274 



NARRATIVE OF A N 



CHAP, in the wet. This kind of hemp is fo very much like 

 white fiik, that the importation is forbidden in many 

 countries, to prevent impofition by felhng it for the fame; 

 and the fraud is more difficult to be deteifted when it is art- 

 fully mixed with filk. By the Indians this plant is called 

 curetta, and in Surinam vulgarly Indian foap, as it con- 

 tains a faponaceous, pulpy fubftance, which anfwers for 

 wailiing as common foap, and is employed for that pur- 

 pofe by the negroes and many others. Another plant 

 much refembling this, is by the black people termed 

 baboon knjfee, as it fometimes cuts through the Ikin to 

 the very bone, of which I myfelf had fome proofs in 

 this wildernefs, but without any ill confequence. 



In the manner I have already related the time was 

 fpent during this period, in which the whole camp was 

 deftitute of ftcckings, flioes, hats, Sec. Colonel Fourgeoud 

 walked a whole day barefooted himfclf to furnifh an ex- 

 ample of patience and perfeverance, and to keep the few 

 remaining troops from murmuring. In tiiis refpedl I 

 had fairly the advantage of all the company, my ikin be- 

 ing (the fwelled foot or confaca, and a few fcratches ex- 

 cepted) perfe6lly whole from my habit of walking thus, 

 while not a found limb was to be found amcng the reft, 

 whofe legs in general were broken out m dreadful 

 tilcers, with a difcharge of piis. I have already in part 

 accounted for this inconvenience, and fliall ftill farther 

 account for it, by obferving, that while the (lockings and 

 Ihoes of thefe unhappy people remained, they were ne- 

 ver 



