SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, k.C. 34-5 



pacifying the negroes by occasional presents. At length a 

 chieftain, named Araby, acquired so extensive an authority 

 that he could influence the conduct of all the wild negroes. 

 He was taken into pay by the whites, and in 1161 signed the 

 treaty of Ouca, which was generally respected. 



The plantations now began to recover some value, and rhany 

 forsaken estates were again inhabited. The West India com- 

 pany renewed their charter, at the expense of advancing to the 

 Dutch government about five millions sterling. In 1763, 

 Paramaribo sulfered from tire : the activity of the sailors alone 

 prevented a general conflagration : fire is truly tremendous 

 where the upper part of the houses is of wood. The distress 

 occasioned by this accident obliged government to issue a sort 

 of paper money, consisting of stamped cards : this first issue 

 was for forty thousand pounds sterling ; but there is now much 

 paper money in the colonies, which is received in payment of 

 the taxes, and is widely convenient. 



A more remarkable and far more erstensive conflagration 

 than that of Paramaribo took place in 1769, when the whole 

 coast was on fire progressively from the Surinam to the Deme- 

 rary. The flames were supposed to have been unintentionally 

 kindled by the rebel negroes ; but they spread with marvellous 

 continuity, licking up vast forests, and laying waste wide 

 plantations. 



