Bio Xie and the Bio Negro,
is about 1260. miles; its greatest breadth, or the distance
between Punta Barima, at the mouth of the Orinoco, and
the confluence of the Bio Negro and the Amazon, is about
820 miles. Its superficial extent is ^om 800,000 to
900,000 square miles Its natural divisions are three : —

1. The Allttvial Flat bordering the coast from the
Orinoco to the Amazon, a distance of 750 miles, and ter-
minating at the foot of a range of sand hills from 30 to
120 feet high. Its breadth varies from 10 to 40 miles.
This region contains the principal European settlements
and plantations.

2. The Hill Coitntbt, comprising the mountainous
districts, which are covered with luxuriant vegetation,
and produce great quantities of valuable tix^^c^st.

3. The Savannahs, or open 'p\aiTi'&, ^io^«fe\^sRS5^^^f*^
&ad a few stunted trees. T\ie wna^^sst ^«.^«ssq^'^i^^^^

between the Rivers Demerara and Corentyn, approach
"within two miles of the Berbice coast. The larger Savan-
nahs of the Rupununi, extending between the Pacaraimi,
Carawaimi, and Cannucu mountains, occupy about 14,000
square miles.

Its political divisions are five : —

1. The Brazilian or Portuguese, containing more than
one-half of the whole of Guiana, occupies the southern
and south-western portions.

2. The Venezuelian or Spanish, containing one-fourth
of the whole, occupies the northern and north-western
portions.

Between these and bordering on the Atlantic lie*—

3. British Guiana ;

4. Dutch Guiana, or Surinam ;

5. French Guiana, or Cayenne.

MouNTAiifs. — Three great chains branch off from the
Andes, nearly at right angles, and stretch eastward acrosB
the continent of South America: the central of these,
which leaves the main trunk between the third and four&
parallels of F. lat., is the principal mountain range of
Guiana. It is generally called the Cordillera of Parim4 ;
but by Humboldt it is named the " Cordillera of the
Cataracts of the Orinoco/' It is but little known. Its
mean elevation is estimated at 4000 feet, but many of its
summits are much higher. Mount Maravaca, between
3^ and 4<> N. lat., and 65<> and 66^ W. long., is 11,000
feet; and about 60 miles eastward is Mount Putuibiri,
which is 5000 feet high. About the 60th degree W. long,
this chain is divided into three branches, which, with their
offsets, form the most important mountains of British and
French Guianas.

The first of these branches, the Sierra d' Acarai, runs
in a south-easterly direction till it approaches the line
about the 59th degree W. long., whence it runs eastward
through Cayenne and Brazil, and termuiates near the
mouth of the Amazon. Its highest point, Kaiawako, is
about 4000 feet above the sea. The eastern part of this
chain is called the Sierra Tumucuraque; spurs extend
southward towards the Amazon, forming the Sierra de
Paru and the Sierra de Mont-Ealegre, which are from 300
to 1000 feet high. .

The second branch, the Carawaimi Mountains, situated
between the 2nd and 3rd parallels N. lat., attains a height
"^2500 feet ^

The third branch, the Paoaramia Ifoontaiiis, whose
name is said to be derived from the Indiaif word Paoway
signifying a basket, is situated about the 4th parallel
K. lat., and has an elevation of 1500 feet.

The Ouangouwaiy or Mountains of the Sun, form the
connecting link between the Sierra d' Acarai and the
Garawaimi Mountedns.

The Cannucu or Gonocon connect the Sierra d' Acarai
with the Pacaraima; and the Tarapona Mountains lie
between the Garawaimi, Gannucu, and the Pacaraima
Mountains.

About the 5th parallel ^. lat. there is another range,
an ofGshoot from the Orinoco Mountains, with which it is
connected by the Sierra Ussipama : it is the central ridge
of the British and Butch colonies, forms numerous and
large cataracts in the rivers whose beds it crosses, is con-
nected with the Sierra d* Acarai by the Marowini Moun-
tains, and is considered by Schomburgk as the old boundary
of the Atlantic. The highest peaks, according to the same
authority, are the St. Cfeoi^e on the Mazaruni, the Twa-
sinki and the Maccarai on tibe Essequebo (the latter rising
1 100 feet above the river), and the Itabrou on the Berbice,
which is 662 feet above the river and 828 above the sea.

The Eoraima, or Bed Bock, situated in 5"* 9' 30'' N. lat.
and 60° 47' W. long., and belonging to the Pacaraima
range, runs 5000 feet above the adjacent table land, and
7500 above the sea. This was the highest point observed
by Schomburgk in British Quiana. The highest point
observed by Humboldt was the Mountain of Dui& or
Yeonamari, which has an elevation of 8465 feet. It is
situated near the junction of the Gassiquiare and the
Orinoco.

The Makarapan, situated near the Bupununi, in 3® 50'
N. lat, attains a height of 3500 feet.

The Sierra Tinataca is a mountain range of inconsider-
able height, running in a south-easterly direction from the
Delta of the Orinoco to the mouth of the Essequebo.

The Xlnturin or Tapira-pe-Bu, and the Pirabuku moun-
tains, lie between the Equator and 2° N. lat., and 65®
and 67° W. long.

The following are isolated mountains, some being mere
rocks: — Ataraipu, or the Devil's Bock, on the western
bank of the Biver Guidaru, in 2° 65' "S Aia.\.,, ^aA ^'^i? ^ssi
W. long., IB 1300 feet Mg\i. ^\ii4-Y^^^> ^^ ^^"^^"^^
Tree, in N. lat. 3° 59', and 5^^ ^^' ^ Awi%.,^^ ^\i^as8»JCG.

8

column resembling the trunk of some large old tree de-
prived of its leafy crown. It rises perpendicularly to the
height of 50 feet. Half a mile eastward from this is
another rock, rising from 60 to 80 feet above the plain,
and called by the Macusis, Canuy^-Piapa, or the guava-
tree-stump. In this neighbourhood is a third rock called
Mara-Etshiba.

There are no active volcanoes now to be found in Guiana,
but extinct ones are supposed to exist in the neighbour-
hood of the Eoraima, and the detached mounts of the
loBBBS'terres of Cayenne have similar origin.

EiVEfis. — The rivers of Guiana may be divided into two
classes.

1. Those which rise in the Cordillera of Parime, and
flow northwards to the Orinoco and southwards to the
Amazon.

The upper Orinoco, although flowing to the ocean,
belongs to this class ; it has its sources in the mountains
of Tapira-pe-Ru, and flows with a very circuitous course
among the mountains of Parim^, descends into the low
country by the great falls of Maypures and Atures;
thence its course is easterly to the Atlantic. Its whole
length is 1500 miles; it is navigable 700 miles. The
lower Orinoco («. «., from the great falls), is not generally
reckoned among the rivers of Guiana.

The Ventuari, the Tortuga-Caura, the Ami, the Paragua,
the Caroni, the Paramu, fall into the Orinoco.

The Maturaca and Cababuri rise in the Pirabuku Moun-
tains; the Maraviha, the Daraha, the Paranna or Rio
Preto, and the Padaviri rise in Mount Xlnturin : all these
and the Uaracca faU into the River Kegro.

The Parima, Urariquera or Rio Branco has its sources
near those of the Orinoco ; its course is eastward for 300
miles, when it is joined by the Takutu from the north-
east about N. lat. 3° and 60° W. long. ; thence it flows
south- west to the Rio Negro, which it joins about 1° S. lat.

2. The most important and also the best known are those
which, rising in the interior, flow northwards into the
Atlantic Ocean. They form the connecting link and only
means of communication between the inhabited civilized
shores and the lonely but romantic interior, and ** present
the extraordinary facilities for inland navigation which
distinguish the Guianas, and afford the best guarantee for
the developement of the resources afforded by this proUflo

ffoU and bnmid elimate.*' They were fiiat. exig\OT^ Vj

k

Oapt. Laurens Keymis, who visited these shores in 1596,
and stated that there were no less than sixty-seven.

The most important are the Essequeho, called by the
Indians inhabiting the coast, the Arananma — and the bro-
ther of the Orinoco; by the Taranmas, the Coatyang
Kityon ; by the Macnsis, the Sipon ; by the Dutch, the
Dessekeber ; and is supposed to have received its present
name from one of the officers of Diego Columbus, Don
Juan Essequibel. It rises in the Sierra d' Acarai, forty-
one miles north of the equator, flows north and north-east,
and after a course of 640 miles falls into the Atlantic.
It chief tributaries are, from the east, the Caneruau and
Wapuau ; from the west, the Camoa, the Cassi, the Cuyu-
wini, which rises in the Carawaimi Mountains and joins the
Essequebo in 2*^ 16' N. lat. ; the Rjpununi, rises in the same
mountains, receives the waters of the Arariquru and the
united Guidaru and Roiwa —it joins the Essequebo in 4° N.
lat.; theSiparunijOrRedRiver; the Potaro, or Black River;
the Mazaruni, rises in the Pacaraima Mountains, receives
the waters of the Puruni, and after a course of 400 miles,
falls into the Essequebo, about 20 miles from its mouth ;
the Cuyuni, rises in the Sierra Imataca, and after flowing
380 miles falls into the Mazaruni, about eight miles from
its confluence with the Essequibo. The Mazaruni is navi-
gable to the Isle of Caria, and the Essequebo to the Itabally
rapids, a distance of 50 miles. During the last 20 milea
of its course it is from 15 to 20 miles wide. The entrance
to this river is rendered dangerous by shoals and sand-
banks ; the best and safest of its channels is that between
Leguan and the east shore, which has a depth of from two
to four fathoms.

The Demerara rises in the Maccarai Mountains, in 4"^ 30"
N. lat., flows nearly parallel to the Essequebo, and after a
course of about 200 miles falls into the Atlantic. It is
about two miles wide at its mouth, and is navigable to
the Kaicontshi rapids, nearly 120 miles from Georgetown.
It has no tributmes worthy of notice. A bar of mud
extends four miles to seaward, having nine feet of water
at half-flood.

The Berhiee takes its rise about the third parallel N.
lat., approaches within nine miles of the Essequebo in
3* 55', receives the waters of the Wickie and Canje from
the east and the "Waironi from th^ ^e^\,^ ^\A ^S^fc\. ^ ^^^ssss^fc
of 320 miles falls into tiie k\:im^'a> VI Tsi^^'e. ^^z^^^s^
£rom the Demerara. It \a ixaV\g«^^«> V^^ TESLVi^.

10

The Corentyn rises in the Ouanguwai Mountains,
about 25 miles east of the Essequebo. It receives the
Cabalaba from the south in 5° N". lat ; the Paruru and the
Maipuri from the west ; and, near its mouth, the Nickerie
from the east. Its course is very tortuous, between the
confluence of the Paruru and the Maipuri it describes
nearly a circle. Its length is not less than 500 miles, and
it is navigable 150 miles. Erom 5° 55' N. lat to its em-
bouchure it forms an estuary from 10 to 18 miles wide,
impeded by mud and sand-banks ; its deepest channel is
only eight and a half feet deep at low water.

