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NARRATIVE OF AN 



CHAP, the Creole females exhibit a more alkiring appearance; 



^ J' ^ they are languid, their complexions are fallow, and the 

 ikin even of the young ladies is frequently Parivelled. 

 This is however not the cafe with all ; and I have been 

 acquainted with fome who, prefer ving a glow of health 

 and freflmefs in their lovely countenance, were entitled to 

 contend for the prize of beauty with the faireft European. 

 But, alas ! the numbers of this lafl: defcription are fo 

 fmall, that the colonifts in their amours moft ufually 

 prefer the Indian negro and mulatto girls, particularly 

 on account of their remarkable cleanlinefs, health, and 

 vivacity. For the excelTes of the hufbands in this refpec^t^ 

 and the marked negledl which they meet from them^ 

 the Creole ladies moft commonly, at a. very early period^ 

 appear in mourning weeds, with the agreeable privilege? 

 however of making another choice, in the hopes of a 

 better partner ; nor are they long without another mate. 

 Such indeed is the fuperior longevity of the fair females 

 of Surinam, compared to that of the males (owing, 

 chiefly, as I faid, to their excelTes of all forts) that I have 

 frequently known wives who have buried four hufbands, 

 but never met a man in this country who had furvived 

 two wives. 



The ladies do not, however, always bear with the 

 mofl becoming patience the flights, and infults they 

 thus meet with, in the expe6lation of a fndden releafe, 

 but moftly perfecute their fuccefsful fable rivals (even on 

 fufpicion) with implacable hatred and the moft unrelent- 

 ing 



