EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



•onliderable relifh from its fucceeding the fait provifions, 

 to which we had fo long been confined, had any contraft 

 been necelTary to heighten our opinion of its elegance. 

 But the choiceft delicacies of America and Europe were 

 united in this repaft, and ferved up in filver. A great 

 variety of the richeft wines were poured out with pro- 

 fufion ; the defert was compofed of the moft delicious 

 fruits, and the company were attended by a confiderable 

 number of extremely handfome negro and mulatto maids, 

 all naked from the waift upwards, according to the 

 cuftom of the country ; but the other parts of their per- 

 fons arrayed in the fineft India chintzes, and the whole 

 adorned with golden chains, medals, beads, bracelets, 

 and fweet-fmelling flowers. 



After partaking of this fuperb entertainment till about 

 feven o'clock, I fet out in fearch of the houfe of Mr. Lol- 

 kens, the hofpitable gentleman who had fo obligingly in- 

 vited me to make it my own. I foon difcovered the place, 

 but my reception was fo ludicrous that I cannot forbear re- 

 lating the particulars. On Smocking at the door, it was open- 

 ed by a young female negro, of a mafculine appearance, 

 whofe whole drefs confifted of a fingle petticoat, and who 

 held a lighted tobacco-pipe in one hand, and a burning 

 candle in the other, which Ihe brought clofe to my face, 

 in order to reconnoitre me. I enquired if her mafter was 

 at home, to which {he replied, but in a language totally 

 unintelligible to me. I then mentioned his name, on 

 which llie burft into an immoderate iit of laughter, 



D 2 difplaying 



