NARRATIVE OF AN 



I muft take notice that from our nrft landing in 

 Surinam till this time our private rn en, were paid in filver 

 coin, which the captains had propofed _ to exchange for 

 card money, at the rate of i^n per cent, gain for them ; 

 by which the poor fellows would have benefited between 

 two and three hundred pounds fterling per annum, to buy 

 refrefliment ; but Colonel Fourgeoud infifted they Ihould 

 continue to receive their little pittance in coin, which in 

 fmall fums was of no more value than paper ; and I 

 thought unaccountably hard, fmce this was hurting the 

 whole, without profit to one fingle individual. One thing 

 more I muft remark, which is, that all the officers who 

 ■were now proceeding upon duty continued to pay at 

 the mefs, which coft each captain at the rat^ of forty 

 pounds ; but for which, in his barge, he was to re- 

 ceive in provifions after the rate of ten pounds (thus 

 he loft thirty pounds ; and thefe provifions were fait 

 beef, pork, and peafe) on an equal footing with the 

 private foldiers, a few bottles of wine excepted. But 

 certainly fome greater indulgence was due, and I muft 

 fay neceflfary, to officers, who were going to be ftationed 

 where abfolutely no kind of refrefliment was to be 

 had, being furrounded by the moft horrid and impe- 

 netrable woods, beyond the hearing of a cannon-fliot 

 from any port or plantation whatever. This was not 

 the cafe with the other barges, who were ftationed 

 in the midft of peace and plenty, being within view 

 of the moft beautiful eftates. We were indeed pitied 



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