t$6 S^^ condamine's travels 



the fmalleft ingredient, although it is highly probable the great multiplicity of com- 

 ponents is as little requifite in the American poifon as in the European antidote. 



It will no doubt occafion furprife, that among a people who poflefs an inftrument fo 

 certain and fo quick of effeft, with which to fatiate their vengeance, their jealoufy or 

 hate, it fhould be fatal to monkeys or birds alone. It is the more to be admired, as a 

 miflionary, ever dreaded, and often held in abhorrence by thefe neophytes, towards 

 whom his fundions admit not of fhewing that indulgence they exad, though furrounded 

 by them, lives without fear or miftrufl of harm ; and what fhould flill farther increafe 

 our admiration, thefe innoxious people are favages, for the major part deflitute of the 

 leafl idea of religion ! 



Having learnt, while at Cayenne, the marvellous and even novel fad:, of the multi- 

 plication of Polypi, difcovered by M. Trembley, and fmce confirmed by the experi- 

 ments of M. Reaumur, M. de Juffieu, and a variety of other naturalifts, I made fome 

 trials on fea-polypi of large fize, which, off this coaft, are very common. My firft 

 experiments were not attended with fuccefs, and an illnefs with which I was feized, 

 prevented my repeating them as I intended. 



Five months' ftay at Cayenne, without feeing the King's fhip arrive, which was 

 expeded, and without receiving any news from France, a pleafure of which I had been 

 deprived for five years, made more impreflion upon me than nine years* travelling and 

 fatigue. I was attacked with a lownefs of fpirits and the jaundice, from which I found 

 greater relief than from all medicine, in the extremely polite anfwer I received from 

 M. Mauricius, governor of the Dutch colony of Surinam, in which he invited me to 

 his houfe at Surinam, and offered me a paffage to Holland, engaging to furnifh me with 

 a paffport in cafe of rupture between France and the States General. I loft not a mo- 

 ment ; and, after a flay of fix months at Cayenne, I left it in a convalefcent ftate on 

 the 2 2d Augufl 1744, in a King's barge, furnifhed me by M. Orvilliers, with a ferjeant 

 belonging to the garrifon, who had command only over the rowers. In confequence, 

 this trip was much Ihorter than that from Para to Cayenne. I flopped on the way no 

 longer than was neceffary to complete my crew of Americans. The miflionary father 

 at Senamary procured me a fufficient number of hands, notwithflanding the rumour of 

 a contagious diflemper exifting at Surinam, which, though falfe, had fpread to a dif- 

 tance a general panic among the natives. Deduding floppages, now voluntary, and 

 now conflrained, I was fomewhat more than fixty hours on my voyage from Cayenne 

 to the river of Surinam, which I entered the 27th. 



On the 28th, I afcended the river the height of five leagues, which brought me to 

 Paramaribo, the capital of the Dutch colony of Surinam, the governor of which, in 

 his condud, furpaffed the expedations I had formed from his obliging letters. I ob- 

 ferved the latitude, which I found to be 5^ 49' N. ; and I likewife made feveral other 

 ' obfervations during the five days I flopped : on the 3d September, I embarked , on 

 board a merchant fliip bound to Amflerdam. 



The 29th, we difpenfed with fhewing my paffport to an Englifh cruifer, owing to 

 the bad weather ; this, however, would probably have met with little refped, as, at firft 

 fight, the cruifer faluted us with fhot, to make us fend our boat on board, notwith 

 flanding we were under Dutch colours. 



On the 6th November, at the entrance of the channel, we were accofted by a cruifer 

 from St. Maloes for a fimilar purpofe, but in a lefs difcourteous manner, for, coming 

 within hail, the captain was fatisfied, on the affurance I gave him, mentioning who I 

 was, of whence we were, that he was merely lofmg time with us. On the 16th, at 

 the entrance of the Texel, we took on board a coafling pilot to condud us into port ; 



9 ^"f? 



