SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 281 



As they were mostly composed of British subjects, the go- 

 vernor, and honourable court of poHce, probably thought there 

 was no harm in exposing them to the unhealthy night airs and 

 dew, and that they had found an excellent substitute for 

 their own troops. Under this idea, the inhabitants were obliged 

 to do garrison duty at Stabroek, patrole the streets during the 

 night, and were placed as centinels at all the public offices : 

 besides this, they were paraded every day, for the first month 

 or two, to be made perfect in the Dutch method of exercise 

 and word of command. 



After the first week of this nocturnal "burgher waght," 

 several of the merchants were deprived of the assistance of 

 their clerks, who, from not being accustomed to this irregular 

 life, and some of them but just arrived from Europe, were 

 confined to their beds by fever, occasioned by exposure to the 

 night air, and perhaps by rather too free an access to the bot- 

 tle, which the fatigue of duty required or occasioned. Many 

 persons were brought to their sick beds, and those who re- 

 covered, while in a state of convalescence, were obliged to 

 provide certificates from their doctors or surgeons, of their in- 

 capability to do duty. The fine for non-attendance on the 

 guards, or parades, was a joe (thirty-six shillings). Such an 

 event happening a second time, the offender was imprisoned 

 for a period left to the discretion of the officers ; if it occurred 

 more than twice successively, he was to be banished Irom the 



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