SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 197 



thirty miles east of Stabroek ; it takes its course from that of 

 Demerary, and empties itself into the sea ; it is navigable for 

 colony craft twenty miles up, the banks on each side are under 

 cultivation in coifee, cotton, and sugar ; the entrance and bar 

 of this river is very dangerous, and cannot be crossed at low 

 ebb, A military post and captain's guard is stationed at the 

 mouth of the river. The ferry and its environs arc pleasantly 

 situated. There is in the neighbourhood, a great deal of 

 wood, well adapted for ship-building : and many ship-car- 

 penters are constandy on the spot and at work : but as the 

 sand-banks, at the mouth of the stream, debar exit or entrance 

 to large ships, no considerable constructions can here be com- 

 pleted, and launched with effect. The circumstance of many 

 married families having settled here, makes the society stand 

 high, and indeed unrivalled by any other part of the colonies. 

 Continual parties of pleasure, attended by military music, under- 

 take excursions up the river, sometimes hand-fireworks are ex- 

 hibited on the water, and every amusement calculated to please, 

 is offered by the hospitable inhabitants of Mahaica, to render 

 their visitors happy. I never enjoyed more than here, the lux- 

 ury of a tropical night, after a heat and glare almost intolerable. 

 A brisk sea-breeze still blew, bringing w ith the murmurs the 

 coolness of the spray. We ordered our cane chairs under the 

 orange trees, our segars and sangaree ; and sat basking in the 

 moonlight and the wind — turning toward the refreshing air — 

 admiring the beautiful serenity of the dark-blue sky — the 



