NARRATIVE OF AN 



As a proof of their gratitude, I will only relate one in- 

 flance : — Some years ago an Indian woman being at Pa- 

 ramaribo, and far advanced in a ftate of pregnancy, a 

 Mr. Van der Mey humanely ordered his fervants to con- 

 du£t her and her hufband into his houfe, vv^here, giving 

 them a private apartment, and every other conveniency, 

 he wiflied them good-niglit. Before the next morning 

 the woman was delivered; but when the fervants went 

 in to renew their offers of friendlliip, neither man, wife, 

 nor child were to be found, as they had before day-break 

 quietly marched into the foreft*. Various were at this 

 time the conje(5lures concerning the boafled integrity of the 

 Arrowouka Indians, until, no lefs than eighteen months 

 after, the fame Indian returned to Mr. Van der Mey, with 

 a charming captive boy of the Accawau nation, that he 

 had taken in battle t ; and whom prefenting to his bene- 

 fadlor, he only faid, " T'hafs yours^' and without waiting 

 for any anfwer difappeared. — For this Have the above 

 gentleman was offered ^. 200, which he refufed, and 

 treated him as well as if he had been free. 



The education thefe people receive in their infancy 

 being according to the didlates only of fimple nature, 

 their minds or their bodies are very feldom deformed, 

 while a too nice attention to either is poilibly as detri- 

 mental as a total negiedl. The ingenious Dr. Bancroft is 



* I have mentioned before that the Indians are exempt from pain in labour. 



t This is however extremely uncommon, as a more peaceable peeple does not 

 «xift in the univerfe. 



2 of 