The Stmnani, formerly called the Great Coma, has its
sources in the Sierra d' Acarai, and flows through the
centre of Dutch Guiana, to which province it gives its
own name, and falls into the Atlantic after a course of 300
miles. It is navigable 120 miles.

The Moroni or Maramni and the Oyapoh rise in the
same mountains, and flow northward to the Atlantic. The
length of the flrst is 250 miles; of the second, 100 miles.

The following rivers are small, and are frequently called
creeks ; they all pour their waters into the Atlantic : —
the Barima, the Guiania or Waini, the Moruca, and the
Pomeroon, rise in the Sierra Imataca ; the Mahaica, the
Mahaicony (so called from the mahogany trees growing
on its banks), and the Abari, lie between the rivers
Demerara and Berbice. The Gomowini, or Little Coma,
the Cottica, the Copename, and the Seramica aro in Dutch
Guiana, to the eastward of the Surinam.

Lakes. — " The geological structure of the great savan-
nahs," says Schomburgk, ** leave little doubt that it was
once the bed of an inland lake, which by one of those
catastrophes of which even later ages give us examples,
broke its barriers, and forced for itself a passage to the
Atlantic." The traditions respecting this inland sea of
bygone ages gave rise to the fable of El Dorado. The
small lake Amucu, situated to the north of the Cannucu
Mountains, is now its representative. In the dry' season
it is only about three miles in length, and overgrown with
rushes; but during the rainy periods it overflows its
banks, and floods the surrounding country; its super-
abundant waters at length And an outlet to the eastward
through the Biver Rupununi, and to the westward through
the Rio Branoo.

The small lake called Broadwater is situated between
tie livers Berhice an^ Corentyn, in 6^** IS . lat. It \b eoii-
^ected by the Miver Icamwa with the Canio.

11

The Wakapoa, Akawini, and Tapacuma lakes are situated
in the swampy country between the Essequebo and the
Orinoco, to the north-east of the Sierra Imataca.

IsLLSDS, — The principal islands are situated in the
estuaries of the great rivers.

In the Essequebo are Wakenaam and Hog Island, each
about 15 miles in length ; Leguan about 12 nules in length ;
Tiger Island, Quoquaraba, Capoue, Fort Island,' and many
smaller ones. Opposite the point of land formed by the
junction of the Rivers Mazaruni and Cuyuni is Kyk-over-
al, and 20 miles farther up the Mazaruni is Caria.

In the Demerara, 20 miles from its mouth are Borselen
and three others.

Crab Island is in the mouth of the Berbice.

In the Corentyn are Mocco-mocoo, Maam or Kokers,
the Baboon Islands, Long Island, and the Parrot Islands.
Cayenne is situated near the coast of French Guiana.

CLIMATE AND SOIL.

Guiana, though situated in the torrid zone, enjojrs a more
temperate climate than those regions of Asia and Afnca
which are under the same latitude. In the districts along
the shores of the Atlantic, the mean temperature for the
year is 81° Farenheit, the maximum 90°, the minimum 74°.
In the interior the thermometer has a greater range, some-
times varying from 12° to 35° in a few hours; the maxi-
mum is about 95° in the shade, and the minimum 60°.
During the greater part of the year a strong north-east
wind prevails, which gives a refreshing coolness to the
atmosphere: it usually begins about 8 or 9 a. m., and
gradually dies away about sunset, but occasionally continues
throughout the night. During the months of July and
August there is frequently a land breeze from the west
and south-west, which, coming from the vast forests and
savannahs is very imhealthy. The year is divided into
four seasons, — two wet and two dry. The great dry
season commences towards the end of August, and con-
tinues till the end of November ; after which the rains fall
until the middle of February, when the short dry season
commences, and continues till the iEL\ddXa ^1 k?gc^\ ^^s^s^
long wet seasbn then seta m, scaiOL \a&\s» NS^ ks^^gs^.^^ J'^^'^
ciiange of the seasons is m«iike^\ii ^^^^x^ *Oq»»S^^ ^^^csss

12

the flashes of lightning are very vivid, but fatal accidents
seldom occur. Shocks of earthquake are sometimes felt,
but they are so slight as to be scarcely noticed.

The low lands of the coast, and those adjacent to the
chief rivers, consist of a blue clay impregnated with marine
salt and decayed vegetable matter, which forms a rich
and highly productive mould, resting on a bed of granite,
and is from 50 to 200 feet in depth. This district is suc-
ceeded by one of much less fertility, consisting chiefly of
ranges of hills and detached groups of hillocks of white
and yellow sand. The mountains are generally composed
of masses of granite, traversed by veins of quartz, por-
phyry, gneiss, and trappean rocks. The other parts of the
coimtry are generally covered with trees and shrubs, con-
stituting what is called ** the bush," or consist of open
plains covered with grass, called " savannahs."

NATUEAL PRODTJCTIONS.

AiTEMAL Kingdom. ,

Mammalia. — This term is applied to those animals which
bring forth their young alive. It is derived from the
Latin word mamma, which signifies the breast, udder, or
part of the female which contains the milk.

Quadrumana, t. e,, the four-handed. This order includes
the baboons, monkeys, &c. They are divided into two
classes : — 1st. Those with tails prehensile : such are the
howling baboon or red howler, by some called the preacher ;
the Sajou, or weeping monkey; the homed or tufted
Sapajou ; the Capuchins ; the Quata or Coaita ; and three
or four varieties of spider monkeys, the largest of which is
called the Beelzebub. 2nd. Those with tails not prehen-
sile, termed also Sakis and Sagouins; as the Cuxid, or
black-faced; the Yarkee, or white-faced; and the red-
bellied, red-bearded, and yellow-headed monkeys. There
are also many other species of small monkeys, the most
elegant of all being the Marmoset. Most kinds are killed
and eaten by the Indians.

Carnivora, t. e., the flesh-devouring. The animals be-
longing to this order found in the western hemisphere do
not equal in number, size, or ferocity, those of the eastern :
this is especially true of the feline race. To this class
belong the Jaguar, commonly caRed the tiger, but more
properly the ounce ; when old this animal ib a\mo«.\.\)VaR^,

13

which has given rise to the opinion that a black species
existed in the forests of South America. The Puma or
lion, the black tiger-cat, the Labba tiger-cat, and several
other varieties. The foregoing, with the skunk, otter, and
dog, belong to the class called digitigrcde, t. e., walking
on the toes. The crab-dog, the racoon, the Coatimonde or
quacy-quacy, the Potto-finkajou, and three varieties of
the galietis, belong to the class called plantigradef i, e.,
walking on the sole of the foot. The sloth, the anteater,
and the armadillo are edentata, i. $., toothless animals.
The opossum belongs to the order called ma/rswpialy or
pouch-bearing.

Those animals which, when killed, afford a wholesome
and delicate food for man are numerous; such are the
Tapir or Maipuri, the Water-haas or Capibara, the Agouti
or Acoiiri, the Acouchi (called by the natives Atouri), the
Bakkir, the Pingo, the Peccari or Mexican Hog, the
Cairuni or wild hog, and a third species of hog called the
Apida, which is of a dark-brown colour, the Labba, and
several kinds of deer — as the Bush deer (called by the In-
dians Baica), the Savannah deer, the Cane-piece deer, and
the "Wirrebouriciri.

Most of the domesticated animals of Europe have also
been introduced by the colonists. Cattle are not reared in
sufficient numbers to supply the market, therefore great
numbers are imported, chiefly from the Spanish provinces
of Venezuela and Orinoco. Goats are very numerous, and
thrive excellently. There are few sheep, and these, on
account of the great heat, produce no wool.

The beasts of burden are the horse, the mule, and the
ass. Dogs are very numerous, but generally lean and
^ wretched looking animals.

Of the cetaceous animals only two species are found
here, the Delphinus Amazonicus, a kind of dolphin, found
in the Amazon and its tributaries, and the Manati, Laman-
tine or sea cow, which is an amphibious animal, t. «., it
lives both on land and in water.

BniDs. — The birds of Guiana are very numerous — more
than four hundred species are enumerated by Cabanis,
many of them covered with plumage of the most gaudy
colours, scarlet, blue, purple, and yellow; others afford
excellent food, but few are good songsters.

Birds of Prey. — Of vultures, ot ^iainsvi ^t^^^,'^^'^ «2t^
formd three species ; of owls, ^even. «^^^i\e» % ^^ *^^ «?^^^.
bawka, falcons, and kites, nearly iotty «^«i^"v<s&-

14

One of the most common birds seen around the dwellings
of man is the Kiskadi, which belongs to the family of
shrikes, of which there are several varieties. The Bell
bird, called by the Indians Dara, and by the Spaniards
Campanero, a beautiful white bird; and the magnificent
Cock of the Bock, are found in the forests. The Tanagers,
as the blue, grey, black, and brown Sakis, are very com-
mon. Thrushes, wrens, flycatchers, martins, swallows,
goatsuckers (called by the iVench Engoutevent, ». e , swal-
lowers of the wind), yellow-plantain birds, robins, rice
birds or Surinam crows, the Ibibirou, and the beautiful
little humming birds, are generally found in the cultivated
districts. The kingfisher, the houton, the parrot, the
parroquet, the woodpecker, the barbot, the cuckoo, the
Towcan or bill bird, the Macaw or ara, and the bright
yellow and black mocking birds inhabit the woods.

The birds commonly known in Europe as poultry are
found here in a domestic state, such as chickens, turkeys,
ducks, geese, pigeons, guinea fowls, &c. Many kinds of
game, such as the Guans or yacous, a kind of pheasant,
tiie Tinamou or maam, the Douraquara or partridge, the
quail, several kinds of wood pigeon, wild ducks, plovers,
the Trumpeter or warracoba, the Sun bird (called by the
Spaniards ' Tirana), the Imperial Boat Bill, spoonbills,
herons, storks, bitterns, woodcocks, the Camouche, Coot
or water hen, the fiamingo, and guUs, are frequently met
with.

The frigate bird, the pelican, and cormorant, are some-
times found on the coasts.

In Guiana only four or five species of bats are found.
The largest is the much dreaded Yampire, which measures
from twenty-four to twenty-five inches across the wings.

Eeptiles. — Turtles and tortoises are frequently found
on the banks of the rivers, in the wooded heights, and in
sandy places : some of the largest kind weigh as much as
100 lbs. There are two kinds of land turtle, and seven
of fresh water tortoises ; the latter are most numerous in
the Essequebo and its tributaries. The sea-turtle, the
large-mouthed tortoise or chelys, and the soft-shelled
tortoise, are occasionally met with.

Of the Saurian tribe the Caiman or alligator of the

Essequebo is the largest. These creatures are frequently

found in many parts of the colony. The Guana, the

Salempenta or El Mateo, and many other Bpecie^ oi \i2Ax^^

are very numeroua.

