310 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



kept the field for several weeks with little or no intermission^ 

 until the health of the Europeans employed in the under- 

 taking, obliged them to retreat, without even being able to dis- 

 cover the main hiding place of the adversary. ' They repelled 

 the gipsey foe into inaccessible districts. The promptitude 

 and active manner in which the planters undertook this busi- 

 ness, deserves the warmest praise, as they evidently prevented 

 the insurrection from being extended, and brought to an open 

 rebellion, in which case, all the disaffected in the colony 

 would have joined, and from the weak state of the military 

 force, would soon have had the colony in their own power. 

 The governor and court of police were aware of the ser- 

 vices rendered, and in their vote of thanks, which was sent 

 both in the Dutch and English languages, informed the prin- 

 cipal officers of the expedition, that they would immediately 

 take into consideration the best means to be adopted for 

 granting them each a lot of land on the Pomaroon coast, in 

 consideration of their services. Those in subordinate offices 

 were remunerated for their loss of time, and handsome pre- 

 sents were made to all. The Indians and negroes were not 

 forgotten : many of them had silver medals given them for 

 encouragement, with each particular service engraved thereon. 

 The Indian chieftains were presented with large handsome 

 sticks, with silver heads, as mementos of their services, and 

 of their attachment to the Europeans. These encouragements 

 were calculated to do considerable service, and to excite emu- 



