382 



or even their beloved grog, which we gaffe 

 them in very plentiful fupply. 



The borders of trie river offered but little 

 to arreft our attention or to gratify our curio- 

 fity, we therefore engaged in a rubber at 

 whift, which we contrived to play upon a 

 board placed, from window to window, acrofs 

 the enclofed part of the boat. But for this re- 

 fource and our books we fhould have fuffered 

 more fatigue from our tedious and weari- 

 fome confinement, in the boat, than the ne- 

 groes did from the heavier labour of pulling the 

 oars. 



We were received with great kindnefs, and 

 entertained with much cordiality, by M. Mal- 

 fted, but unluckily no perfon at Vigilantie un- 

 derftood any other than the Dutch language ; 

 our converfation was therefore very limited, 

 being carried on only by figns and broken 

 words. The talk of interpreter fell to the lot 

 of your friend, and you would have been highly 

 diverted could you have feen me occupied 

 throughout the evening in ftammering forth 

 a few words of bad Dutch to ferve all purpofes 

 and explain for all parties. 



