CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ, xli 
for the benefit of his younger children, I petitioned 
to be allowed to go out and superintend them ; 
seeing that there was no chance of travelling with 
comfort in Europe on account of the war, which 
had all the appearance of becoming general. . 
Our family found its way to the New World in 
the following manner :— My father’s sister was re- 
markably handsome. As she was one day walking 
in the streets of Wakefield, a gentleman, by name 
Daly, from Demerara, met her accidentally, and fell 
desperately in love with her: they were married in 
due course of time, although the family was very 
much averse to the match. Soon after this, my 
father’s younger brother, who had no hopes at home 
on account of the penal laws, followed his sister to 
Demerara, and settled there. 
All having been arranged for my departure, I 
proceeded to London, where my maternal uncle, 
the late intrepid Sir John Bedingfeld, who had 
saved the king’s life in the year 1796, introduced 
me to Sir Joseph Banks, who ever after took a 
warm interest in my adventures. He particularly 
impressed upon my mind his conviction that all 
low and swampy countries within the tropics are in 
general very insalubrious, and fatal to European 
constitutions. “You may stay in them,” said he 
tome, “for three years or so, and not suffer much. 
After that period, fever and ague, and probably a 
_ liver disease, will attack you, and you will die at last, 
worn out, unless you remove in time to a more 
favoured climate. Wherefore,” continued he, “as 
you have not your bread to seek, you must come 
