SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 315 



Cayenne, and all the hopes of that company who had been at 

 so much expence and trouble to colonize it. 



An expedition was soon after fitted out from Surinam, under 

 the command of Spranger to take possession of the settle- 

 ments thus evacuated by the French ; scarsely any adherent 

 population was detected ; few materials that were worth remov- 

 ing, or structures worth occupying afresh. It was, in fact, a 

 visit of inspection, which terminated in systematic abandon' 

 ment, but which serves to prove that Cayenne is a natural ap- 

 purtenance of Paramaribo. 



In 1663, another West India company was established in 

 France, under the directorship of La Barre. Their capital did 

 not exceed ten thousand pounds sterling ; but the great assist- 

 ance they derived from the French government enabled them 

 to regain the possession of the lands, and imbankments, which 

 the former company had evacuated. Cayenne came again 

 into the hands of the mother country ; but not for a long con 

 tinuance. The English took it in 1667, and it was afterwards 

 taken by the Dutch in 1676. The colony being restored to 

 the French at a peace, great hopes were now entertained of 

 its enjoying tranquillity, and realizing those hopes of gain, 

 which had so long dazzled the eyes of the adventurers; but 

 in this respect they were again mistaken. 



s s 2 