15

Serpents are said to abound in the forests, but are seldom
found in the cultivated districts. The non-venomous are
the boa-constrictor, the Camoudi, the whip snake, the
coral snake, and several varieties of water-snakes. The
venomous snakes are the brown and yellow Labarri, the
parrot snake, the guana snake, the rattlesnake, the Bush-
master (called by the Indians Kunukusi or Courracouchi),
and other species of vipers.

Toads and :&ogs exist in large numbers. The most
remarkable are those which live on the trees ; they take
prodigious leaps, and spring with great agility from leaf
to lesrf. The peculiar formation of their feet enables them
to adhere firmly to the leaves and branches of trees, the
walls of houses, and even to the smooth surface of glass.

!Fi8H. — ^The coasts, rivers, streams, and canals of Guiana
abound with various kinds of fish, which form an impor-
tant article of food for the negroes and Indians. Sharks
are very numerous near tbe mouths of the rivers, and
sword fish are frequently found.

The principal salt-water fish are the saw-fish, snook,
Jew-fish or grooper, shad, bashaw; also, foimd in fresh
water, snapper, pilot-fish, mullet, goby, gilbagre or gill-
bachar, and herrings; prawns, shnmps, and other shell-
fish are caught off the coasts ; and even the trenches pro-
duce a smdl fish, called Hassar, which is eaten by the
poor.

The fresh-water fish are the Sudis-gigas, a large fish
weighing from two to three hundred pounds ; the Lau-lau,
nearly as heavy as the former ; Yacuta, carp, salmon, pike,
doras, arcus, d!awalla, cartalac, pirapoco or pirapu, pirai or
huma, called also the black saw-bellied sabnon, arowana,
and electric eel.

Crabs are very numerous on the mud fiats of the coasts
and trenches ; tibie most common species are the Bonoori,
the Cancer-uca-ima, and the Jumbi — ^the flesh of the last
is said to be poisonous.

Insects. — Innumerable swarms of winged and creeping
creatures meet the eye in every direction. The bush-
spider or Tarantula (called by the French the Araign^es-
crabes), the bird-spider, and the scorpion are found in the
woods. Other varieties of spiders, centipedes, and cock-
roaches inhabit old buildings and the dwellings of "cs^sx^.
The bite of the Tarantula, centipedfe, ttsA^«3^^ssvl'^^a»^'^^^
painfal, but not dangerous. "MLoaq)ai\/oe» «c^ *Oaft ^gt'^^.^^J^^
of the low lands, but are uot iouu^ m >2tie \iv^^axv^^ ^

16

the interior. The Chigoe, or jigger as it is commonly
called, is a kind of flea, mostly found in warm sandy soils.
Beetles, hardbacks, weevils, and grasshoppers, attracted
by the light of the candle or lamp, are the evening
nuisances within doors, while the beautiful little fire-fly
may be continually seen without, glancing from bough to
bough. Several species of that curious insect the Mantis,
generally known as the walking-leaf, the God-horse, the
dried stick, and the praying Mantis, are common. Bugs
and lice often do great mischief to the trees and plants ;
but the most desfaructive creatures are ants, which some-
times attack and destroy a whole field of provisions in one
night ; they also infest houses, doing great injury to the
beams, rafters, and fiooring. Their nests may be found in
gardens, by the road-side, and on the branches of trees.
Saw-flies, gall-flies, wasps, maribunta, scoliae, bees, dirt
daubers or masons, make their nests in the walls of build-
ings or suspend them from the branches of trees. Cater-
pillars and butterflies form one of the most beautiful and
interesting orders of the insect tribe. They are very
numerous in the dry season, but may be found at all period
of the year and in every part of Guiana.

Vegetable Pboducts.

Few countries on the surface of the globe can be com-
pared with Guiana for vigour and luxuriance of vegetation.
A constant summer prevails ; the fertility of the soil, the
humid climate, and congenial temperature, insure an
immense and rapid growth of vegetation, and a continued
succession of leaves, flowers, and fruits.

The low lands are thickly covered with mangrove and
courida bushes; valuable timber trees raise their heads
above the more ignoble products of the forests; lianas
cling to their trunks, interlace their branches, spread from
tree to tree, and, descending again to the earth, form a sort
of network very difficult to penetrate.

In the cultivated districts, the most conspicuous objects
are the cabbage palm and the cocoa-nut tree.

The principal fruit trees are the orange, lemon, lime,

shaddock, forbidden fruit, citrons, mammee, star apple,

Ducolla apple, Avigato pears ; bread-fruit, bread-nut, sonr-

Bop, Simiri or locust-tree, Sapodilla, Mangoe, Papaw, hog-

plums, Aroira plum, Cashew, Cumaramara or marmalade-

tree. The Ita palm supplies the drmk caliled "B^X^ena^

17

of the fruit of the Tooroo palm a drink resembling choco-
late is made ; the Awara palm also yields a drink ; the
Guava, Souari^ and tamarind.

The trees which furnish timber for building are, the
Mora, Siperi or greenheart, black greenheart, purple green-
heart or iiari Wayana, Simiri or locust-tree, KakaraUi,
"Wamara, Determa, Wallama (generally used for shingles,
as it splits smoothly and freely), bully-tree or Burueh,
Siruabilli, Cuamara or Tonkin bean, Cabacalli, Waracouri
or white cedar, Carana or Acuyari or Mara or red cedar,
Yari-yari or yellow lancewood is used for carriages, Cari-
siri or black lancewood, Yaruri or Massara or paddle-wood,
Souari, Siruba, Anapaima, crab-wood, Tataba, Kaiceri-
balli, KakaraUi, Suradani, &c.

The woods used for furniture are, Bourra-courra or
letter-wood, Hucoriya or iron-wood, and Banya or ebony,
are also used by the Indians for war-clubs, Ducala-balli or
Itikiribourra-balli or tiger-wood, Tooroo palm, Ducaballi
or mahogany, Silbadani or Sibadani, Washiba or bow- wood,
and Taccuba arc used by the Indians for bows, Cartan or
Cartan-yeh, HyauabaUi, &c.

More than one hundred specimens of liiese various useful
and beautiful woods of the Guiana forests were sent to
the Exhibition of Paris in 1855.

Plants yielding edible products are, the sugar cane,
plantain, banana, coffee, maize or Indian com, Guinea
com or millet. Cassava (sweet and bitter), arrowroot, rice,
tannia, sweet potato, peppers, ochre, cacao, musk and
water plant, melon, grenadilla and pine-apple.

The plants yielding starch are, cassava, sweet potato,
yam, arrow-root, tannia, plantain, bread jfruit, and mangoe.

The plants yielding dyes and colours are the indigo,
amatto or rocon, lana, logwood, and mahoe.

The trees and plants yielding oils, gums, and resins are,
the cocoa-nut tree, castor oil tree, crab, laurel, monkey-
pot, waDgala, butter tree, pitch tree, tallow tree, Simiri
or locust tree, Hyawa or incense tree, Hya-hya or milk
tree or cow tree, Indian rubber tree, Woorali and Ooroobo
yield powerful poisons, one species of arrow root plant
yields a juice called galanga, which is used by the
Indians as an antidote against the poison of their arrows
and the bites of insects. Many of these trees, as the
Plantain, and Cocoa-nut tree, yield a fibrous «»\l\s%^»sss^^
used for making ropes, hammocka, &si. 'YXia ^sQ^^x^^io^^sa. ^
cotton and tobacoo haa almost <ie««fc^ ^\xfvs^% *^^ ^^*^
twenty years.

18

Many plants found in Guiana contain valuable medici-
nal properties, such as sarsaparilla, ipecacuanha, simaruba,
quassia, and several powerful febnfugals ; and many more
of equal importance will doubtless be discovered by the
scientific.

The flowers of this country are remarkable for l^eir
size, colour, and beauty ; some among them are rich in
perfume — others again are scentless. We cannot enumerate
all the various choice and blooming treasures of this
fertile soil ; the wonderful water-lily discovered by Schom-
burgk in 1837 on the river Berbice, and by him named
Victoria Eegia is now well known, and whether we notice
the large white sweet scented convolvulus, rightly named
'* the lady of the night;" the variety of lily, and bell
shaped flowers, or the smaller bright coloured sweet
"William, all are alike lovely and fragile.

MiNEBAL EjNeDOM.

Guiana is not rich in mineral wealth. No mines of gold
or silver have yet been discovered, though it is thought
some may exist in the interior, but the Indians are said to
have brought specimens of native silver from the river
Branco. Iron has been found in small quantities, but
lead and copper are wanting. Sands flt for the manufac-
ture of glass, and stone for building are abxmdant, but the
latter must be quarried far from the settled coasts. Excel-
lent clay for brick making and pottery also abound.

DI8C0YEEY.

Columbus. — ^As many years ago as there are days in the
year, three vessels, fltted out by Isabella, Queen of Castillo,
left Palos, a small port of Andalusia, xmder the command
of Christopher Columbus, and sailed westward, over the
bosom of the broad and then unexplored Atlantic, on the
most important expedition ever planned by the ingenuity,
or executed by the courage of man. It gave to the inhab-
itants of the old world, the knowledge of a new ; opening
to European adventurers an extensive fleld of enterprise ;
and to the persevering an inexhaustible mine of wealth.
The precise time when the shores of Guiana were first
visited by Europeans, cannot be fixed with certainty, there
18 no doubt tbey were known at a very eacVy i^t\o^, YoAfie^

19

we have good reasons for believing that they were dis-
covered by Columbus in his third voyage, A.D. 1498.
Other adventurers soon followed, amongst whom were
Vincent Janez Pinzon, who visited the mouth of the
Amazon in 1499, and Yasco Nunez, who landed on several
parts of the coast in 1504.

"Wonderful stories were soon circulated in Europe about
a rich city, abounding in gold, silver, and precious stones,
whose streets were of gold, and its houses covered with
plates of gold ; and not only were all the vessels in the
palace of the Emperor of gold and of silver, but gold dust
was so plentiful that the natives sprinkled it all over their
bodies, which they first anointed with a glutinous substance
that it might adhere to them. This city, was situated on
an island, whose rocks and soil were

" Of gold, fine virgin glittering gold,"

in the bosom of a silver lake called Parime. Hence by
the Spaniards the city was called El Porado, or the Golden;
but the natives called it Manoa, which signifies "it spreads
not ; " and this name the Caribs frequently give to their
lakes, so that Cuidad de Manoa, in the Spanish histories^
literally means the City of the Lake, and has nothing
whatever to do with gold or silver. The learned strove
to identify this imaginary city with the Ophir of sacred
writ, whence Solomon drew his immense treasure, and
Columbus declared it to be Cibao of Hayti. When this
island had been explored, and its mineral treasures nearly
exhausted, the Golden City began to be sought for in
other regions, especially in New Granada and Peru, and
lastly was supposed to exist in the dense forests of Central
Guiana ; and for more than a himdred years the history of
this country, consists almost solely of the adventures of
men who lost both fortunes and lives in the vain pursuit
of a golden dream.

