LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 



33 



Mr Edmonstone's house, in Mibiri Creek, for change of air. He 

 was the most valued friend I ever had in the world j and I seldom 

 failed to recover my health during the time that I remained with 

 him. His nephew, Mr Archibald Edmonstone, was all hospitality 

 and kindness. He was very knowing in the woods, and would find 

 out the fruit-bearing trees, where the finest birds in Guiana were to 

 be seen. Nobody was better acquainted with the forest trees than 

 he was. I have by me a catalogue of his, in which he enumerates 

 nearly seventy trees found in that neighbourhood ; and he gives the 

 size at which they generally arrive, their Indian names, their qualities, 

 and their uses. 



" In the year 1808, Admiral Collingwood having sent despatches 

 to Demerara for the Spanish Government in the Orinoco, I was 

 requested by Governor Ross to be the bearer of them. On the 

 nth of September in the previous year I had received from the 

 Governor of Demerara my commission as lieutenant in the second 

 regiment of militia. As no declaration had been previously required 

 from me against transubstantiation, nor any promise that I would 

 support the nine-and-thirty articles of faith by law established, nor 

 any innuendoes thrown out touching ' the devil, the Pope, and the 

 Pretender/ I was free in conscience to accept of this commission. 

 It was the first commission that any one of the name of Waterton 

 had received from Queen Mary's days. During that long interval, 

 not a Waterton could be found vicious enough to regain his lost 

 birthright at the incalculable sacrifice of conscience. 



" As my friend Mr Edmonstone was but in a poor state of health, 

 I thought a change of air would be of service to him. At my earnest 

 entreaty, his name was included in the commission. I now waited 

 on the Governor for the last time ; and after he had imparted to me 

 his private instructions on certain points which he wished me to 

 ascertain during my stay in Angustura, he gave me my commission, 

 together with the despatches of Admiral Collingwood, for the 

 Captain-General of the Orinoco. The commission is dated August 

 2, 1808. 



" I sailed from Demerara in the Levina, flag of truce. After we 

 had doubled Point Barima, we found the current rushing down 

 with astonishing rapidity, and carrying with it enormous fragments 



C 



