NARRATIVE OF AN 



CHAP, the funeral rites are quite ended by a fecond feaft, which 

 XXVI. 



»_ ^ - J finiflies with a joyful dance, and fongs in rriemory and 

 praife of their dear departed friend or relation. 



No people can more efteem or have a greater friend- 

 fhip for one another than the negro flaves ; they appear 

 to have unbounded enjoyment in each other's company, 

 and are not dellitute of fecial amufements, fuch as the 

 foe/a, which confifts in footing oppofite to each other, 

 and clapping with their hands upon their fides to keep in 

 time. So very eager are they at this animating play, in 

 which fometimes fix or eight couple are engaged at once, 

 that the violent exercife having been known to kill fome 

 of the negroes, it is forbidden by the magiftrates at Pa- 

 ramaribo. Awaree is an innocent amufement, confifting 

 in pitching with a large kind of marbles, in defeat of 

 which they ufe the awaree nuts or large pebbles. 



The men alfo cudgel and wreftle ; yet at this I think 

 them inferior to either thofe of Cornwall or Devon. 

 Moft negroes are fi:rong and adtive But fwimming is 

 their favourite diverfion, which they pradlife every day 

 at leaft twice or thrice, promifcuoufly, in groupes of boys 

 and girls, like the Indians, when both fexes exhibit afto- 

 nifhing feats of courage, ftrength, and adtivity. I have 

 not only feen a negro girl beat a hardy youth in fwim- 

 ming acrofs the River Comewina (while I was one of the 

 party) but on landing challenge him to run a two mile 



* Wiuiefs Ja' Jackfony the equeftrian rider, London, &c.- 



race^ 



