The Three Counties under the Dutch. 41 
campments in the most impenetrable parts of the 
forest : — 
" Having fixed upon the spot most convenient for their purpose, a 
circular piece of ground was cleared ot its wood, and in the centre of 
this they built huts and formed the encampment, planting round about 
their buildings, oranges, bananas, plantains, yams, eddoes* and other 
kinds of provisions, thus, in addition to the trees of the forest, procuring 
themselves further concealment by the plantations which gave them 
food. . . . Round the exterior of the circular spot was cut a deep 
and wide ditch, which, being filled with water and stuck at the sides 
and bottom with sharp pointed stakes, served as a formidable barrier of 
defence. The path across this ditch was placed two or three feet below 
the surface, and was wholly concealed from the eye by the water being 
always thick and muddy. Leaves were strewed, and steppings similar 
in their kind, were made to the edges of the ditch at various points, as a 
precaution to deceive any who might approach as to the real situation of 
the path. But the proper place of crossing was found out by the 
acuteness of the Indians, who soon discovered that to attempt to pass 
at any other part was to be empaled alive." 
From these forest strongholds the bush-negroes sallied 
out to rob the outlying parts of plantations ; and, cap- 
turing every white man on whom they could safely lay 
hands, they found their revenge for old wrongs in muti- 
lating, torturing and murdering him. The colonists 
practically found it impossible to follow into the forest 
and retaliate. In short the bush-negroes at this time 
formed an element of great danger to the colonies. 
A few months before PlNCKARD arrived in Demerara 
a party of Dutch soldiers had been sent into the forest to 
exterminate these troublesome runaways. But the negroes 
knew the forest so well that they surprised and defeated 
these troops, killing most and fastening their scalps and 
bodies to trees at the sides of the paths leading from the 
* i.e> Calocassia, of various species, of which the roots are eaten, 
F 
