SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARV, &C. 139 



they are obliged to stop, and if near any house, the traveller 

 lands, and is sure of a hearty welcome. The principal con- 

 veniences used in this country for sleeping are large cotton 

 hammocks, made by the Indians, eight or ten feet long, and 

 ten or twelve wide. Mr. Bryan Edwards thinks this a Carib- 

 bee word, I rather suspect it derives from the Dutch hang-mat, 



^^ After the first ten years, the colony made little improve- 

 ment, remaining nearly stationary the succeeding thirty. No 

 cause can be assigned for this circumstance, unless it be 

 the insufficiency of the funds engaged in the undertaking. 

 Holland began to see her error in intrusting the coloniza- 

 tion of her American colonies to private companies, and to be 

 convinced that they would make a greater progress, under the 

 immediate protection of government, than of individual agents. 

 The event in this instance has justified their opinion. The 

 Company, on reviewing the state of their finances, and seeing 

 little probability of success attending their pursuits on the pre- 

 sent plan, determined upon closing with the States General, 

 and finally transferred to them all the possessions and claims, 

 granted them by charter, reserving merely for themselves 

 three or four sugar estates, which soon after reverted to the 

 colony. 



The feature of things in general, now wore a different as- 

 pect, a free trade to Holland, a better supply of negroes and 



T 2 