The following is an epitome of the most celebrated
histories of these unfortunate explorers : —

In A.D. 1530, Pon Diego d^ Ordas sent Diego de Ordace
to explore Guiana, and afterwards obtained letters-patent
from the Emperor Charles the Fifth, securing to him all
the lands he might discover from the Cape de la Vela. He
set out with a li^ge force, and took several Indians prison-
ers, wh(T showed him some stones resembling emfir^ds..

In 1531 he sailed up the AmazoxL, wi<^ ^\jXi«ftQ^^\sS^ "^^
Fana, on the Orinoco, where \ie \wi. ^o^eftmssiiL ^^ ^ ^'cstf^^

20

erected by Don Palameque, Governor of the Guianas. He
then proceeded up the river as far as the confluence of the
Meta, a distance of 300 miles. . On his return he founded
the city of St. Thomas of Guiana, at the confluence of the
Oaroni and Orinoco, about 45 miles 6x>m the mouth of the
latter.

Juan Martinez, commander of artillery, under Ordas,
was condemned to death for neglect of duty ; but his men,
wishing to save his life, set him afloat in a canoe. Ac-
cording to his own account he was taken prisoner by the
Indians, and carried to Manoa, where the Tnca recognised
him as a Spaniard, and detained him in his capital for
seven months Martinez was then loaded with abundance
of gold and presents, and permitted to return to his own
country. The people, who dwelt on the Orinoco, robbed
him of all his wealth, except two bottles of gold dust,
which they imag^ed was the ordinary drink of the white
man. He wrote a description of the wonders he had seen.

Silva and his two brothers, with 200 men, examined the
whole length of the Amazon in vain.

In 1536, Antonio Sidenno set out with 500 chosen men
to discover the El Dorado ; he obtained mach gold, and
took some Indian prisoners ; but died, and was buried near
the head of the river Tinados, and most of his people
perished.

In 1540, Gonzalvo Pizarro, brother of Francesco Pizarro,
conqueror of Peru, set out from Quito with 800 men, one
half of whom were Spaniards, and the other half Indians ;
and travelled as far as the river Kapo, a tributary of the
Amazon. Here he contrived to build a bark, which was
placed under the command of one of his officers, named
Francesco Orellana, who deserting with his men and the
vessel, found his way down the river Amazon, which he
called after himself the Orellana, into the Atlantic, and
thence to Spain. Pizarro on arriving at the mouth of the
Napo, having discovered the desertion of Orellana, from
an officer whom the latter had left to perish in the forest,
was compelled to retrace his steps. He returned to Quito
in 1542, with only 80 men, and these in a most deplorable
condition.

Pedro de Odua, of Navarre, set out from Peru with 400
men, but was murdered by one of his sergeants, a Biscayan,
named Agiri, who then took the command, with the in-
tention of making himself Emperor of the Guianas. He
was slain ia the kingdom of Nuevo "Regao,

21

Juan Corteso penetrated into the country from the
Amazon with thirty followers, but neither he or any of
his men ever returned to tell the tale of their adventures.

Juan Gonzalves, who set out from Trinadad, describes
the Guianas as populous, plentiful in provisions, and rich
in minerals, especially gold. •

Pedro de Sylva, a Portuguese, who was sent out by the
Xing of Spain, to explore the country, landed in the terri-
tory of the Amazons, where he was attacked by the natives,
and only two of his men returned to their own country.

In 1560, a monk called Father Sala, with one missionary
companion, entered Guiana under the guidance of the
Indians ; after having made a collection of eagles, idols,
and a few plates and figures of pure gold, he returned
without having attained the object of his mission. In a
second attempt to discover El Dorado he was killed.

Pedro Limpias was resolutely opposed by. the Caribs, and
at last slain by the Cacique Putima.

In 1582, Don Antonio Berrejo, Governor of Trinadad,
set out from !N^ew Granada. He failed, and invented mar-
vellous falsehoods to cover his disgrace ; which induced a
party of his friends to proceed into the country with the
intention of forming a treaty with Mozequito, an Indian
chief, said to be well acquainted with the interior, who
put them all to death ; but was himself soon afterwards
taken prisoner by the Spaniards, and executed, and his
uncle, Tapiawari, was compelled to pay a ransom of one
hundred plates of gold.

In 1593, Domingo de Vera, a Lieutenant of Antonio
Berrejo, formally took possession of the mighty kingdom
of Guiana and El Dorado, in the name of his sovereign
Philip II.

The French and Portuguese also made many vain at-
tempts to discover the capital of Guiana ; and the English,
chiefly through enmity to the Spaniards, engaged in the
same undertaking.

Sir Walter Ealeigh, during his disgrace in 1593, pro-
jected the discovery and conquest of the rich and beautiful
empire of Guiana, and made two arduous attempts to
penetrate into the interior. The first was in 1595 : after
having burnt St. Joseph, the capital of Trinadad, and cap-
tured its governor, Ajitonio Berrejo, he sailed to Guiana,
and travelled within four days' journey of the boundarY
of El Dorado, when his provisioii^ and. wt\Ti\\v\A>svfif^ \i«g^
exhausted, he was compelled to letutti \o \»a ^v^^- "^^

22

took possession of the country in the name of Elizabeth,
and brought away two golden images, and a small quantify
of the ore called by the Spaniards, " el Madre de Oro.
He left Francis Sparrow and a boy named Godwin, with
Tapiawari, to whom he gave instructions to explore the
Country. Godwin was devoured by a tiger, and Sparrow,
after being taken by the Spaniards, and sent a prisoner to
Spain, returned to England in 1602.

In 1596, Captain Xeymis explored liie coasts from the
Orinoco to the Amazon, and in the following year another
expedition was sent to Guiana under Captain Masham.

In 1617, Ealeigh obtained a patent under the great seal,
for making a settibement in the country, and sailed once
more to the Orinoco. He attacked and sacked St. Thomas
with the loss of his eldest son, Captain Baleigh, and many
of his men ; but the plunder proved of little value, and he
failed to discover the gold mines which were supposed to
exist in its neighbourhood.

The last attempts to discover the city of Manoa were made
in the eighteenth century, (in 1740) by a Dutch surgeon,
who ascended the Essequebo, a distance of 360 miles ; thence
he crossed the country, being sometimes compelled to carry
his canoe, till he fell in with the Bio Blanco, by which he
descended to the Bio Negro, and thence to the Amazons,
where he fixed his residence among the Portuguese settlers.

In 1766, Don Manuel Centurion, governor of Santo
Thom^, sent an expedition fi:om the Orinoco to search for
the lake Parima and the city Manhoa: only one man
returned.

These are a few of the many expeditions sent out to
discover the golden treasures of Manhoa ; the Spaniards
alone are said to have sent above sixty. A century elapsed
from the discovery of this country, before any attempts
were made by Europeans to colonize and cultivate the nch
soil. The phantom of El Dorado no longer allures men to
ruin, and exists only in the history of the past. Two
places are pointed out as having probably given birth to
the fiction : — the first is on the Upper Orinoco, where the
glittering rock crystals formed in the mountains of Duida
and Maravacca, were mistaken for diamonds and emeralds,
and caused the name of Nueva Yilla de Esmeraldas, ue,
the City of Emeralds, to be given to a miserable hamlet of
fifteen huts : the second is the district between the Bupu-
nuni and the Bio Blanco, in which is the Lake Amucu.

23

ABORIGINES.

The American Continent was first peopled by tribes closely
allied to the Mongolian race of Northern Asia ; who being
driven from the milder regions of the south crossed Behrimg's
Straits, and established themselves in the New World.
Other tribes followed in the track of the first emigrants,
wars ensued, and the first settlers were again compelled to
seek new lands, while the conquerors took possession of
their territory to await a similar fate from succeeding
hordes. Thus the whole land from Alaska to Gape Horn,
became inhabited by a vast number of tribes, resembling
each other in manners, habits, occupations, and personed
appearances, and yet speaking a great variety of languages,
among which, however, there exists a grammatical analogy,
and a similarity in their general structure, proving a
common origin, and indisputable affinity with oriental
dialects.

Writers of the sixteenth century describe Guiana as a
great and mighty empire, densely populated, and ruled by
a grand Patiti, who dwelt at Manoa. When, and what
tribes first settled here we know not, nor have we any
means of estimating their numbers ; the searchers for El
Dorado attacked their haimts, burnt their huts, and slaugh-
tered, or made prisoners of the inmates. The first planters
seized many of their persons, and compelled them to work
on their estates ; others to avoid a life of slavery wandered
from their homes, became strangers in strange lands, where
they suffered from famine, disease, and war. The white
man introduced the vices of civilized life without its
virtues, fomented feuds between peaceful tribes and so
prepared the way for the extermination of the ancient and
lawM owners of the soiL

The once numerous and most powerful tribes, who
fought for the land of their fathers, are now few and weak,
and many have become extinct; — thus the whole race
seems to be wasting away to make room for the universal
dominion of the northmen.

The following is a list of the principal tribes of Indians
now inhabiting these regions : —

The Macusis who formerly dwelt on the banks of the
Orinoco, and are called by Sir W«it«t BjdL^^^ *^^
Qrinogae-poni, inhabit the Savaima^i^ oi ^o^ ^xi.^'xaNssv

24

and the monntain chains Pacaraimi and Cannucu.- Their
principal village is Pirara, coDsisting of 14 huts with a
population of 80 persons. It is situated upon a rising
ground on the southern shore of the lake Amucu. Being
industrious and unwarlike, they have suffered much from
the attacks of fiercer tribes ; and the Brazilians have long
been^in the habit of enslaving them. They are remarkable
for tie manufacture of the deadly poison called Wourali.
This is the largest tribe now existing in Guiana — and
numbers above 3000 souls.

The Warraus dwell on the low and swampy shores and
islands near the mouth of the Orinoco. They are a short,
hardy race of fishermen, bold, adventurous and active, and
are famed for the manufacture of corials and canoes of
great size and strength. Their language is the simplest
and most easily acquired of all the Indian dialects.

The Caribis were originally settled in the valleys of the
Apalachian mountains, in North America, whence they
migrated to Florida ; afterwards abandoning the northern
continent, they passed from island to island, till at last
they were discovered by Columbus in the Antilles or
Caribee islands; here being attacked by the Spaniards
many of them sought new settlements on the shores of
Guiana. They inhabit the lower Mazaruni and Cuyimi ;
a few are found at the Corentyn, Eupununi, and the
Guidaru rivers. Their colonies formerly extended to the
Surinam, the Maroni, and the country watered by the
windings of the Cayenne. Their numbers are now reduced
to about 300, and they appear fast approaching their
extinction.

