EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 99 



diflieartening and galling. The planters even employ CHAP, 

 tliofe men to paint their houfesj clean their fafii- v—- 

 windows, and do numberlefs other menial fervices, for 

 which a feaman was never intended. All this is done to 

 fave the work of their negroes ; while by this nfage 

 thovafands are fwept to the grave, who in the line of their 

 profeffion alone might have lived for many years; nor 

 dare the Well: India Captains to refufe their men, with- 

 out incurring the difpleafure of the planters, and feeing 

 their fiiips rot in the harbour without a loading ; — nay, 1 

 have heard a failor fervently wifli he had been born a ne- 

 gro, and beg to be employed amongft them in cultivat- 

 ing a coffee plantation. 



I now took an early opportunity to enquire of Mrs. 

 Demeily what was become of the amiable Joanna ; and 

 was informed that her lady, Mrs. D. B. had efcaped 

 to Holland on board the Boreas man-of-war, under the 

 prote6lion of Captain Van-de-Velde, and that her young 

 mulatto was now at the houfe of her aunt, a free woman, 

 whence fhe expelled hourly to be fent up to the eflate 

 Fauconberg, friendlefs, and at the mercy of fome unprin- 

 cipled overfeer appointed by the creditors, who had now 

 taken poiTeffion of the plantation and ftock, till the vv^hole 

 fliould be fold to pay the feveral fums due to them by 

 Mr. D. B.— Good God ! — 1 flew to the fpot in fearch of 

 poor Joanna: I found her bathed in tears. — She gave 

 me fuch a look — ah ! fuch a look ! — From that moment I 

 determined to be her protedlor againft every infult, and 

 perfevered, as fliall be feen in the fequel. — Here, reader, 

 let my youth, blended vv^th extreme fenlibility, plead my 



Vol. L O 2 excufe ; 



