WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 173 



be met with in the vicinity of that far-inland stream ; but 

 he is common in the interior of Demerara, amongst the 

 huge rocks in the forests of Macoushia ; and he has been 

 shot south of the line, in the captainship of Para. 



The bird called by Buffon Grand Gobe-mouche has never 

 been found in Demerara, although very common in Cayenne. 

 He is not quite so large as the jackdaw, and is entirely 

 black, except a large spot under the throat, which is a 

 glossy purple. 



You may easily sail from Cayenne to the river Surinam 

 in two days. Its capital, Paramaribo, is handsome, rich 

 and populous : hitherto it has been considered by far the 

 finest town in Guiana ; but probably the time is not far 

 off when the capital of Demerara may claim the prize of 

 superiority. You may enter a creek above Paramaribo, 

 and travel through the interior of Surinam, till you come 

 to the Nicari, which is close to the large river Coryntin. 

 When you have passed this river, there is a good public 

 road to New Amsterdam, the capital of Berbice. 



On viewing New Amsterdam, it will immediately strike 

 you that something or other has intervened to prevent its 

 arriving at that state of wealth and consequence for which 

 its original plan shows it was once intended. What has 

 caused this stop in its progress to the rank of a fine and 

 populous city remains for those to find out who are inter- 

 ested in it ; certain it is, that New Amsterdam has been 

 languid for some years, and now the tide of commerce 

 seems ebbing fast from the shores of Berbice. 



Gay and blooming is the sister colony of Demerara. 

 Perhaps, kind reader, thou hast not forgot that it was from 

 Stabroek, the capital of Demerara, that the adventurer set 

 out, some years ago, to reach the Portuguese frontier fort, 

 and collect the wourali-poison. It was not intended, when 

 this second sally was planned in England, to have visited 



