EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 237 



propofition, and tying the old black man to a tree, or- chap. 

 dered my boy Quaco to afcend the ladder quite naked, '^'^^Zv, 

 which he did, and was 7iot ilung ; I then ventured 

 to follow, and I declare upon my honour, that even after 

 lliaking the neft, which made its inhabitants buz about 

 my ears, not a lingle bee attempted to fling me. I next 

 releafed the old negro, and rewarded him with a gallon 

 of rum and five fhillings for the diicovery. This fwarm 

 of bees I fince kept unhurt, as my body-guards, and they 

 have made many overfeers take a defperate leap for my 

 amvifement, as 1 generally fent them up my ladder upon 

 fome frivolous mefTage, when I wiflied to punifh them 

 for injuflice and cruelty, which was not feldom. 



The above negro afTured me, that on his mafcer^s 

 cflate was an ancient tree, in which had been lodged 

 ever fince he could remember, a facie ty of birds and an- 

 other of bees^ who lived in the greatefl harmony toge- 

 ther ; but fhould any ftrange birds come to diflurb or 

 feed upon the bees, they were inftantly repulfed by their 

 feathered allies, and if itrange bees dared to venture near 

 the birds nefls, the native fwarm attacked the invaders, 

 and ftung them to death : that his mafler and family 

 had fo much refpedt for the above afTociation, that the 

 tree was confidered as facred, and was not to be touched 

 by an axe until it Ihould yield to all-deflroying time. 



On the 22dy a patrole arrived from Rietwyk, in Pirica, 

 who informed me, that a party of our troops were juft 

 returned to Java Creek from a cruize to Fredenburg, at 

 9 the 



