EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 369 



their oars, I took the letter in my teeth, and leaped in- chap. 



XIV 



flantly into the river to difpatch it,^ knowing they would 

 put me again on terra-firtna. Having thus fwam with 

 the ftream, in my fhirt and trowfers, till I came within 

 two oars length of the boat, I held up the letter in my 

 hand, and called out, " Who the devil are you, that re- 

 " fufe to take on board a piece of paper r " When, being 

 anfwered in French, " Je fuis Jean Bearnee, payfan de 

 " Guafcogne, a votre fervice," I had the mortification to 

 fee them pull away without a poffibility of overtaking 

 them, or returning. In this diftrefs L had now nothing 

 left but to perifli, it being impoflible to fwim againll the 

 ftream, efpecialiy as I was incumbered with my clothes. 

 I llruggled, however, but funk twice to the bottom in 

 the attempt; and mutt inevitably have been drowned, had 

 1 not caught hold of aprojedling paleing that was eredted 

 in the mver for the purpofe of catching fifli. To this I 

 remained flicking faft when a Dutch carpenter,, who ob- 

 ferved me from the top of the fugar-mill, called out, that 

 theEnglifli captain was trying to kill himfelf. On this news 

 a dozen Itout negroes immediately leapt into the river, and 

 having dragged me fafe afliore (under the direction of my 

 good friend Medlar, who was inclined to believe the re- 

 port) lifted me upon their fhoulders to carry me home* 

 The difappointment, the danger, the anger, vexation, and 

 fhame (for there was no contradidting them.) had by thij 

 time wound up my paflions to fuch a height, and mads 

 fuch an impreilion on my fpirits, that I became perfedlly 

 YoL, I. 3 B mad, 



