l88 TiMEHRI. 



cumstances there could be no private letters, and the 

 servants of the Company as well as the few planters in 

 Essequebo had to be very careful in writing to their 

 friends. 



This primitive system lasted from the earliest times, up 

 to the latter part of the last century. A package of letters 

 was sent to the Commandeur, who opened it himself, 

 took out his own correspondence, and handed the 

 remainder to the Secretary, who delivered the letters to 

 their owners when they were called for. It does not 

 appear that any postage was charged at first, but the 

 Secretary exa6led a fee of one guilder each when the 

 correspondence became of importance; This amount 

 did not err on the side of being too little, as the Secretary 

 had such a small salary that he could only manage to 

 live by means of the heavy fees he exa6led. 



There was no regular communication with Berbice or 

 Surinam, but it was often necessary to send letters to the 

 latter colony to be forwarded to the Netherlands, on 

 account of the long intervals between the regular vessels. 

 Even Essequebo and Demerara were quite isolated from 

 each other, the planters having to send to Fort Island 

 for their letters when a vessel arrived. The Government 

 proclamations were sent round in canoes under the charge 

 of colony slaves, the managers or proprietors signing their 

 names to show that the publication had been exhibited. 

 In Berbice, proclamations were read at certain places, 

 the inhabitants being called together by beat of drum. 



After the arrival of so many English settlers from 

 Barbados and other islands, about 1740, communication 

 with the West Indies became frequent, and letters were 

 sent by private vessels. These did not go to the Secre- 



