EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 231 



clapping clo^c together from fan-fet to fan-rife, and ap- CHAP. 



xxv 



pearing as if the two were but one; but as foon as the fun 

 is up they again open, and refume their double form. 

 The above-mentioned (hrubs were all difperfed through 

 my hedges, beiides pomegranates and Indian rofes, which 

 blow every day ; while a few elegant red-lilies, which 

 alfo grow wild in the favannas, adorned the banks of my 

 canals, the leaves of v/hich flower have a very bright 

 and beautiful green polilli. 



Thus Htuated, we were vilited, amongft others, by a 

 Madame de Z — e, in company with her ijrother, and a 

 Mr. Schadts^ who were lately arrived from Holland ; this 

 lady was fuppofed the fineft v/oman that even Europe 

 produced, as Vv'ell as the moil: accomplidied. She fpoke 

 feveral languages, and was a perfedl miftrefs of mufic and 

 painting ; fhe danced elegantly, and rode vaflly v/ell on 

 horfeback ; (lie even excelled in fliooting and fencing, 

 Bcc. In order to make her perfe6l miftrefs of ail the fa- 

 fhionable exercifes, I off.ered her my affiftance in teach- 

 ing her to fwim, which, however, with a fmile, flie 

 thought proper to refufe. 



My foldiers, and even negroes, feemed now completely 

 happy, amongft whom the :aolt perfcdl harm.ony fub- 

 filled; while I freque ntly indulged them with a merry 

 evening, and a grey-beard of rum.^ 



One night, in the rnidft cf this feflivity, I fecretly or- 

 dered the fentinel to fire lis piece, acd caufe a falfe 

 alarm, as if the enemy were on the eftate 5 when I had 



the 



