cl5 ^ NARRATIVEOFAN 



CHAP, two branches, winding to the S. S. E. for the length of 

 ^ ^ upwards of 120 miles. All this extent is navigable 

 for fmall craft, but beyond this diftance the river pro- 

 ceeds diredtly fouth ; fometimes in its courfe furround- 

 ing fmall iflands, and fometimes forming fmall cataracts. 

 The fource of this beautiful river has never yet been 

 difcovered by Europeans. All large veffels, after entering 

 the Surinam, ought to keep rather near the eaft fhore; 

 the oppcfite Ude being very full of fhoals, as far as the 

 town of Paramaribo, which is about eighteen miles from 

 its mouth. The other branch, into which this large 

 river is divided, is named Comawina, and keeps due eaft 

 for about lixteen miles, with a depth of about three or 

 four fathom at high-water mark ; but as the tide makes 

 a difference of twelve feet, it is not confidered as navi- 



-f 



gable for any fhips of burthen, though its breadth may 

 be computed at about two miles. At the diftance of 

 lixteen miles, the river Comawina is again divided into 

 two branches, one of which bears the fame name to 

 the S. E. for a length of above fifty miles, and that of 

 Cottica to the E.S. E. for more than forty miles, when 

 this laft takes a meandring courfe to the S. S. W. for the 

 diftance of twenty-four or thirty miles. Into all thefe 

 rivers, the courfes of which are not ftraight but ferpen- 

 tine, are difcharged a number of very large creeks or rivu- 

 lets, the banks of which are inhabited by Europeans, and 

 cultivated with fugar, cocoa, cotton, and indigo planta- 

 tions, which form the moft delightful profpe£ls that 



can 



