Man's Footsteps. 25 
which plants were distributed throughout the Dutch 
colonies including Surinam. From one of the plants 
which had been given to LOUIS XIV. in 17 14 a number 
of seedlings were despatched to Martinique in charge of 
one M. DE CLIEUX a few years after. From unfavourable 
weather the voyage was prolonged, until the water run- 
ning short, the whole ship's company were at length 
reduced to a very small allowance. As a matter of 
course none could be spared for the coffee plants, and 
consequently they withered and died, until only one was 
left. M. Clieux being determined to save this plant 
divided his scanty share of water with it, until he happily 
arrived at his destination with his charge still living. 
Coffee planting was commenced in Surinam in the year 
1 71 8, but the Dutch would not allow either seeds or 
plants to be taken from the colony. A Frenchman, 
however, having run away from Cayenne to Surinam, 
and being desirous of returning, purchased the good 
graces of the French Governor by smuggling a few 
coffee berries into French Guiana. 
Having shown that weeds and cultivated plants are 
signs of the presence of the white man, or the relics of 
his former occupation, it remains to be mentioned that 
the native Indian also leaves his traces in the forest. In 
wandering through the bush, the explorer or botanist is 
continually coming upon spots where the vegetation 
differs entirely from that of the surrounding country in 
such a manner that his attention is at once arrested. 
These places are usually situated on sand reefs over- 
looking the rivers or creeks, and the most obvious point 
about them is the absence of large forest trees. There 
may be a few fruit trees such as the Saouri (Pekea 
D 