The Wacawoios, are closely allied to the Caribs ; they
are probably an advanced horde of the same tribe who
passed at an earlier period through the islands and finally
attacked and overran the tribes of Guiana. They are of
a warlike nature, of nomadic and unsettled habits, and
wandering from the Orinoco to the Amazon, are a source
of continual apprehension to their more peaceful neigh-
bours. They may generally be found on the upper
Demerara, the Mazaruni, and the Potara. Their numbers
are estimated at 600.

The Arawaks, when first discovered occupied the

eountry about the mouths of the rivers and coasts of the

Atlantic ; they also inhabited Tobago, and some other

West India islands. Frequent contests took place between

iius tribe and the Caribis. The Euio]^e«Q& «ftVL^ \2ciftV:t

25

lands in tlie immediate vicinity of the coast, but their
most dreaded enemies were the Bush negroes, whom they
often captured and carried back to their masters. They
are said to be more intelligent, and to possess a stronger
national feeling than other tribes. Their number is
estimated at 3000.

The Arecunas resemble the Macusis in language ; they
formerly inhabited the banks of the river TJaupes, but are
now foimd on the high table land containing the sources
of the rivers Caroni and Guyuni. Their principal village
is TJruparu.

The Zapares, sprung :&om the intermarriages of the
Macusis and Arecimas, inhabit the banks of the Barima,
and the mountains Tupar bug and Warkamani. Their
number is about 300. They are a predatory tribe, and
accused of being night murderers and poisoners.

The Soerikongs have arisen &om the intercourse of the
Arecimas and Wacaworos.

The Wapisianas dwell on the Savannahs of the Upper
Rupununi. They amoimt to 800 persons.

The Woyawais dwell among the mountains near the
source of the Essequebo. They are great hunters, and
famed for their dogs. They number about 350.

TheAtorais and Tauris, now become one tribe; inhabit the
territory near the Oarawaini mountains. Their whole
number is not above 300.

The Tarumas, formerly inhabiting the banks of the Eio
Negro, have migrated to the tributaries of the Upper
Essequebo. They number about 500.

The Oyampus, a warlike and nomadic people, inhabit
the banks of tiie Upper Oyapock and Jari.

The Guinaus and Maiougkings, inhabit the mountainous
regions near the Upper Orinoco. They manufsu^ture the
gravatana or Indian blow pipe, which they exchange with
the Macusis for Wourali poison.

The Tupis, dwell on t^e banks of the Amazon. They
speak the lingua Geral, the general language of the
Lidians of Brazil, to whom they belong.

Besides the foregoing, about eighty tribes are enumer-
ated by Dalton ; they are generally few in numbers and of
little importance. The total aboriginal population of
British Guiana has been estimated at about 7.000 by some,
while others have computed them at from 15,000 tA
20,000.

The Indian is of litUe etatuie, i«^ c!tR.^^ ^^^^^ "^^^^

B

26

four inches in height, and the greater numher are much
Hhorter ; the trunk is long, the limhs short, and the head
very large, and sometimes almost hidden hy the shoulders,
■which induced Baleigh to say he had discovered a race
without heads whose mouths were in their breasts ; his
colour is a reddish-brown, somewhat resembling copper;
his hair is straight and coarse, its colour generally black ;
his features are regular, the eyes obliquely placed in their
orbits, the nose broad, and the general expression of the
countenance is. listless and roving.

In his native forest the savage is almost naked, his only
covering being a small strip of cotton bound around his
loins; the women wear a small apron, called a Queu,
made of shells or beads; their ornaments are coronets
made of the bright and gaudy plumage of birds, and neck-
laces composed of shells and the teeth of animals killed in
the woods. Some tribes paint their bodies, and others
tattoo their faces.

Four points are considered by the Indian in selecting a
site for his habitation ; it must be near the banks of a
river, the soil must be light and sandy, the neighbourhood
must abound in game, and the spot must be secluded.
Their dwellings are very rude, consisting merely of upright
posts with a covering of palm leaves, many of them being
open at the sides; the shape, which distinguishes the
tribe, is sometimes round, sometimes oblong. It contains
two apartments, one for the men, the other for the women
and children. The furniture consists of a few low seats
formed of blocks of wood, buck pots, and hammocks slung
from the beams. Several families of the same tribe often
build their huts near each other, forming a village, over
which a Chieftain presides. This ruler is called Yuputori-
kung by the Caribs, and by the Macusis, Toyeputori. The
office is hereditcuy ; and the right of inheritance descends
through the mothers. In the midst of the village a
house called Tapoi is set apart for the accommodation of
strangers.

Each tribe has its own hunting ground, and each family
its own plantation, in which, after it has been cleared by
the men, cassava, tanias, yams, batatas, and com are cul-
tivated by the women. Their food consists of the flesh of
animals caught in the forests, birds, and flsh : their favourite
drink is paiwori. Their arms are bows and arrows, the
blow pipe, and clubs.
iVb religioua ceremonies accompany \Ibfeii i&»xtv^<^^\

27

sometimes they are contracted by the parents during
infancy, in other cases the parties consult their own incli-
nations. They have generally but one wife, though
polygamy is allowable. On the birth of a child the father
betakes himself to his hammock where he receives the
congratulations of his friends ; the infant is named by the
Piatsang Pach^, Piai-man, or conjurer. Their funerd
ceremonies differ according to the tribe to which the
deceased belonged. The Warraus bury the body surrounded
with all the dead possessed in a canoe : the Caribs keep
them in a hammock till the flesh becomes putrid; they
then cleanse and paint the bones, which are carefully pre-
served : the Arawaks, on the death of a great man, plant
a field with cassava ; after a period of twelve moons the
relations and friends of the departed meet together, dance
over his grave, and drink paiwori to his memory.

The Indian believes in the existence of a good spirit,
the Creator and Preserver of the world, whom they call
Tamousi, and Makunaima, t . e. The Universal Father : by
the Arawaks he is named XJacinaci (our Father), and
Aiomun Kondi (the Dweller on high). They also acknow-
ledge the existence of numerous evil spirits who have
power to afflict the human race with misfortunes, disease,
and death. The most malignant are called Yauhahu.
To counteract the influence of these spirits they apply to
one of their priests, called by the colonists Piarinsu ; by
the Arawaks Semicici, who, furnished with a marakka or
rattle, formed of a calabash painted red, having a handle
ornamented with feathers, and white stones within it,
performs his mystic ceremonies. Should the patient re-
cover, the sorcerer is greatly increased, should he die, the
Tauhahu, or some other conjurer whose charms had
excited his malignity, bears the blame. The Warraus
call the evil spirit H^o ; the Caribs, Yourika.

The Orehu, is a female inhabiting the waters; her
favourite place of abode is on the banks of the Pomeroon,
where she indulges her caprices on the unfortunates who
disturb her seclusion. She sometimes exerts herself in
fiivour of man against the Yauhahu. In very ancient
times she appeared to an Arawak, named Arawanili, gave
him a small branch, which he planted, and thus obtained
the calabash ; she also instructed him in the mysteries of
4sereuci.

B 2

28

INDIAN MISSIONS.

The settlers on the coasts of America seem to have made
few attempts to introduce Christianity among the Aborigi-
nes till near the middle of the eighteenth century. Their
object in undergoing the hardships to which the first
colonists are inevitably exposed was to get wealth ; their
hearts were ever craving for gold :

Stolen and borroVd from young or old,
The price of many a crime untold ;

and to obtain this they scrupled not to commit the most
glaring atrocities. The wild denizens of the forest, the
nurslings of the woods, who had sucked freedom from the
breasts of their mothers, and inherited a manly spirit of
independence from their fathers, were hunted like beasts
and compelled to work in chains, and the Brazilians to this
day pursue the same line of conduct. Whole districts
once the scene of a thriving race have been abandoned,
and tribes who numbered their warriors by thousands have
become extinct.

In the seventeenth century missions were established
among the Chaymas who dwell to th^ north of the Orinoco,
and in 1748 ^e Spanish Padres had reared the cross at
Esmeralda, at Maypures, and at Atures, on the Upper
Orinoco; no less than twenty-six ecclesiastics were
stationed in these regions in 1800. The first missions
under the Dutch were commenced by the Bishop of
Spangenberg, who sent out three members of the Society
of United Brethren in 1738. They established the mis-
sion of Pilgerhut on the Berbice. In 1739, another
mission consisting of five persons established themselves in
the Cottaka river; this .was soon abandoned and the
brethren joined their comrades at Pilgerhut. This station
was finally deserted through fear of tie negroes during the
insurrection of 1763.

In the spring of 1757, two other missions were founded,
one at Ephraim on the Corentyn, the other at Sharon on
the Saramaca; the former being disturbed by the
negroes in 1763 was removed to a place higher up the
river, which they called Hope. Things prospered for
Bome years, and in 1765, a mission to tiie Bush negroes
was undertaken, but at the commencemeiit oi ^^ TjJma-

29

teenth century, a great change took place ; the buildings at
Hope were dl burned down in 1806, and in 1817 the
establishments on the Corentyn were given up.

The English missions were commenced at Bartica Grove
in 1829, by Mr. Armstrong. In 1840, two missionaries,
one in holy orders and one a layman, were appointed by
the Society for the propagation of the Gospel to proceed to
the Pomeroon, but only the latter (Mr. now the Rev. W.
H. Brett,) arrived in the country, and established himself
at the junction of that river with the Arapiaco. Mr. Youd,
who had been expelled by the Brazilians from Firara,
whither he had gone in 1838, founded the mission of Wara-
puta on the Essequebo, and the Rev. W. Austin at Ituribisi.
In the year 1844, two new missions were undertaken, one
at Waramuri on the river Monica by Mr. Nowers ; the
other at the Mahaicony was placed under Mr. Berry, but
in the following year the Rev. J. E. Bourne was made
superintendent.

These are the principal efforts which have been made
for the conversion and civilization of the Indians ; and
that God would vouchsafe to bless the labours of those who
have devoted their lives to the advancement of his glory
and the good of man, must be the devout prayer of every
Christian heart. There are two causes which have greatly
impeded the spread of the gospel among them. The first
is their wandering habits ; for, although certain localities
are generally assigned to each of the larger tribes, yet it is
very difficult to tell where their main-body may be at any
given time, and the pastor may often travel for days in
search of his flock. The second cause is the great diversity
of language spoken by these denizens of the forest. Eew of
the missionaries understand a single sentence of any native
tongue; and even the Arawak, the softest and most
harmonious of all the Indian dialects, has hitherto been so
imperfectly studied that no one who has compared two
translations of the Lord's Prayer into that language, would
suppose that they were both intended to give expression to
the same thoughts.

The Indians are the only class of persons in this country
who show any skill in the arts of manufacture. They
make their canoes of the trunks and bark of trees ; the
latter are called adada or woodskins ; bows, arrows, Ashing
rods, and blow pipes sometimes highly ornamented, and
the war clubs are formed of the wooda fftTxsAxsi'via.^Hsst^a^*-
ihe raha or shield, and tke MBJW\ja»x\ ^'^^'^^ ^t^^asbJis.^^

30

silk, grass, and the fibre of the Ita palm ; their hammocksr
made of wild cotton and the fibres of various kinds of
plants, are far superior to those made in England. Fan-
tastic and picturesque head-dresses of cotton and feathers,
necklaces of seeds or the teeth of animals, and ornamented
queus are the work of the females ; a kind of cap worn by
die men is made of the fiower of the trooliepalm ; earthen
vessels, called buck-pots, water goglets, and bowls are also
made by the Caribi women ; there are many other curious
articles for ornament or use found among these people.

