SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 165 



settlement. Baron Mouars commanded the troops who were 

 landed, and who agreed for a contribution of 300,000 florins ; 

 which was eventually discharged by the house of Van Hoorn 

 and Co. to whom the family Van Peere ceded three-fourths 

 of the concern, under this condition. 



The Van Hoorn company having become masters of 'the 

 colony, applied to the Dutch East India Company for leave to 

 import slaves from Asia : this was not conceded ; but an 

 agreement took place to furnish annually, from the 10th of 

 September, 1714, the number of 240 negroes, from the coast 

 of Angola or Ardra, one third of them to be females. For 

 these slaves the Van Hoorn Company were to allow 165 flo- 

 rins a-head. If a larger number of negroes became requisite, 

 these were to be paid for at the rate of 250 florins a-head. The 

 proprietors of the colony were to have the liberty of selling off 

 their lands and slaves at pleasure ; and were to levy 300 florins 

 on every vessel that should go to Berbice. 



These proprietors were apparently in a great degree success- 

 ful ; they extended the cultivation of sugar, of cocoa, and of 

 indigo ; they searched for mines, and invited settlers. They 

 then proposed to raise a capital of 3,200,000 florins in 1600 

 shares, payable in eight instalments, of which the last was to 

 fall due on the 1st of April 1724. For this sum the lands of the 

 Van Hoorn Company were to be thrown into a sort of common 



