64 Timehri. 



seeming to us as if the flood gates of heaven had suddenly been sprung 

 open ; tropical rains being a novelty to us. The rainy season continued 

 well into July. Coming out as we did without any preconceived ideas, 

 Berbice being a Terra Incognita, everything was delightfully novel, es- 

 pecially the beautiful foliage and the different types of people and 

 their costumes. Before leaving the subject of pests I must not forget 

 the mosquito for which Berbice took the palm both in numbers and 

 quality which I will illustrate by a story or two that I heard shortly after 

 my arrival. 



Up at Skeldon some men were inside a boiler repairing it, the 

 mosquitoes being very numerous and strong the men clinched their 

 stings on the inside, on which they flew away with the boiler, men and 

 all and have never been seen since. 



Another is that of two Captains. Americans of course, who on meet- 

 ing in New Amsterdam Mere relating their experiences. The first said he 

 passed through a black cloud having cleared which, he found every 

 stitch of canvas had disappeared. u Oh ! " said the other, " that accounts 

 for it : I passed through that same cloud and every mosquito had on 

 canvas breeches." 



Yet one more. Two sailors sleeping ashore, finding the mosquitoes 

 troublesome drew the sheets over their heads. One on looking out said. 

 ; - I say. Bill, it is of no use for they for looking for us with lanterns " He 

 had seen some fire flies. 



Another thing that strikes the newcomer, is the whistling frogs. A 

 friend (also a new comer) for whom we were waiting got very much 

 annoyed, repeating that he was coining. Hearing the frogs he thought 

 we were whistling for him. 



Having a difference of opinion with Mr. Burns, one of the quaintest 

 little Irishmen that I have ever met, though as goodhearted as you make 

 them, I left Mrs. Burns and joined Mr. Wreford, father of Mr. Wreford, 

 F.K., a merchant in Berbice, who was manager of Mr. Bridges' Grocery 

 & Hardware Store. Later I took charge of the Wharf and Saw-pits. Mr. 

 Bridges was an Estate Proprietor and Agent, later on Administrator Gene- 

 ral. My fellow passenger, the late Mr. C. P. Barnes, having left to join the 

 good old firm of Playfair & Co., I soon followed. He soon after left there 

 to go into Booker Bros. & Co.'s Office, where he remained until he died. 

 I remained until the firm dissolved partnership with Mr. P. P. Fairbairn. 

 Some of my happiest days were spent under two of the most kind and 

 upright men one could wish to meet with. viz. : —Messrs. Donald Currie 

 and P. P. Fairbairn, types of employers not met with to-day, I am sorry 

 to say. In those days we lived over the store and were treated by Mrs. 

 Currie and Mrs. Fairbairn, whichever was in residence at the time, as if 

 we were sons. After dinner each one of us in rotation had to read a 

 chapter of the Bible and also a prayer, evening by evening. Unless we 

 had special permission, we had to be in by 10 o'clock. If they had 

 friends of an evening we were expected to be present. At one end of the 



