Chap. III. of the DUTCH 
vifions from them •, and endeavoured to terrify the Dutch^ 
by reporting that the Spaniards were affembling their 
Forces, by Sea and Land, to drive them from Baldivia ; 
and it is probable that the Dutch General expedled no 
Affiftance from their new Alliance, but were rather ap- 
prehenfive they would betray them to the Spaniards ; for 
he foon after demolifhed his new eredted Fortification ; 
and, having reimbarked his People, fet fail {ov Brazil on 
the 28th of Odlober^ 1643 ; and, having doubled Cape 
Horn, repaired the Streights of La Maire on the 2 ill; of 
November-, and on the 28th of December arrived at Fer- 
namhuco in Brazil ; fo that they were but juft two Months 
in their Voyage from Baldivia to the northern Part of 
Brazil. 
This fhews how eafily the Communication might have 
been maintained between the two Colonies, if the Dutch 
had been fo fortunate as to have eftablilhed themfelves in 
Chili", but at the Time the Fleet arrived at Brazil, Prince 
Maurice had refigned the Government ; fo that they were 
no longer at a Lofs for the Reafon of their not being fup- 
ported in Time, as with great Juftice. they expedled, and 
as., the Importance of the Enterprize deferved. We have 
been more particular and circumftantial in the Hiftory of 
this Expedition, becaufe it appears to have been of the 
higheft Confequence in itfelf, and in all relpedfs the beft 
concerted and contrived, of any in which the Dutch were 
ever concerned ; and in Cafe it had fucceeded, would ab- 
folutely have been a Means of giving, not only a new 
Face to their Affairs, but to the general Situation of 
things in America nor is it eafy to fay with what Con- 
fequences it might have been attended. But it is Time 
to proceed from this Detail of the Ruin of their pro- 
jefted Empire, to an Account of the fmall Remains of 
their Territories in America which, though they would 
be of very little Ufe to any other Nation, are, notwith- 
ftanding, highly beneficial to them. 
4. We will begin with their Settlements upon the Con- 
tinent ; the firft, and moft confidefable, of which, is Su- 
rinam, that formerly belonged to us, and was the foie 
Remains of Sir JValter Raleigh’s Difeoveries in Virgmia, 
of which we have given an Account already, and of the 
Manner in which it was exchanged for New York, which 
we had taken from the Dutch this Settlement of Suri- 
nam, while in our Hands, was a Place of very little 
Confequence or Advantage *, but, however, we met with 
very little Difficulty in keeping it, as living upon very 
good Terms with the Natives ; whereas the Dutch have 
been always upon fo bad a footing with them, that they 
have been obliged to ered: a ftrong Fort, and to keep 
in it a good Garrifon, in order to cover their Settle- 
ments ; without the Limits of which, if the Indians meet 
with any Dutchman, they are fare to give him no Quarter. 
The Commodities they raife, are Sugar, Indigo, Ginger, 
and Cotton *, for the Improvement of which they have 
conftant Supplies of Negroes from their Colonies in 
Africa v/here a Part of their Goods likewife are taken 
off, and when it amounts to more than the Value of their 
Negroes, the Ballance is commonly paid in Gold Dull. 
This, however, returns into Europe, in Payment for the 
Goods fent over to the Colony, by the Merchants of Am- 
fterdam, who have ingroffed almoft all this Trade to 
themfelves. 
They have, befides this Settlement, three others upon 
the Continent, viz. Boron, Berbice, and Approwack, which 
are at no great Diftance from each other ; and in which 
they raife, for the moft Part, the fame Commodities as 
in Surinam, except that at Berbice, befides an extraordi- 
nary Quantity of Cotton j they have likewife the Advan- 
tage of preparing of a very rich Dye, called Orlane, 
from an Herb ot the fame Name, much in the like 
Manner as they prepare Indigo. They have likewife the 
good Fortune to have for their Neighbours in that Colo- 
ny, a Race of mild and good-natured Indians, with 
whom they trade lor Provifions, Hides, and other kind 
of Merchandize. 
But as thefe Colonies lie on the Frontiers of the Coun- 
try of Guiana, the Reader will, very probably, be well 
pleafed to fee fome Account of this Region, from thofe 
who adlually inhabit it 1 and the Relations they give 
I 
in AMERICA. 367 
us of it, amount to this : That this Country Is, in many. 