I will conclude this brief account of the Aborigines of
Guiana, with the following extract from the' travels of
Humboldt. "The term wild or savage,'* he says, "houses
with regret, because it implies a difference of cultivation
which does not always exist between the reduced or civi-
lized Indian living in the missions, and the free or
independent Indian. In the forests of South America there
are tribes which dwell in villages, rear plantains, cas-
sava, and cotton, and are scarcely more barbarous than
those in the religious establishments, who have been
taught to make the sign of the cross. It is an error
to consider all the free natives as wandering hunters;
for agriculture existed on the continent long before
the arrival of the Europeans, and still exists be-
tween the Orinoco and the Amazon, in districts to
which they have never penetrated. The system of the
missions has produced an attachment to landed property, a
fixed residence, and a taste for quiet life; but the bap-
tised Indian is often as little a Christian as his heathen
brother is an idolater, both discovering a marked indif-
ference for religious opinions, and a tendency to worship
nature."

BRITISH GUIANA,

Lies between V and 8° 40' N. lat., and 56** 58^ and 60* 6'
*W. long. The Atlantic ocean forms its N.E. boundary from
Punta Sarima near the mouth of the Orinoco, to the river
Corentyn, which separates it from Surinam, and forms its
eastern boundary. The Yenezuelian and Brazilian terri-
tories form its western and southern boundaries, Imt the
luies of demarcation are not satisfaotonly de^ed. I£ thi^

31

claims of the Governments of these two provinces be
allowed, its area would be but 12,000 square miles, but the
British territories are generally said to occupy nearly
100,000 square miles, having a sea fagade of 250 miles,
with an inland depth of from 300 to 450. About 12,000
square miles, consisting of a narrow slip along the coast
and the banks of the rivers, are under cultivation. This
country now includes the three former colonies of Deme-
rara, Essequebo, and Berbice. The first and second were
united in 1785 — and the third was added- to them in 1831.
In 1838 it was divided into three counties, leaving the
same names and boundaries as the former colonies; and
these counties were sub-divided into 17 parishes — 11 in
Demerara and Essequebo, and 6 in Berbice.

Essequebo county extends from Boerasire Creek, to the
western limits of the colony. It has no town, but contains
several 'villages, the chief of which are Queenstown,
Fredericksburg, Williamstown, Catherinesburg, and the
penal settlement on the Mazaroony. Its population is
about 35,000.

Demerara county extends from Boerasire Creek to Abari
Creek. It contains the city of Georgetown, which is the
capital of the colony, and scat of government, and has a
population of nearly 26,000 ; the principal villages are the
Lodge Plaisance, Beterverwagting, Friendship, Buxton,
Victoria, Mahaica, and Mahaicony. Its population is about
105,000.

Berbice county extends from Abari Creek to the river
Corentyn. Its principal town is New Amsterdam, — situ-
ated on the river Berbice. Its chief villages are Liverpool,
Manchester, Gibraltar, Fyrish, Epsom, Sisters, Ropetown,
No. 12, Bosignol, Firebrace, Ithacar, Cumberland, Light-
Town. Its population is about 28,000.

The Indians generaUy found in the British territory are
supposed to amount to about 7000. The whole population
of iiie colony is therefore 1 75,000.

ExpoKTs. — The staple products of British Guiana were
formerly described as sugar, rum, coffee, and cotton. In
the year 1803, the counties of Demerara and Essequebo
shipped 46,435 bales of cotton, each having an average
weight of 300 lbs. ; since the year 1820 the cultivation
gradually diminished and now has entirely ceased. In
1830, more than 9,000,000 lbs. of coffee were exported,
but now the produce is scarcely sufficient to ^qj^'^ ^^
demand of the colony, llolaaafe^ ^sANan^^t ^xftk-aa*^

^si-»^

32

ported in considerable quantities; the timber trade
especially will probably henceforth form an important
part of the commerce of this country.

The imports consist of provisions chiefly from England
and the IJnited States, and manufactured goods of all
kinds.

ESSEQTJEBO.
A.D. 1580 to 1742.

The first European settlements within the limits of the
territory which now bears the name of British Guiana,
were made by the Dutch. About the year 1580, certain
merchants of the province of Zealand fitted out ships to
carry on the rude system of trade by barter then practised
along the coasts of South America. Some of the persons
engaged in this expedition formed a sort of encampment on
the banks of the river Pomeroon, which they called Nieuw
Zealand. Another party settled on the Essequebo; and a
third at the Indian village Nibie, situated on the river
Abari. In 1596, the Spaniards attacked the Butch on the
Essequebo, and the colonists, retiring farther inland under
the command of Joost Van der Hoog, established them-
selves on a small island situated at the confluence of the
rivers Cayuni, and Mazaruni, which they call Kykoveral.
Here they found an old fort built of hewn stones, with the
arms of the Portuguese nation carved over the gateway,
when, or by whom erected is unknown.

In 1599, Adrian Hendricks, an influential inhabitant
and burgomaster of Middleburg, sent two ships to the
same coast ; and in 1602, a company of Zealand merchants
sent thither another expedition, under the command of
Ryk Henderzoon, About twelve years later the Home
Government granted the monopoly of free trade to certain
persons who should undertake to explore and navigate the
several rivers, creeks, and havens of this country.

In 1621, the first Dutch "West India Company was
formed, with exclusive control of all the settlements of
their nation on the wild coast, (the name given to Guiana
by the Hollanders), and also the trade thither. About
this time the government undertook to aid the efforts of
the colonists by supplying them with, negro ^«^^^ ixosssi.

Africa. The principal productions of the plantations at
this period consisted of sugar, the cane had been intro-
duced about the year 1600, cotton, pimento, tobacco,
pepper and dyestufis. Notwithstanding the richness of the
soil, the first Dutch General West Indian Company thought
the colony of Essequebo of so little importance that they
relinquished their claims, and the government was en-
trusted to a committee of eight persons, viz., two from
Middleburg, one from Ylissingen, one from Yeere, aad
four from the chamber of Zeal^d. Under their auspices
the two posts of the Fomeroon and Moraca were settied
anew, and the villages of New Zealand and New Middle-
bui^ erected on the banks of those rivers. This was in
the year 1657.

In 1665, the English attacked the settiers, and in the
following year the French destroyed the villages on the
Pomeroon. The government of the colony was soon after
given over to the West India Company of Zealand. This
company appointed Crynsse commander of Essequebo in
1667, who, going out of office in 1670, was succeeded by
Hendrick Boll.

In 1674, the first General West India Company was
dissolved and a new one incorporated ; EoU was confirmed
in his office ; and from this period we have a regular suc-
cession of commanders, generally appointed by the company.
The Chamber of Zealand retained the exclusive right of
trading to these shores till the year 1770, when it was
partially opened to other companies.

During the next hundred years few events occurred
worthy of notice. New plantations were laid out — old
ones eictended; the demand for labour increased, and
consequentiy great numbers of Africans were introduced.
The capital was established on Fort Island, about fifteen
miles from the mouth of the Eiver Essequebo.

The following is a list of the commanders during this
period, with the date of the appointment of each : —

1676 Jacob Hars;

1678 Abraham Beckman ;

1680 De Jong.

1690 Samuel Beckman.

1 707 Peter Yan der Heysen Eesen.

1719 Laurens de Heere.

1729 Herman Gelskerke.

1742 Laurens Storm Yan S. Gravesande.

B Z

DEHEBABA.

The Dutch plantera soon diBcovered the aaperior fertility
of the low coast lauds to those first settled ; and gradu-
nlly, as the fear of sea robbers subsided, begaa to form
fteUlements nearer the sea. About the year 1740, theii
Bettlementa were extended to the Biyer Demerara; and in
1745, one Andrew Pietera obtained permissioD to lay out
plactatioas on the hanks of that river, which increased bo
rapidly as to form a separate colony in 1773, having its
court of policy and courts of civil and criminal justice
eatablisbed at Borselen, an island about fil'Ceen miles &om
the river's mouth. Thia spot waa found to bo very inoon-
venient for the inhabitants, so that m the next year the
courts were removed to Stabrock, which rapidly grew into
the largest and most important town in the colony, and
has since become, under the English, who call it Geoi^-
town, the capital of the British territory. Storm Grave-
sande, commander of Essequebo in 1751, assomed the title
of Director General of the two rivers, which title waa also
taken by hia sucoessora. After having ruled thia important
Dutch province for thirty years, GravesandB was aueoeeded
by Geoi^ Hecdrick Trotz in 1772. The colonists now
made many complainta of the amall number and high price
of the slaves brought to thia colony.

In 1781, during the war between Great Britain and
Holland, a detachment of Lord Kodney'a fleet captured
Demerara and Essequebo, but in the February of the
following year were eompeUed to submit to the French,
under the Count de Eeraaint ; they were restored to
Holland at the Peace of Paris in 1783.

In 1784, the West India Company published certain
regulations for the management of slaves, by which the
maatera were forbidden to compel them to work on Sun-
days, or to punish them with more than twenty-five lashes,
but these rules were generally disregarded.

During the governorship of A. Backer in 1789, Esse-
quebo and Demerara were politically united; their capital
was Stabrock.

In 1796, after many disputes between the colonists and
the government, a " Plan of Eedresa" waa drawn up, by

' ' ' Court of Policy, to consist of thej ''

Is I

fiscal of DemeTBTa, the fiscal of Esscqaobo, and two colo-
niatB from each of these settlementfl, was constituted. The
cobnists were to be nominated by the College of Kiezera.
This plan became the basis of the future constitution.

In 1796, the colonies Demerata, Esaequebo, and Berbice
^ain fell into the haada of the English, who appointed
Anthony Beaujon governor. In this year the yellow fever
broke out among the troops, and the officers removed from
the barracks at Ere Leary and formed encampments near
the river, between the barracks and the town of Stabrook.
Suoh was the origin of Kingston. Doraerara was restored
t« Holland at the Peace of Amiens in 1802, and Anthony
Ueertens became its governor. But war soon broke ont
again between Great Britain and the Batavian Republic ;
and in 1803, the Dutch colonies of Essequebo, Deraerara,
and Berbice, surrendered to General Greenfield, and have
ever since remained ia the hands of the English. The
principal articles of eapitulatioa were — That the laws and
customs of the colony should remain in force: that the
inhabitants should be protected in their persons and pro-
perty ; that they should not be compelled to take arms,
exoept in the defence of the colony; that civil officers
Bhould retain their situatioiiB ; and that goveramcut dobta
should be paid.

