NARRATIVE OF AN 



to be reftrained within the bounds of prudence, when I 

 found myfelf upbraided by my mefs -mates for taking 

 care of my own offspring : " Do as we do," faid they, 



Stedman, and never fear. If our children are flaves, 

 " they are provided for ; and if they die, what care we, 

 ** fhould they be d — n'd in the bargain ? Therefore keep 



your fighs in your own belly^ and your money in your 



pocket, my boy, that's all." — I repeat this in their own 

 language, to file w how much my feeling muft have been 

 rhurt and difgufted with fimilar confolation. 



The following morning, awaking by day-break in my 

 hammock, the firft thing that I faw, when looking up, 

 was a fnake about two yards long, hanging with its 

 head downwards like a rope, and ftraight above my face, 

 from which he was not one foot diftance, while his tail 

 was twifted round the rafters under the thatch. Obferv- 

 ing his eyes bright as liars, and his forked tongue in agi- 

 tation, I was fo diflrefled that I fcarcely had power to 

 avoid him, which however I did, by running out ; after 

 which, I heard a ruftling in the dry thatch, where the 

 negroes attempted to kill him, but in vain, he having ef- 

 caped, and thus I cannot fay what fpecies he belonged to. 

 Being now by myfelf, and rather ftartled by this unwel- 

 come gueft, I fhut up my houfe, and lodged and meffed 

 with my friends the Major, Heneman, and Macdonaid. 



On viliting my boxes, I now found that great depreda- 

 tions had been committed by the ants, which are through- 

 out all Guiana fo very numerous, and of fo many diffe- 

 + rent 