Parts, very wild and thinly peopled, efpecially the lowefi 
Lands, which are often over-fiowed by the Rivers ; but 
the upper hilly Countries are very populous, the Soil be- 
ing watered by fo many Rivers, very commodious for 
Travellers. The Air in that Up-Iand Country is much 
colder than towards the Coaft ; and the Hills are very 
rich in Mines of feveral Sorts. Fruit is Very plentiful 
and good •, and all Sorts of Grain grow there all the Year 
round, except Wheat, coming up in a fhort Time, and 
with little or no Diftindtion of Seafons •, for tliere being 
no Winter, the Trees are always green and full of 
Leaves, Bloffoms, and Fruit. Though this Country is 
between the Line and the Tropic of Cancer, that is, with- 
in the Torrid Zone, the Climate is pretty temperate, and 
the Air whokfome ; the Heats being generally allayed 
by a frefh eafterly Wind, which reigns the greateft Part 
of the Year, during the Day ; and at Night the Land- 
Breezes prevail, but do not reach to two or three Leagues 
out at Sea. The Waters are, likewife, excellent, and of 
fuch a particular Nature, that they will keep fweet and 
freffi during the longeft Voyages, as has been often found 
by Experience. On the Sea-Coafts, which, as has' been faid, 
are generally low, there are many large Elands, fit, if 
improved, to feed Cattle. 
The Sea, about the Coafts, abounds in Fifli, the moft 
common is that ’which the French call Machoran, and 
the Englifh Cat-fifh, being of a yellow Colour, and very 
large, fweet Mullets, and Thorn-backs, Lamentynes, 
and Sea-Tortoifes. Fowl is alfo very plentiful, either 
tame or wild, and other Game, with all which they fup* 
ply the European Settlements at the Sea Coafts, exchang- 
ing for Toys and Iron. This Country produces divers 
Sorts of Phyfical Gums, Woods, and Roots, as well as 
feveral Sorts of Woods for dying, and for miaking of 
Cabinets, and inlaid Works ; among which is the Let- 
ter-wood, by the French called Bois de la Chine, and 
which grows no where in the World but here. Yet the 
Natives cut and carry it quite to ^ the Water-fide, fo 
cheap, that a Tun Weight of it does not coft above ten 
Shillings ; and in Europe, a Tun of that Wood has for- 
merly yielded fifty Pounds Sterling, or more, and never 
under twenty-five or thirty Pounds to this Day. There 
is Ebony of a different Sort from the Letter- wood, and 
one Sort called Bois de Violet, and feveral others very 
common. There are alfo prodigious large Trees, where- 
of the Indians make Canoes, which carry twelve or 
thirteen Tuns in Calks *, befides a prodigious Store of 
very lofty large Trees, the Wood of which is exceffively 
hard and weighty, but has the Advantage of refifting 
V/orms in Salt-water. 
Here are alfo incredible Numbers of Monkeys of 
divers Sorts, among which is the Sort, called by the In- 
dians, and after them by the French, Sapajeus ; a kind 
of little yellowifli Ape, with large Eyes, a white Face, , 
and black Chin ; It is of a low Stature, and of a lively 
and diverting Nature ; but fo tender in cold Weather, 
that it is, with great Difficulty, they can carry fome over 
to Europe alive : where they are there much efteemed, and 
yield a confiderable Price among Perfons of Qiiality. 
There are Tamerinds, Sagovias, Parrots, . Cameleons, 
Agontils, Arras, Ocos, Tocaus, or Toucans, Flamans, 
and wild large Ducks, with red Feathers at their Head, 
but not in great plenty, which eat very wtU, being ftewed, 
and feveral other Birds, which have nothing remarkable 
in them befides their Feathers. It likewife abounds in 
fmall Tygers, Deer, Pigs, little Porcupines, large and 
monftrous Serpents, and divers other Sorts of Animals. 
As to Fruits, befides Sugar Canes (which grow very 
well in Guiana) the Cafia, Papaye, Accajou- Apples, 
Vanillas, Tobacco, Pete, and Rocou, it produces alfo 
Indian Wheat, Mandioca, Cottqn, Indigo, and the other 
Fruits common in Brazil, and feveral others among the 
Plants, which the Indians cultivate in their Plantations. 
Cotton is one that abounds moft, and is ufed by the 
W omen, who adorn themfelves with it, and can fpin it 
as fine as they pleafe. There is fuch Plenty of it every 
where, that if it were poffible to have Wom.en enough 
there to fpin it, to fave the great Trouble and Expence 
of 