On the death of Beaujon, in 1805, Brigadier-General
James Montgomery became acting governor, but was
superseded in the following year by H. W. Bentinok. The
nineteen years intervening from 1805 to 1824 are noted
for the frequent changes which took place among the
governors. There were no less than seventeen, many of
them holding their office not more than six months.

The year 180& was the era of a great religious movo-
meut. With the exception of the Moravian Missions,
commenced in 1738 and abandoned about the end of the
eighteenth century, nothing had hitherto been done to pro-
vide for the Negro or Indian the means of religious or
secular instruction. A Wesleyan missionary from Bominica
had arrived in 1805, but was ordered by the governor,
Anthony Beaujon, to quit the colony immediately. At
this lime there were but two churches in British Guiana;
one Lutheran, at Berbice, richly endowed ; the other
reformed Dutch, on Eort Island. The garrison chaplain
read the prayers of the Church of England in the old court
house. The London Missionary Society sent out to Daoia-
rara theu' first teacher in this ycat, w\i.o M,'uiWisia»&>;is!iMa&.

36

at Flantatioii Le Eesouvenir : though this step met with
great opposition from the planters, other members of the
same body soon arrived. St. Gorge's Church was opened
in 1810 ; and the Wesleyans began to labour in the same
field in 1815.

In 1809, paper money was first issued in Demerara.
The current coins (Dutch guilders and gold joes worth
22 guilders), which had been so clipped and plu^;ed as
to be greatly depreciated in value, were called in and
paper given in exchange, to the value of 50,000 joes,
which, at the rate of 2^ guilders to a dollar, are equal to
440,000 dollars. Subsequent issues in 1815 and 1816
increased these notes to the value of 660,000 dollars. The
gold received was sent to London and formed a fund for
the redemption of the notes. This fund was increased by
an annual tax of £2000, continued till 1822.

In 1812, the courts of justice held at Fort Island were
removed to Stabrock, and the name of the capital was
changed to Georgetown. Major-General H. L. Carmichael,
then governor, issued a proclamation on his own authority,
combining the Board of Electors with that of the financial
representatives, and extending the suffirage to all persons
having an annual income of 10,000 guilders, or 25 slaves.
Steam engines about this time began to be used on the
estates.

In 1813, the first English judge, Jabez Henry, took his
seat as president of the courts. Justice, however, seems
to have been partially administered, which led to grievous
complaints from the colonists, and Judge Bough, then
president, was suspended by the governor in 1821.

Early in the nineteenth century great indignation was
excited in the minds of the British parliament and people
against the system of slavery carried on in America, which
led to the abolition of the slave traffic in 1807 ; but slavery
was continued in the West Indies with all its horrors
unmitigated. In 1823, Mr. Buxton, in the House of
Commons, moved the resolution, "That slavery is repug-
nant to the principles of the British constitution, and of
the Christian religion," which was followed by Mr. Can-
ning's amendment for ameliorating the condition of slaves,
and preparing them for freedom. The resolution and its
amendment were forwarded to the lieutenant-governor,
Major-General Murray, but no official communication was
made to the slaves on this subject. The Negroes soon
learnt what had occurred in England, and being persuaded

37

that orders for their freedom had come out, but were kept
back by some designing persons, conspired together, and a
gener^ rising took place on the east coast on Monday,
August 18th. The whites who fell into the hands of the
insurgents were put in the stocks, and some few, who
offered a vigorous resistance, were killed. Next day
martial law was proclaimed. The militia encountered a
large body of blacks on a plantation called Bathelor's
Adventure, where the insurgents were easily dispersed.
A court-martial was held in Georgetown on the 25th of
August for the trial of the prisoners : twenty were executed,
several hung in chains, and seventeen sentenced to receive
from 200 to 1000 lashes. The loss of property was very
great, and the insurrection was estimated to have cost the
public more than 200,000 dollars.

One of the London missionaries, Mr. Smith, who had
arrived in the colony in 1817, was accused of having pro-
moted discontent and dissatisfaction in the minds of the
negroes against their lawful masters, of furthering and
assisting the rebellion, and of withholding his knowledge
of the intended rising from the proper authorities. He
was found guilty and condemned to be hanged, but died
in prison before the sentence was carried into execution.
In England these proceedings were condemned in the
strongest terms, and Earl Bathurst, the Colonial Secretary,
ordered that the prisoner should be sent to England.
These orders did not reach Demerara till three days after
the death of Mr. Smith. In Demerara the feeling against
the missionaries was so strong that all were compelled to
leave the colony.

In 1824, Governor Murray was recalled, and Major-
General Sir Benjamin D'TJrban succeeded him. An order
in council commanded religious instruction to be given to
the slaves ; that they should not be compelled to work on
Sundays ; that they should not be punished with more
than twenty-five lashes; abolished the whipping of women;
and appointed a protector of slaves. Demerara and Esse-
quebo were divided into parishes in 1826, and the whole
colony appended to the diocese of Barbadoes. In 1830, it
was ordered that slaves should be allowed to bear witness
in courts of justice : this was opposed by the court, on the
ground of being contrary to the terms of capitulation ; but
in the next year the court itself was remodelled by order
of Lord Goderich.

" On the 21st of July, ISSl, \ke ^lo^cyaw^^ ^li:^^\asst^^.

38

EssequebOy and Berbice, were united into one, under the
name of British Guiana ; and Major-General Sir Benjamin
D'Urban was the first governor of these united proymces."

The government, as formerly, is vested in a governor
and a Court of Policy, consisting of ten members (five
official), the governor, chief justice, attorney general,
administrator general, and government secretary ; and five
non-official, elected by the College of Keizers. This college
consists of seven members chosen for life by colonists pay-
ing direct taxes to the amount of 22*32 dollars per annum,
or paying taxes of any sort on an annual income of 672*
dollars. The Queen in council has power to enact any law
to disallow any ordinance passed by the court.

The Chamber of Financial Representatives consists of
ux gentlemen, chosen for two years, by the same electors
as the College of Keizers. It meets annually with the
Court of Policy, forming the combined court, to discuss the
estimates of expenditure and the levy of taxes.

The principal events since the union are the abolition of
slavery, and the substitution of the apprenticeship system
in 1834 ; their complete emancipation in 1838 ; and the
introduction of Portuguese and Coolie labourers.

In 1819, St. Andrew's Church was opened for members
of the Presbyterian persuasion ; the Eoman Catholic Church
was built in 1825. In 1838, an archdeaconry was con-
stituted, and four years later the colony was erected into
a bishopric. Since that period the number of churches,
chapels, and schools has continually increased. Bishop's
College for preparing students for ordination and training
schoolmasters, and Queen's College Grammar School have
been founded in Georgetown ; and almost every church,
chapel, and mission station, has its school for instructing
the children of the poor.

BERBICE.

FBOM 1626 TO 1831.

In A..D. 1626, Jan Van Peere, a merchant of Flushing, sent
vessels to the coasts of South America, they, attempting
to form a settiement on the Orinoco, were expelled by the
Spaniards, and proceeded to the River Berbice, on which
they built Fort l^assau, about thirty miles from its mouth.

39

In the year 1657, this fort was unsuccessfally attacked by
the English. This infant colony was included in the grant
made by the Dutch goyemment to the West India Com-
pany; but in 1678 an arrangement was made with the
house of Yan Feere, by which the first colonists were to
retain their possessions in perpetual fief. This covenant
was renewed in 1703.

The French now became the most dreaded enemies of
the settlers on the wild coast. In 1690, they effected a
landing, and levied a contribution of 20,000 fiorins, equal
to 8000 dollars or £1666 ISa. 4d. sterling. Again, in
1712, French privateers, under Cassard and Baron Monars,
took possession of Berbice, and demanded 300,000 florins
(120,000 dollars or £25,000) from the inhabitants and the
proprietors. The company of Van Feere refused to pay
the sum demanded by the French. The house of Yan
Home advanced 108,000 fiorins, on which the enemy
abandoned their conquests, three-fourths of which were
given over to the company of Home.

In 1720, the planters raised a fund of 3,200,000 fiorins
for the purchase of AfricEui slaves. From this period the
colony rapidly advanced in wealth and importance. The
want of a station near the coast was soon felt, and a fort
w^ erected near the junction of the Canje and Berbice.
Iin732, the home government gave the colony a constitu-
tion — a governor, assisted by a council of six — with the
power of making laws, &c. ; and courts of criminal and
civil justice were established. The first governor was
Bemhard Waterham, who arrived at his post in the follow-
ing year. He conducted the affairs of the colony for a
period of sixteen years, and was succeeded, in 1749, by
John Andries Lossner. In a few months Lossner was
superseded by John Frederic Colier.

Hendrick Jan Yan Eyswick followed in 1755. After
five years he was succeeded by "Wolfort Simon Yan Hogen-
heim, under whose regime occurred one of the most disas-
trous events recorded in the history of these settlements.
The negro slaves, in 1763, being exasperated by the oppres-
sive cruelty of the planters, rose in rebellion ; the planters
took refuge in Fort Nassau, which, being thought untenable,
was abandoned, and the fugitives then sought shelter in
the shipping lying in the river. Assistance was procured
£rom Surinam, Barbadoes, Curagoa, and St. Eustatius, but
the rebels were not finally reduced till reinforcements
arrived from Europe, eleven months after tke ^^^ ^^^^^^^9S^,

40

The loss of life and property was very great ; many of the
whites were slain, and hundreds of the negroes taken
prisoners were burnt alive and broken upon the wheel.
The whole colony was devastated, and ite commerce re-
ceived a severe check, from which it did not recover for
many years. After the restoration of tranquillity, a return
was made, which stated the population at 116 whites and
3370 slaves.

In 1764, Commander Hogenheim was succeeded by
Johannes Heyliger ; his successor was Stephen Hendrick
de la Sabloniere, in 1768. Berbice surrendered to the
French who also took possession of Essequebo and Demerara
in 1781, and while in their hands was subject to the same
governors as the sister colonies. After its restoration to
the Dutch, Abraham Yan Batenburg was appointed com-
mander, he held his ojQice tQl the Peace of Amiens, when
the colony was governed for a short time by the Court of
Policy. After &e final surrender to the English in 1803,
it was subject to the acting governor of Demerara, but
Batenburg was reinstated in his office in 1804.

From this period the history of Berbice is very barren
of interest : the most remarkable events being the frequent
changes of its governors The last was Sir Henry Beard,
who was acting governor from 1821, to May 1825, ^d
after an absence of fifteen months returned, and continued
at the head of this colony till its union with Demerara
in 1831.

