XXVI. 



EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 247 



If our difembarkation diftrefTed the troops, it afforded CHAP, 

 joy to moft of the colonifts ; as indeed a petition, figned 

 by the principal inhabitants, had been prefented to Co- 

 lonel Fourgeoud but two days before, praying that our 

 regiment might ftay fome time longer, and give the 

 finhhing flroke to the rebels, as we had fo gloriouily 



r 



begun, and perfevered in routing and haraffing them 

 which indeed was certainly true, for our regiment, in 

 conjun6tion with the Society and rangers, had demoliflied 

 moft fettlements the rebels poflTeffed in the colony, and 

 had driven them to fo confiderable a diftance, that their 

 depredations, and the defertion of flaves, were incompa- 

 rably lefs than vipon our arrival ; and this was afTuredly 

 much better than the Dutch making a fliameful peace 

 with them, as had been done with the rebels of the 

 Owca and Sarameca fettlements before, yet which would 

 probably again have been the confequence had we not 

 landed in Guiana. 



As an inftance of the infolence of favages^ when per- 

 fectly independant, I muft relate a converfation which 

 palTed between one of this defcription and myfelf at Pa- 

 ramaribo, v/here the troops were allowed fome time to 

 refrefli themfelves before they again retook the field : — 

 Dining one day at Captain Mac Neyl's, who was now 

 come to town from his eftate, a captain of the Owca ne- 

 groes, our fuppofed allies, came in to demand money from 

 his lady ; and being very importunate, I defired her in 

 Englifli to " give him a dram, and he would be gone 

 which the fellow underftanding, called me without the 



door. 



