488 Domestic Notices : — England. 



the governor; and being, with all his naked squad, introduced into His Excel- 

 lency's presence, the Indian immediately seats himself, and then holds out his 

 hand to the governor, his party squatting round him on the floor. Having 

 held his talk, and received a present of a little rum, or something of the kind, 

 he then betakes himself to the logics erected in town for the convenience of 

 the Indians. On no occasion does the Indian omit this assumption of 

 equality ; and it is the only part of his conduct which at all savours of for- 

 wardness, as in general the Indians are rather retiring. 



One reason that rendered the Indians particular favourites of mine was one 

 which a person unacquainted with their character would perhaps find difficult 

 to reconcile with the apathy which, generally speaking, so remarkably dis- 

 tinguishes them ; it was, their constant readiness to oblige. If a negro in 

 Demerara is requested even to rise at his accustomed time, or to perform his 

 usual work, ten to one but he grumbles and delays in the performance of it ; 

 but the Indian, if you wish to paddle all night, is ready ; or if you wish to start 

 three or four hours before daylight, he is ready, without any of that grumbling 

 and discontent, which renders it preferable to do anything oneself rather than 

 to request its performance by another. 



The last trait of the Indian character which I shall mention is one as 

 strongly and unalterably stamped as any I have previously related ; this is, 

 theii- intense hatred of the negro race. At the period of the well-remembered 

 revolt of the slaves in Demerara, a large party of Indians readily volunteered 

 to assist the whites ; and were of considerable use in hunting the negroes out 

 of the bush. Several of the negro leaders were, indeed, shot by them while 

 endeavouring to escape ; and, at the present time, if any negro, having run 

 away from his master, happens to fall into the hands of the Indians, he is 

 instantly seized by them, and reconveyed to Georgetown. 



This hatred may, perhaps, be accounted for by the wide difference in the 

 character of the two nations. The Indian is distinguished by gravity of de- 

 meanour, command of temper, silence, honesty, and habits of great cleanliness 

 and decency. The negro slave, on the contrary, indulges in the most up- 

 roarious mirth; is remarkable for loud and incessant talking; makes free 

 with his neighbour's goods, as if they were his own ; and in his habits is un- 

 cleanly and indecent in the highest degree. It is not wonderful, therefore, 

 that the negro, whose whole conduct is the direct reverse of all that the 

 Indian prides himself in, should become an object of hatred to the latter. In 

 concluding these few remarks upon the Indians of British Guiana, I cannot 

 but express how high an opinion I have of their general character, and how 

 happy I should be did my researches after the novelties of the vegetable king- 

 dom carry me always among a people at once so hospitable, honest, quiet, and 

 obliging ; and I cannot but express my regret that strenuous endeavours are 

 not made to diiFuse among them the light of the Christian religion, and to 

 inspire them with admiration of, and a wish to imitate and to enjoy, the com- 

 forts and decencies of civilised life. — Jo/m Henchman. Claj)ton Nursery, 

 Feb. 1. 1835. 



Art. II. Domestic Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



The Devon ajid Exeter Botanical and Horticultural Society. — It is contrary 

 to our plan to notice provincial horticultural societies, otherwise than in our 

 last Number for the year ; but we make a deviation in favour of the Devon 

 Society, which, according to the newspapers sent us, appears to be one of the 

 most flourishing in England, and to have exhibitions in no degree inferior to 

 the London Society. In the account of the exhibition for June we were 

 particularly pleased with the following passage, by which it appears that the 

 principle of arrangement which we have always been contending for, in the ex- 

 hibition of dahlias, chrysanthemums, heartseases, tulips, and other flowers, as 

 well as in the arrangement of plants of different species of the same genus, has 



