Narrative, of a five years' expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana on the Wild Coast of South America; from the year 1772 to 1777 ... Volume 2 (of 2) — John Shaqi
Narrative, of a five years' expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana on the Wild Coast of South America; from the year 1772 to 1777 ... Volume 2 (of 2)Stedman, John Gabriel
History
Narrative, of a five years' expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana on the Wild Coast of South America; from the year 1772 to 1777 ... Volume 2 (of 2)
Stedman, John Gabriel
Indians of South America -- Guiana; Slavery -- Suriname -- History -- 18th century; Stedman, John Gabriel, 1744-1797 -- Travel -- Suriname; Suriname -- Description and travel; Suriname -- History -- To 1814
On the 9th, an accident had nearly befallen me, which must have caused
me much poignant and lasting sorrow. My black boy, washing my cotton
hammock in the Tempatee Creek, was suddenly carried to the bottom by
the rapidity of the stream, and entangled in its lashings, so that both
the one and the other disappeared; the boy, however, luckily extricated
himself, though with great difficulty, and to my great joy, though more
than half drowned, appeared once more on terra firma; when he had the
presence of mind instantly to sink a large fish-hook, with a lead tied
to a strong line, some yards below the spot, with which he actually
brought up the hammock, to our astonishment, the stream running so
swift that it rolled over the ground, and was liable to shift its
station every moment.
The following day, as Captain Hamel was angling, his tackle got fast at
the bottom of the creek, when, in diving to clear it, I struck my ancle
with such violence against a rock, that it was several months before it
was perfectly recovered.
These accidents appeared greatly to entertain Colonel Seyburg, while in
return I could not help feeling a degree of indignation at what I
considered as unhandsome behaviour; but the most extraordinary
circumstance was, that this disgust between Seyburg and myself seemed
to gain me the favour of old Fourgeoud, almost as much as if I had
destroyed half the rebel negroes in the colony.—During all this time
strong patroles cruized between Magdenberg, La Rochelle, and the Jew
Savannah; and on the 17th, the commander in chief marched to Patamaca
with nearly the half of his troops, leaving me the command of those
that remained on the mountain, for I was not able to accompany him,
having by this time a dangerous mortification in my ancle.
As I had now the prospect of remaining some time at Magdenberg, I
dispatched Quaco to Paramaribo for provisions, and orders to buy me a
live goat.
Whatever may be thought of Fourgeoud’s manœuvres, in not being able to
bring the rebels to a pitched battle, it is very certain that he
exerted himself and his troops to the utmost; and that by his
constantly traversing the upper parts of the rivers, and scouring the
skirts of the colony, he prevented many depredations on the estates,
which was undoubtedly a very essential service to the inhabitants,
though at a dreadful expence of blood and money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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