EXPEDITION TO SURINAM, 



<5n account of its poifonous qualities, which are of fuch 

 a fubtle nature, that the very fmoke of this wood, when 

 on fire, is fatal to thofe animals that receive it into their 

 lungs ; this is always feen to grow by itfelf, as it infal- 

 libly kills every thing around it, nay even the flaves re- 

 fufe to cut it down on the plantations, fo much are they 

 afraid of touching, or of even coming near to it. The Mar- 

 koory is low, ugly, and uneven, with very few branches, 

 and a pale verdure. I have been told that fome of the 

 Indians render their arrows fatal by dipping the barbs of 

 them in its fap. 



On the 27th, another patrole was fent out, but to no 

 better purpofe than the firft. I have mentioned that my 

 foot was recovered, and fo it was, but I had now ex- 

 tracted out of my right arm two dreadful infects, which 

 left behind them very deep ulcers. Thefe are called in 

 Surinam the buj/j-zvor^ns, and are the fliape and fize of 

 the aurelia of the common butterfly, with a pointed tail 

 and black head. They ftuck extremely faft in the flefbj 

 and were extra<5led with a lancet. They breed naturally 

 in ftagnated waters, in marching conftantly through 

 vrhich they had attached themfelves to my flefli. 



My heart now began to link with accumulated dif- 

 afters ; my mind was agitated and deprefied with a con- 

 ftant train of tortures, to which I could fee no end, and 

 I became vv^eary of life. In this dreadful fituation I fell 

 upon my naked knees, and invoked the raaledidtion of 

 Heaven to fall on me, if I did not feparate myfelf from 



my 



