SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, kc 11 



to relinquish it for the present : as, however, we had neigh- 

 bour's fare, we could not complain — the Henry was in the same 

 situation. Captain Hay ton hailed and told us that we should not 

 be able to purchase our anchor while the ebb tide was running, 

 as it had taken such hold of the mud, but advised our hauling 

 the cable short at low water; and that when the flood tide made, 

 the anchor would weigh itself. We had no other resource, 

 and it was not until ten o'clock that we were under weigh, 

 with a light breeze from the north east, which, however, soon 

 brought us off the mouth of Berbice river. Here the scene 

 began to vary : the stream appeared to be about two miles 

 broad, and nearly in the middle of the channel is an island, 

 which from a chart we had on board, I learnt was called 

 Crab Island. It abounds with land-crabs. With a glass we 

 discovered ships lying at anchor; and the small criifc sailing 

 about in shore and coastways were clearly perceptible to the 

 naked eye from the deck. The coast to the eastward of the 

 river was as wild as th.at we had seen the day before off the 

 Courantine — that to the westward appeared to be cultivaled, 

 and we had again the pleasure of beholding habitations on 

 firm ground, interrupted at Intervals with clumps of trees, 

 which had been allowed to remain at the sea-side on some of 

 the estates, and made a pleasing variety. 



The plantations regularly ranged on the coast, which being 

 a flat strand, shewed them to advantage as on a map^ the foliage 



