EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 113 



field,- if they dared but to fhew their ugly faces ;" fwear- chap. 

 " ing they had only deferted their mafters becaufe they 

 " v/erc too lazy to work." After this they infulted each 

 other by a kind of war-whoop, fung vicStorions fongs 

 on both fides, and founded their horns as fignals of defi.- 

 ance ; when the firing commenced once more from the 

 rebel negroes, and continued during the night, accom- 

 panied by their martial voices, at intermifiions refound- 

 ing through the woods, which echo feemed to anfwer 

 with redoubled force. 



At length poor Fourgeoud took a part in the converfa- 

 tion, myfelf and Serjeant Fowler ailing as his interpreters, 

 by hallooing, which created more mirth than I had been 

 witnefs to for fome time : he promifed them life, liberty, 

 vi6tual-Sj drink, and all they wanted. They replied, with a 

 loud laugh, thatr they wanted nothing from him ; charac- 

 terifed him as a half-ftarved Frenchman, who had run 

 away from his own country ; and alTured him that if he 

 would venture to pay them a vifit, he fiiould return un- 

 hurt, and not with an empty belly. They told us, that we 

 were to be pitied more than they ; that we were white 

 JIaves, hired to be fliot at and ftarved for four-pence a 

 day ; that they fcorned to expend much more of their 

 powder upon fuch fcarecrows ; but fliould the planters 

 or overfeers dare to enter the woods, not a foul of them 

 fhould ever return, any more than the perfidious rangers, 

 fome of whom might depend upon being mafiTacred that 

 Vol. IL Q day. 



