26 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



brella to his sable messengers; or is led about in a phaeton 

 drawn by ponies to superintend the shipping of his goods. 

 A noon-day suhriness and silence prevail : every motion is 

 performed with such tranquillity for fear of kicking up a dust, 

 that one would suppose the very labourers at work in a church 

 during service. 



Being now overtaken by Captain Barrow, who came blow- 

 ing and puffing from the fatiguingly warm reception he met 

 with on his landing, we were conducted to the merchant with 

 \\'hom I was destined to reside. The first refreshment offered 

 me was Madeira wine and water. The water was clear and 

 cool, and a great luxury. I had not tasted such all the 

 voyage ; I had not cared for such all my life before. It was 

 riain-water, I found, preserved in a wooden cistern, and puri- 

 fied by dropping through a filtering stone. The river-water is 

 brackish, and there are no good springs near Stabroek. 



I next retired to cleanse myself from the make-shift habits of 

 the voyage. A shower-bath was offered me, which I ac- 

 cepted. I got into an upright square tub or cistern ; and a 

 negress watered me like a transplanted cucumber. The ac- 

 commodations for bathing are unworthy of the climate. In 

 all fevers and especially in that which Europeans call the sea- 

 soning, bathing is the most essential remedy. For luxury, for 

 neatness, it is a most valuable pastime. By the time I had 



