"King William's People." 11"> 



The " descendants of former slave'' numbered thirty-eight. 



The Grants were issued subject to the condition : — 

 That the said Lot No - shall be maintained by the said 



his (or her) heirs, executors or assigns at all tiaies in good sanitary 



order and repairs, and shall be at all times subject to all Laws and 



Enactments for the control and superintendence of The Town of 



New Amsterdam. 



In subsequent years the Winkel villagers laid claim to " No 27," or 

 Pin. Berensteyn, on the left bank of the Berbice River, and to land 

 adjoining Banin Creek, a tributary of the Canje. In the old days Pin. 

 Berensteyn — an abandoned coffee-estate — had been used as a provision- 

 ground and as a source for the supply of wood for the Winkel village 

 while in the Banin Creek, tish — hassar and yarrow — had been caught in 

 dry weather by the Winkel people, and brought to New Amsterdam — and 

 even sent in barrels filled with water to Georgetown — for sale. Grants of 

 land at both these places were issued to the Old Crown Slaves and 

 descendants of old Crown Slaves by the Government. They were subse- 

 quently revoked on the ground of unbeneficial occupation. The Winkel 

 villagers still enjoy fishing rights in the Banin Creek. 



To-day, as far as I can discover, only one of the old Winkel slaves is 

 alive. This is Ann F. Gournal, who lives in King Street, New Amster- 

 dam. She is upwards of ninety. The old lady is " getting down," as 

 possibly might be expected, but her "intellects' are good, and, to a 

 sympathetic listener she can tell something of the old days when the Winkel 

 people " were massa and missy." She cannot have been more than about 

 seven years old when the Crown Slaves were emancipated. Of the great 

 event she remembers nothing. There was a " great stir " in the 

 village, great excitement, that is all. She had her mother's (and 

 family's) Manumission Paper at one time, but someone " borrowed " it 

 from her husband and she never saw it again. It was a long paper, tied 

 with blue ribbon and had a big red seal. 



" We was freed with paper " said Mother Gournal, " We was different 

 from the rest a people what freed with bell." This was in allusion to the 

 plantation slaves — freed en masse August 1, 1838 — who had no Mauu- 

 mission Papers. " We use to laugh them, call them 'Prentice Labour.' " 



The Winkel Negroes were the aristocratic Blacks of Berbice. They 

 belonged to King William. They were not Flanters' slaves. The 

 descendants of Africa— and the old " salt-waters " themselves — in Berbice 

 were ranked somewhat in this fashion : — 



1. King William's people. 



2. Planters' people. 



(a) Drivers, artizans and house negroes. 



(b) Field hands. 



The Winkel Negroes were " top dog," and knew it. 



All of the births in the Winkel Village (said Mother Gournal) were 

 recorded in the Court House, as well as all the deaths, with what com- 

 plaint they died of, and this had to be sent home to King William who 

 was very fond of his people and wanted to know all about them. One 



