l6 TiMEHRI. 



been, the lady afterwards had all the advantages of an 

 European education, and no doubt was very different from 

 the little forest maiden of Mibiri Creek. 



Captain EdmonstONE was a tall man with a martial 

 countenance, looking as if born a commander. His 

 chara6ler was, like that of his friend, thoroughly honest, 

 and this is shown in all his dealings with the Indians, as well 

 as the bush negroes captured in his various expeditions. 

 He was well acquainted with the forest, and for about 

 fifteen years was concerned in all the different raids upon 

 runaway slaves. From about the year 1770 there had 

 been continued trouble with the negroes in Demerara. 

 A few runaways would colleft together on one of the 

 various sand reefs behind the sea coasts of Demerara 

 and establish a small settlement, from which they made 

 incursions into the neighbouring plantations, carrying ofif 

 provisions and often inducing other slaves to go with 

 them. The free coloured people generally sympathised 

 with the runaways and on pretence of going up the 

 creeks to fish, carried supplies and traded for such things 

 as they raised in their provision grounds or collected from 

 the bush. On the West Coast, the settlements of bush 

 negroes were situated in the distrift where the three 

 creeks of Camouni, Hoobabo and Boerasirie take their 

 rise. On the East Coast, the settlements were scattered 

 aback of the estates from the upper Madewinie as far as 

 the Abary. Throughout these distri6ls swamps extend 

 in every direflion, with here and there a slight elevation 

 of sand. On these little islands the runaways built huts 

 like the Indian benabs, and planted various ground pre- 

 visions in the neighbourhood, while the swamps were used 

 for rice cultivation. The foot path was generally under 



