The Indian Policy of the DuTCri. 17 



his successor. When they required anything from the 

 Governor they must send five or six of their headmen as 

 delegates, and that these might pass free, the Chief was 

 provided with silver headed sticks to be carried while on 

 the mission. 



In November 1772 a slave riot took place in Essequebo, 

 but the Indians under Captain VAN DKR Heyden sup- 

 pressed it without much trouble. The Company gave 

 the Captain a silver-hilted sword, and the Indian Chiefs 

 also got silver ornaments, and their men presents of 

 salempores, trumpets, looking-glasses, &c., from the 

 colonial authorities. The Company, when they heard the 

 news, sent out six silver collars for the Chiefs, but as 

 they had already received presents, these were ordered 

 to be returned. 



From this time we begin to see something like a system, 

 but as yet the Company was too mean to carry out any 

 such arrangements as were made later. The planters 

 saw the advantage of having the Indians at hand in case 

 of a riot or negro hunt, but the authorities were limited 

 by the mean policy of their High Honourables the Direc- 

 tors. After the French had restored the colonies to 

 Holland in 17S4, attempts were made to put everything 

 on a different basis, and the Dire6lors ordered that the 

 Indians should be conciliated, to prevent slave desertions 

 and put down revolts. They recommended that land 

 should be given to the Caribs so that they might be 

 kept together, that they should receive regular presents, 

 and that their Captains or " Owls" should be provided 

 with silver-headed sticks with the Company's arms en- 

 graved upon them, and silver collars. This appears to 

 have been done a little while afterwards, when the Chiefs 



C 



