EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



While I remained in this fitiiation, the tranfport fliips 

 were put in comminion on the 26th for our depar- 

 ture, and I myfelf ordered as one of the commiflaries 

 to fee them wooded and watered; the officers were aHb- 

 cleared their arrears, and thirteen men difcharged at 

 their own defire, to pufli their fortune at Paramaribo. 

 I oiight here not to omit, that the induftrious Colonel 

 Fourgeoud once more paid us all in paper, by which, as 

 ■ofnal, we loft ten per cent. ; which,, by letting the Jews 

 have the gold and lilver,. he prudently lodged in his own 

 pocket ; and while the many hundreds of florins allowed 

 us by government to defray excife duties, taxes, &c. were 

 never brought to account, or,, rather, we were forbidden 

 to enquire after them at all. Thefe were trifles indeed, 

 when divided among fo many gentlemen ; but, in one 

 folid mafs, they were no contemptible picking. 



On the ift of March a ferjeant arrived from the 

 eamp at the Cafleepore Creek, in Rio Cottica, where 

 the laft- arrived troops were hourly dying away; 

 and brought the almoft incredible account, that the 

 man I mentioned to have been loji in the woods, on 

 the loth of February, was actually returned, after 

 having been miffing fix - and- twenty days,, nine of 

 which he fubfifted on a few pounds of rulk bifcuit,, 

 and feventeen on nothing at all but water. He added,, 

 that he had entirely loft his voice, and was reduced to 

 a perfect fkeleton : however, by the care taken of him 

 by tUe officers, there were ftill hopes of his life. Shouldi 



