EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 325 



fh rub, with oblong leaves, and which when boiled, as CHAR 



XIII 



Dr«. Bancroft exprelTes it, are of a mucilaginous, flimy, . ' , 

 and lubricative texture, which ropy or glutinous quality, 

 however difgufting in appearance, makes a very rich 

 fauce when properly feafoned with Cayenne pepper. 



The fame evening that proved fo fatal to the fheep, as 

 I was walking out with my gun, as ufual, I fliot a bird 

 called here the fubacoo ; it is a fpecies of the grey-heron, 

 its bill and legs of a greenifh black, and very long, the 

 laft appearing as if jointed by large fcales of a hard and 

 horny fubftance, and the claws on each middle toe are 

 denticulated. This bird, though apparently the fize of a 

 common fowl, was fo very light, that an Englifli houfe- 

 pigeon would have eafily counterbalanced it ; when 

 dreffed we found it to have a fifhy flavour. 



I have for fome time been happily filent upon the 

 fubjedl of cruelty ; and forry I am, at a time when all ap- 

 peared harmonious and peaceable, to be under the ne- 

 ceffity of relating fome in fiances, which I am confident 

 muft infpire the moft unfeeling reader with horror and 

 refentment. The firft objedl which attracted my com- 

 paffion during a vifit to a neighbouring ellate, was a 

 beautiful Samboe girl of about eighteen, tied up by both 

 arms to a tree, as naked as flie came into the world, and 

 lacerated in fuch a Ihocking manner by the whips of two 

 negro-drivers, that fhe was from her neck to her ancles 

 literally dyed over with blood. It was after flie had re- 

 ceived two hundred laihes that I perceived her, with her 



heacl 



