A New Lei'eh Hospital. 
825 
offer of u ti\e-dollai- ^e^^■al•d for every escaped Negro returned Avould 
have done. After sending for all the chiefs and oldest men of the 
different tribes in the neiglibourhood to come and meet him on a certain 
day, he explained the object of the institution and what was to be 
expected if a number of criminals escaped their deserved punishment by 
running away. But as these escapees could not get away anywhere bnt 
into the forest, they would have to hang about the neighbourhood of tlicir 
settlements, and would prove equally as great a menace to their ]irovision 
li(dds as they would to their wouumi wlien workiug theui. Though t!ie 
assembly had hitherto Hsteucd to I he lus))ector's speech in sileuce and 
A\ ith (lie greatest imlilfereiice, this last intiuuitiou of tlic danger 
threatening their women proved tlie electric shock that exercised the 
most powerful and visible effect npon the crowd. ( Ji-owling w ith i-age, 
the hitherto tacitnrn chiefs promised not to permit any couAicts near 
theui, but to do everytliiug in tluni- power to avert tlie danger thr»-ateuing 
their legitimate freedom by arresting tlumi. As soon as a convict was 
missed his escape would be notified to the Indians by cannon tired live 
times and the hoisting of a flag: three days rarely passed before the 
escapee was ]»ound up and brought back. Up to now, in spite of the 
nuudier of attempts previously made, not one has succeeded in esca]iing 
tliese watchful, Jealous guai'dians of ti>e law. Only one single convict 
had managed to hide a\\ ay for nine days, when he was found by them 
in a provision field. The inmates are now so firmly convinced of the 
impossibility of making a successful escape, and of the certainty of the 
nni>leasant welcome awaiting them in the shape of having to work in 
heavy chains, that they only very rarely attem])t it. 
7S7. On Nai-curipa Island, close to Bartika Ovove, people y^^pre 
busily occupied in erecting a new Leper Hospital because the one in the 
Pomeroon had juoved to be most unhealthy. A schooner tliat weekly 
brings ])i-ovisions for the convicts from Oeorgetown and returns with 
broken stone, was loaded with our l)aggage, to avoid the danger to which 
small heavily-laden craft are always exposed at the moutli of the 
Essequilio and Demerara. Mr. Fryer and T also exchanged the corial for 
the schooner, wliile the Indians, with the exception of some of the 
yorincs'tcrs whoui T took with me. followed in the boats. The young lady 
remained with ^frs. Bernau at Bartika Orove. With blessings on the 
welfare of our further r»rogress we left the friendly Mission and its noble 
residents and with a light heart travelled to town. 
78S. The nearer we got to Georgetown the more anxious was I to 
see what impression the harbour with its sea-going vessels, the planta- 
tions with their smoking chimneys, and the city with its large buildings, 
with all its hurry and bustle, would have upon the minds of the youngsters 
who only knew their forests and mountains. I had deceived myself: 
Zeno could not have shewn greater indifference. They hardly cast a 
glance on tlieir strange surroundings: not a trace of surprise or astonish- 
ment was visible in their countenance or in their eyes that skimmed 
quietly from one object to another. Even the big steamer that cairies 
on communication between one side of the Demerai-a and tlie other 
caused no outward sign of wonderment while they calmly listened to au 
