EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 229 



by a forked ftick. No fooner has a large fiili entered chap, 

 and taken the bait, than this pole, as in the former, ere6ls ,^55^^. 

 itfelf with a fpring, and the fnap or trap-door flints on 

 the invader, and he is taken, as may be feen by letter D. 

 This differs from the former, no hook of any kind being 

 necelTary. An idea of the ingenuity of the negroes may 

 be formed from thefe conftfudtions, as this mode of 

 catching their fiih requires no attendance, for the fnaps 

 being fet at night, the fifli is found in the morning, which 

 is generally the newmara or barracota already defcribed. 



Among the variety of fiili caught here was the fdiba^ 

 a fmall oval fidi, marked not unlike a pine-apple ; the 

 fokay, which is a large fifh, and very good eating ; the 

 torro-torro, and another called tarpoen ; the firft threa 

 feet in length ; the other, which is white, about two feet 

 lix inches. 



On the 26th, I faw a moft furprifing difplay of a^livity, 

 ftrength, and courage by a young female negro, called 

 Clardina, at the Hope ; where a wild flag having flrayed 

 from the flock, at the moment it came bounding over 

 the foot-path fiie feized it in full fpeed by the hinder 

 leg, but not being able to Hop it, fhe fuffered herfelf to 

 be dragged to a confiderable diftance, nor until fhe was 

 terribly wounded would llie let go her hold. 



The Hope was now truly a charming habitation, being 

 perfedlly dry even in fpring-tides, and waflied by pleaf- 

 ing canals that let in the frefh-water every tide ; while 

 the hedges furrounding the fields and gardens were 



neatly 



