184- ' STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



made upon it sixty feet broad, with six-foot parapets on each 

 side for the convenience of travelHng. 



The exertions of the British on the Essequebo and Poma- 

 roon coasts, met with equal eventual success, but the con- 

 sequences were not so rapid ; they had to contend against 

 many local inconveniences which the Berbiceans had not. 



During 1803, when Berbice was in possession of the Bata- 

 vian Republic, and under the provisional government : the 

 Dutch troops garrisoned there, felt all the miseries which bad 

 food, bad barracks, bad pay, and bad medical attendance 

 could possibly impose : the ravages made on them by the 

 climate aided by the other circumstances, rendered their situa- 

 tion indeed deplorable, even worse than that of the troops in 

 Demerary. Remonstrances followed each other without avail, 

 they were disregarded and treated with neglect. A party was 

 even made among the officers ; some sided with the claims of 

 the men, others with the commanding officer. The neglect 

 of the government, and the unrelenting mandates of Col. Mat- 

 thias, their commandant, soon bred contempt ; and an utter dis- 

 respect to orders was followed by a mutiny, which obliged 

 the commandant and a few followers, to evacuate fort St. An- 

 drew, and take possession of the government house, which 

 was fortified ; from this post they were obliged to retreat pre- 



