Part 31
We breakfasted with M. Abbensets, and at nine o’clock embarked for New Amsterdam. The negroes took no rest between Essendam and the town. They cheerfully pulled the oars for five hours without intermission, in order to reach the landing-place before the turn of the tide; all the relief they sought, throughout the whole of this time, being that of occasionally taking up a handful of water from the river, and pouring it upon the oars, to prevent them from becoming hot and dry, and thereby blistering their hands. At two o’clock on the 23d of June we finished our journey, and were again safely on shore at the government landing-place, at New Amsterdam.
You will feel that the excursion was, altogether, one of high interest and gratification: but I have proceeded in such minute, and (I fear you will say) tedious detail, that very little remains to be offered by way of general remark.
The novelty which presented itself to our observation was not more striking than the unbounded hospitality, which welcomed us at each place of call. Although unexpected intruders, we were every where received with a cordial urbanity, which is very inadequately expressed by the common term _civility_. It seemed to be the study of all, who should most serve, and oblige us. Not satisfied with administering the best accommodations of the house, whilst we remained with them, a generous regard for our comfort extended their liberality yet further, and they either openly, or privately contributed to our convenience, by adding to our travelling supply. Porter, wine, and spirits, food and fruit, and plantains for the negroes, all found their way into the boat.
Our mode of travelling was in itself highly commodious, and afforded many facilities. The party sat together as comfortably as if in a small room on shore; we advanced at ease, and were scarcely sensible of any motion: by the awning we were protected from the sun; and by means of the open windows at the sides, we had always a stream of cool air. Enough of space was afforded for provisions, wine, clothes, and all other stores of the journey; also convenient stowage for whatever specimens we might collect. Together with these accommodations a secure harbour was found for the boat at every plantation, and our slaves either fed themselves from the provisions of the vessel, or foraged among the negroes of the estates; so that we had no care concerning either servants or cattle, carriage or roads.
The variety in point of scenery, you will have perceived, was not very great, but the inanimate sameness of wood and water was pleasantly relieved by the occasional openings of the different plantations. In some parts of the river, the water was singularly still and clear, and, with its forest borders, exhibited a novelty of peculiar feature. Its smooth and lucid surface formed a perfect mirror, so completely reflecting every thing around, that it seemed difficult to discover how we were supported—by what means suspended, as it were, in the centre of space. At the sides of the river no line of termination could be distinguished. It was not seen where the water ceased, or where the land commenced; but the trees, on each border, being within the edge of the water, were so distinctly reflected as to convey the semblance of a forest, growing upwards and downwards from the same roots. The boat was reflected in a similar manner; as was likewise the unclouded canopy of the skies. The watery medium made no impression upon the eye; but the open azure expanse was seen the same, whether we looked upwards or downwards. We seemed suspended in the centre of a hollow globe, having the same concave arch above and below, with an inverted and an upright forest on either hand. At one spot we met a huge mass of earth resembling a small island, floating down the silent river, with a variety of plants and shrubs growing upon it; and from the water being invisible, the perfect reflection of this little plantation gave it the appearance of a clump of young trees calmly moving in a wide vacuum, with each plant growing perpendicularly upward and downward, in precise resemblance. If we held out a hand, or an oar over the side of the boat, the same was seen below, without discovering the limpid medium between them. In short, we seemed only to move, like our globe itself, in ethereal space.
The difficulties which many of the gentlemen of the colony had urged, as necessarily attendant upon the expedition, proved to be ideal. Until the last three nights, scarcely any thing occurred to interrupt the full enjoyment of the excursion. Indeed the torment of these nights served only as a variety, which placed in a stronger light the many facilities we had met with; for, amidst the woods, and at the estates far up the river, we had almost wholly escaped the annoyance of insects. Musquitoes did not seem to inhabit the depths of the forest. In these parts we had also found the air cooler, and the land less heated than where it was cleared of wood, and more open.
I must not neglect to inform you of a custom, which we observed to be very prevalent, it being an act of politeness quite novel to Europeans. As a mark of attention the gentlemen of the different plantations usually accompanied us to our sleeping-room, at the time of our going to bed, when, on taking their leave for the night, they concluded the compliments of the day in the following terms, “S’il y a d’autre chose, Messieurs, dont vous avez besoin, il n’en faut que demander au garçon—cela n’est pas mon affaire.” This was genuine West Indian complaisance; and it offered a lamentable proof of the absence of moral principle in a country degraded by the usages of slavery.
Adieu.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
S. Gosnell, Printer, Little Queen Street, London.
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Footnote 1:
Sir J. M‘Namara Hayes.
Footnote 2:
_The negro term used for_ white.
Footnote 3:
_Domestics of the kitchen, not slaves of the field._
Footnote 4:
Wooden tiles.
Footnote 5:
We have been so accustomed to pay extravagantly for bread, in England, since this period, that the price which then seemed frightfully enormous, might now be deemed moderate.—1806.
Footnote 6:
The George and Bridget afterwards sunk in the harbour of Cape St. Nicholas Mole; and poor unfortunate Mac—, soon after his arrival at St. Domingo, fell a victim to the yellow fever.
Footnote 7:
It proved that considerable property was actually condemned and sold; but not the smallest dividend has yet been paid to those entitled to it....
April 1815.
Footnote 8:
About 1_s._ 8_d._ Sterling.
Footnote 9:
Slaves so termed from being promoted to the distinguished office of following their comrades, upon all occasions, with a whip at their backs, as an English carter attends his horses.
Footnote 10:
A large species of wasp.
Footnote 11:
Upon this occasion one of the officers was carried out of the wood by a faithful slave, who, afterwards, refused to accept his freedom as a reward; and only begged to have a silver medal to wear on days of festival.
Footnote 12:
Upon this coast the forest is termed the _Bush_.
Footnote 13:
The rain-water which lodges in the low parts of the forest.
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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
● Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. ● Used numbers for footnotes, placing them all at the end of the last chapter. ● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. ● Enclosed blackletter font in =equals=.