It may be perhaps expected, in this place, that I should add a few words concerning the defence of the above rivers, though that is a subject which I purpose to treat more at large on another occasion. On the east side of the mouth of the river Surinam is a small promontory, called Braam’s Point, which I think originally had been named Pram’s, or Parham’s Point, after Francis Lord Willoughby of Parham, to whom this settlement was granted by King Charles the Second in 1662, and which spot is supposed to be the first on which Lord Willoughby landed in 1652, ten years before he obtained the charter from his sovereign. This point is not fortified; but about eight miles upwards are two redoubts, one on each side of the river, called Leyden and Purmerent, and a little higher up is the new fortress called Amsterdam, built on the point of land which separates the two rivers, Surinam and Comewina, from each other; and whose fire, crossing with that of the two redoubts, protects the entry of both these rivers. Near the town of Paramaribo, and about six or seven miles from the fortress Amsterdam, is the citadel which bears the name of Fort Zealandia, protecting the town and all the shipping in the roads; and about sixteen miles from Fort Amsterdam, on Rio Comewina, is a fortress called Somelsdyk, which commands the two opposite shores, viz. those of Rio Comewina and Rio Cottica. Besides these, there are military posts on the Corantine, the Seramica, and Marawina. Next to these is a strong guard at the mouth of the Mott Creek, about thirty miles below the river Surinam, where a fire-beacon or light-house is erected on the coast, to warn the ships bound for the river that they are past the mouth of the dangerous Marawina. This guard also fires a few guns, to apprize the colony when ships are within view and steering for the coast. Along the higher parts of the rivers Surinam, Comewina, and Cottica, advanced guards are also continually kept, to protect the inhabitants from inland invasions by the Indians or fugitive negroes. In these fortifications consists the principal defence of this settlement; besides a small armed bark or guarda-costa, which cruises between the river Marawina and Berbice, to give intelligence in case of any threatening danger to the colony. I had almost forgotten to mention, that a path fortified with military posts had been projected, and was actually begun, from the upper parts of the river Comawina to the river Seramica; but the plan did not succeed, and the line, which is called the orange-path, is at present in the state of a wilderness.