EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. ;§ 



to fet oat for South America; and on this laft palTage it C H AP^ 



XVI 



blew fo violently hard, that all the boats, the fheep, the \^ 

 pigs, and the poultry, were wafhed overboard. Till this 

 date I had been the oldeft officer in the corps, except- 

 ing only Colonel Fourgeoud. 



On the arrival of the troops, our commander invited 

 them to a dinner, which confifted of fait beef, pork, 

 barley, and hard peafe, of which I had the honour to 

 partake, to my no fmall amufement, when I obferved the 

 fignificant looks which were diredted by thefe new- 

 comers on their commander and his entertainment. In 

 the evening we condudted them to the play- houfe, where 

 the death of Cxfar, and Crifpin Do(Slor, were performed, 

 the one exa6lly as laughable as the other. I muft how- 

 ever confefs, that I was better entertained the next day, 

 when the governor gave to all a fuperb dinner and fup- 

 per, where the ftrangers feemed to be as much furprifed 

 with the magnificence of the feaft, as they had been 

 the day before amazed with Colonel Fourgeoud^s fru- 

 . gality. 



Having met at this table with fome excellent pre- 

 ferved fruits, among which was the guava, I will em- 

 brace an opportunity which is barren of incident to fay 

 fomething of it. The guaba, or guava-tree, grows to 

 about twenty-four feet high, with leaves like thofe of a 

 plum-tree. It is light-coloured, and the wood of little 

 confequence j but the fruit, which is yellow, oval, and 



B 2 about 



