Bt 



I. 



AGRICULTURE IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



201 



commerce. The interior parts, though much neglected, and remaining obstructed by 

 thick forests and underwood, feed, nevertheless, a great number of horses, sheep, goats, 

 and cattle, which roam at pleasure : the beef and mutton are reckoned excellent. 

 (Maison Rustique de Cayenne, Paris, 1763.) 



1241. Colombia is a fertile tract of country, with an irregular surface and warm 

 climate. An association was formed in London some years ago to send emigrants thither. 

 A million of acres were granted to it, besides several important exemptions, by the 

 Colombian government. A hundred and ninety-one persons left Scotland to settle 

 there in 182.5; but, according to the superintendent, they were such a set of people, 

 with a very few exceptions, as could not have been procured in any country. They had 

 every advantage, but acted as if resolved to avail themselves of none. Yet, by the 

 surgeon's report, the most sickly months in the year were passed over by a population 

 of drunken adults, and a large proportion of children, with a mortality of about one 

 fifth less than that of the most healthy parts of Europe. Mr. Powles is perfectly 

 justified in his declaration, that the defaulters in this transaction are the settlers them- 

 selves. They are the parties who have not performed their agreement ; and who, by 

 their own misconduct, have brought a very heavy loss upon the association ; and what is 

 more to be regretted, have greatly retarded the progress of an undertaking calculated to 

 produce the most extensive advantages both to Colombia and Great Britain. We trust 

 the success of this wise and benevolent experiment is retarded only. The million of 

 acres granted to this company present a very different prospect and security from those 

 golden bubbles which the Reports of Messrs. Head, Andrews, and Beaumont have by 

 this time blown away. (Ed. Rev., Jan. 1828.) 



1242. Surinam is a low moist country, which has been in part studded with wooden 

 houses (Jig. 170.), 



,' * A 



and well cultivated 

 by the Dutch. The 

 climate is hot, and 

 is the most un- 

 healthy and pesti- 

 lential in South 

 America, although 

 the heat in some 

 measure is tem- 

 pered by the sea breeze. The surface of the country is little varied by inequalities. 

 'Ihe uncultivated parts are covered with immense forests, rocks, and mountains, some 

 of the latter enriched with a great variety of mineral substances ; and the whole country 

 is intersected by very deep marshes or swamps, and by extensive heaths or savannas. 

 The soil is, in general, very fertile ; and its fertility may be ascribed, not only to the 

 rains and warmth of this climate, but also to the low and marshy situation of the country, 

 which prevents the intense heats from destroying vegetation, and to the extreme richness 

 of the soil, particularly in those parts that are cultivated by European industry. 



1243. The principal products of Surinam are tobacco, sugar, coffee, cocoa, cotton, and 

 indigo. The quassia tree, or bitter drug, used by the porter brewers, grows wild in the 

 woods, and was first exposed for sale by a native called 171 



Quassi, after whom the tree is named. The cabbage 

 tree is abundant ; and under the rind of the palms is 

 found the Curculio joalmarum Lin. (Jig. 171. a), the 

 larva of which (6) is eaten by the natives as a luxury. 

 A very interesting account of this colony is given by 

 Captain Stedman (Journal, 2 vols. 4to, 1 794), who filled 

 an important military situation there for several years. 

 This gentleman, in the midst of the most arduous duties, 

 contrived to make himself tolerably comfortable He 

 built a country house there (Jiii. 172.); kept a wife, 

 pigs, bees, sheep, and cattle, and had children and 

 slaves. He lived by turns with his family in a house, 

 and with strange women in the woods, where he 

 slept in hammocks [Jig. 173.) and adopted many 

 of the practices of the natives. He made many sketches, and kept a journal ; and 

 after many years full of interesting adventures with the rebellious natives, and of endearing 

 scenes with Joanna his local wife, he came home and wrote a very entertaining account 

 of what he had seen and done. (See Stedmans Surinam, 2 vols. 4to, 1794.) 



1244. Amazonia is an extensive, unconquered, or at least uncivilised, country. In so 

 far as it is known, its climate is more temperate than might be expected from its geogra- 

 phical position. The surface of the country is clothed, in most places, by inter- 



