EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 159 



the river Cottica or Pirica, if not to attack ourfelves ; on c H A P. 

 this account I always kept double fentinels round the ^ 

 landing-place, and gave orders that no men fliould be 

 allowed to fpeak or make any kind of noife while on that 

 fpot, in order that we might hear the fmalleft ruftling 

 of a leaf, and fo obviate our danger by vigilance and 

 alacrity. 



On the Sth mv otiier officer Macdonald fell fick, but' 

 refufed to be fent to Devil's E^arwar, as he would not" 

 fufFer me to be left quite by myfelf/ 



I have faid that we had no furgeon, but carried wirh 

 us a parcel of medicines,- which confided of emetics, 

 cathartics, and powder?, of which I knew not the proper 

 ufe. At their defire, however, I daily diftributed them 

 to the men, who, loading their ftomachs w^ith heavy 

 fait provifions, and ufing no exercife, had fometimes oc- 

 cafion for art to affiil: nature. But thefe briny meals of.' 

 pork and beef, Colonel Fourgeoud infifted were much 

 more wholefome food in a tropical country than freHi 

 proviHons; for,, by a moft curious theory, he afierted 

 that the latter corrupted in the ftomach by the heat, 

 whereas the others underwent a proper digeftion. Un- 

 fortunately for us, there were but few on board either the 

 Cerberus or the Charon, whofe ftomachs were in a ftate 

 to digeft fuch food. I had alfo fome plaiflers on board 

 the barge, but thefe were foon expended by the run- 

 ning ulcers, with which the whole crew was covered>; : 

 and this was eafily accounted for, fmce in this climate, 

 ^ where„ 