DUTCH GUIANA, OK SURDf AM,

Is intermediate in position and extent between British and
French Guiana. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic,
on the south by the Sierra d'Acarai, on the west by the
river Corentyn, separating it from Berbice, and on the east
by the Maroni, separating it from Cayenne. It is in length
250 miles, its average breadth 155, and contains 38,500
square miles, with a population of 65,000, exclusive of
Maroons and Indians. About 6000 are whites and free
coloured people, the remainder are negro slaves. The
Maroons are the descendants of run-away negroes, who,
living on plunder and hiding in the bush by day, were a
continual source of apprehension and dread to the planters

41

during the last century; now they are generally quiet,
and form a sort of military frontier to the cultivated dis-
tricts. They receive annually, presents of arms and
ammunition from the Dutch government.

The government of the colony is vested in a governor,
appointed hy the King of Holland, and a high council.
The capital and chief port is Farimaribo, situated on the
river Surinam, about eighteen miles from its mouth ; the
fort Zeelandia, situated a little below the town, is the
residence of the governor, and the seat of the government
establishments.

The exports are sugar, coffee, cotton, rice, gums, balsams,
and other drugs. The imports are provisions and manu-
factured goods from Holland, and provisions from the
United States, in exchange for syrup and rum.

HISTOBICAL SKETCH.

In 1632, the English endeavoured to establish a settlement
on the banks of the Comowini, or Little Coma, from wMch
they were expelled by the Caribis. They then proceeded,
under the command of Captain Marshall, to the Great
Coma, now called the river Surinam, re-built the Indian
village Farimaribo, which had been destroyed by its former
possessors. Here they also suffered from the frequent
attacks of the fierce Caribs, and the unhealthy cHmate, and
were compelled to abandon the country. The French, who
followed their steps, shared their fate.

In 1652, the English returned and regained their settle-
ments with little opposition from the natives.

In 1662, the colony was granted by Charles the Second
to Lord Willoughby, but soon after purchased by the
Crown ; and in 1667, exchanged with the Dutch for New
Holland in North America.

In 1712, the colony was compelled to submit to the
extortions of the French, under Admiral de Casse.

As the colonists became more liberated from the fear of
the depredations of privateers and pirates, a new foe arose.
The negroes, unable to endure the oppression of their Duteh
masters, betook themselves to the woods and fastnesses of
the interior. Issuing from their strongholds, these savages
committed frightftil ravages on the estates ; the^ ix^ss^^s?^
such dread and alarm, &at m \*lAa, ^'^ T^^\i\fc^ ^"^^^
compelled to acknowledge tiievi \x!Ae^eiA^^^^^s^ •^v.^^^^sasa

42

treaty. This w» broken by both parties. The whites
employed the Indians against the fhgidi'es, and as a last
resource, raised a corps of manomitted blacks, which com-
hined with the red men, tracked the foes to tieir secluded
hannta, and saved the colony.

At the Peace of Paris, in 18U, Sorinara fell to the share
of the Dat«h, and has smce remained in their handa.

FRENCH GUIANA, OE CAYENNE,

Is the most easterly and smallest of the three European
colonies on the eastern coast of South America. Its
boondariee are, on the east, the river Oyapok, separating it
from Brazil ; on the south, Brazil ; on the west, the river
Uaroni ; and on the north, the Atlantic. Its length is
250 miles, and its breadth varies irom 100 to 190 miles;
it contains 27,560 square miles, with a population of
about 22,000.

The government is vested in a governor, assisted by a
privy council of seven of the highest official funetionariea,
and the colonial council of eisteea members, choeea by the
colonists of French descent. The electora must be twenty-
five years of age if bora in the colony ; if Europeans, they
must have resided in the colony two years before they can
vote ; and both classes must contribute direct taxes to the
value of 200 francs per annum, or possess property of the
value of 20,000 femes.

Politically the colony is divided into two districts,
Cayenne and Sinnamaiy ; and these are sub-divided into
fourteen communes, comprising six electoral communes.

The chief towns are Cayenne, the capital, on the island
of the same name ; it is the residence of the governor, the
chief port, and is strongly fortified. It was founded in
1640 : its population is now about 6,000. Iracuba, to the
west of Cayeune, and Oyapok, on the river of that name,
ar« mere villages.

The exports are sugar, cotton, coffee, pepper, cloves,
cinnamon, nutmegs, cocoa, and annatto. The importa,
provisions and manufactured goods.

HISTOHICAI. SKETCH.

In 1640, the French settlera being expeUed from Par
) ir tie Indians, proceeded along tiie cwnS. «eX<Hwd,

Pariffl^^

43

and formed the first European settlement in Cayenne^
Three years after, some merchants of Eouen formed a com-
pany for the support of the infant colony, and fitted out an
expedition, which they placed under the command of
Poncet de Bretigny. The commander and his men quarrel-
led, some of the emigrants were assassinated on the voyage
out, and the scheme utterly failed.

In 1651, a new company was formed: &om 700 to 800
emigrants were collected in Paris, and sent out to Cayenne ;
but misunderstandings again arose, the commander de-
serted to the Dutch, and finally the settlements were
abandoned.

In 1663, a third company was formed : they expelled
the Dutch, who had taken possession of the lands occupied
by the former settlers, and soon succeeded in establishing
themselves on the island and the adjoining coast.

In 1667, the colony was taken by the English, and in
1676 by the Dutch; but soon after, being reinforced by
bands of French pirates, who had decided on giving up
their roving life, they were able to drive out the invaders.

In 1688, further reinforcements arrived from France
imder the command of Du Casse. From this time the
colonists were able to hold their possessions against foreign
aggressors till the year 1809, when they were compelled
to surrender to the combined English and Portuguese.

The settlement was restored to France by the Treaty of
Paris, in 1814. The negro slaves, who in 1837 amounted
to 16,600, were emancipated in 1848.

It is now used by the French government aa a place of
transportation for political offenders.

POETUGUESE, OB BEAZILIAlf GUIANA,

Is of much greater extent than either of the other four
portions. It is bounded on the south, by the river Ama-
zon ; on the south-west, by the Eio Negro ; on the north,
by liie Sierra Parim^, separating it from Venezuela; on
the north-east, by the British, Dutch, and French pos-
sessions ; and on the extreme east, by the Atlantic. Its
length is 1260 miles ; its breadth varies from 100 to 400
miles ; and it contains 450,000 square mile&« lt& ^^is^^sai^-
tion IB not known. The gieatex T^tV^oi^ ^i HiKw^ Vsaaassosp

44

territory consists of luxuriant forests, harbouring huge
serpents, beasts and birds of prey ; few plantations exist
even on the banks of the riyers, and the interior has never
been explored.

The largest town is Barra de Kio Negro, situated on that
river, about eight miles from its junction with the Ama-
zon ; its population is about 7,000 ; its other towns, or
rather villages, are San Carlos de Eio Negro ; S. Isabel
and S. Gabriel on the same river ; S. Maria on the Eio
Branco ; Serpa, Obydos, Monte Alegre, and Villa Nova, on
the Amazon; Degat on the Sierra d'Acarai, near the
boundary of Cayenne ; Fort S. Joachim on tiie Takutu,
near its confluence with the Eio Branco, is merely a mili-
tary post built in 1775, to protect the frontier from the
incursions of the Spaniards. Several of these are merely
mission stations, "which" says Captain Bonnycastle,
"appear to be established principally to discover the
country, and to encroach upon the Spanish part df it."

The exports are, sugar, cotton, coffee, cacao, cattle, to-
bacco, Brazil nuts, sarsaparilla, &c. The imports, provi-
sions and manufactured goods from Europe and the TJnited
States.

HISTOBICAL SKETCH.

The country near the mouth of the Eiver Amazon was
discovered by Yiucente Jainez Pinzon, early in the six-
teenth century, and more fully explored by succeeding
adventurers. Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese expeditions
visited the coasts, but the last nation alone founded settle-
ments on its banks. These frequently suffered from the
ravages of their jealous neighbours, especially during the
wars between the mother countries in Europe. But the
colony of Brazil, rich in vegetable and mineral wealth,
was valuable to the small kingdom of Portugal; and in
1808, when the armies of Napoleon overran the country,
the prince regent, John II., with a large party of emi-
grants, abandoned their homes, and sought refuge on the
American shore. In 1821, the Portuguese constitution
was adopted ; and in the following year Don Pedro, son
of the Portuguese monarch became emperor, and declared
Brazil a free and independent nation.

The slave trade has lately been abolished, but slavery

still exists; and since there has been difficulty in obtaining

^e required supply of negroes, the BhaBCLefel '^i»«i>aRfe ^i

45

enslaving the Indians is adopted. Expeditions, called
Deseimentos, are sent out from the frontier forts of the
empire, which, on approaching a village, hide in the forest
till darkness has covered the earth, when they surround
their sleeping victims, set fire to the huts, and drag the
inmates to hopeless hondage. The exasperated natives
sometimes retaliate hy devastating the settlements on the
rivers. This conduct of the Brazilians has caused many
tribes to desert the land of their fathers and settle within
the boundaries of the British territory, for even these naked
children of the woods can understand that British hearts
will grant, and British arms defend, their rights.

YENEZUELIA]!^ OR SPANISH GTJIAl^A;

Or, as it is now styled, Guiana of the Republic of Columbia,
is bounded on the north by the Orinoco, on the west by
the Orinoco to the 4th degree of IN", lat. ; thence by an
imaginary line running due south from the rapids near
San Fernando de Atabapo to the Sierra Cocoi, which, with
the Sierra Parim^, marks the boundary between Yenezuela
and Brazil on its south to the borders of British Ouiana,
which bounds it on the east. This territory contains more
than 200,000 square miles : its population is not known.
The soil is remarkably fertile, and the greater part of the
face of the country is covered with dense forests ; small
cultivated spots exist on the banks of the Orinoco and the
Caroni.

The chief towns are Angostura or San Thom^ de Angos-
tura, situated on the Orinoco, about 240 miles from its
mouth. It is the capital of Spanish Guiana, an episcopal
city, and contains a population of about 8000. Corona,
Borja, Piedra de la Patiencia, and Atures are also on the
Orinoco.

The exports are sugar, cocoa, cotton, coffee, indigo,
tobacco, hides, cattle, and horses.

HISTOEICAL SKETCH.

The country near the River Orinoco was discovered and
settled by the Spaniards at an early date ; and Columbus
himself, in his third voyage, explored t\xfc TDLWiSks& ^\ *^sfii^»
fi;reat river. Before the middle oi \Iti<e «cL\fc«QiSa. ^'525^^2Q3^

46

Ye nezuela was called a captaincy, whose governors were
appointed by the Spanish monarchs. The exclusive and
oppressive restrictions laid by the home government on its
American colonies was the source of many complaints
from the settlors. Failing to obtain redress, when the
mother country was exerting all her energies to resist the
French invasion in 1808, the colonists seized the opportu-
nity to revolt, and declared their independence in 1811.
Venezuela, in 1819, joined the other republics of Columbia,
but separated from them in 1829 ; again joined for a short
time in 1630, and has since remained an independent state
under the title of the Republic of Venezuela.

* D, 8Ti>mNBJLM, Printer, 104, Bdgwaxe-xo&d, lAodoii.

F 230e.S .854 1SS7 C

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