
526 
lareeft of the Weft India iflands. ‘That, 
notwithftanding all thefe advantages, this 
fine colony has hitherto made fo little pro- 
grefs in culture and trade, is merely to be 
afcribed to its value not having been fuf- 
ficiently known, and nothing having been 
done on the partof the French government 
to promote its profperity. 
The town of Cayenne, although infigni- 
ficant in itfelf, yet deferves to be noticed, 
as it is the capital, nay the only town in 
the colony, and the feat of government, of 
the courts of juftice and the military. 
The town of Cayenne is feated .clofe to 
the fea, in four degrees fifty-fix minutes of 
north latitude, and fifty-four degrees and 
fome minutes weft longitude, on the right 
banks, and.near the mouth, of the river of, 
the fame name, which is there about one 
league in width. ‘The town is fmall; the 
houles are of wood, and badly conftruéted. 
It is furrounded witha {wampy moat, and 
miferable walls, which form a fort of irre- 
gular hexagon. The fort, which com- 
mands the town, is conftructed of earth, 
and tolerably ftrong towards the fea, e{pe- 
ciaily for this reafon, that, from the want 
of depth of water, fhips of a middle fize 
only can approach it within gun-fhot. | 
The government’s palace, and the an- 
cient manfion of the Jefuits, are the only 
buildings which deferve fome notice : they 
form two large fagades, fronting; the ' 
place of parade, which offers a profpect, 
frikingly pleafing to an European. It is 
bordered with two rows of orange-treesof 
ot the largeft fize, which exhale an exquifite 
fragrance, and are crowded with colibris 
fkipping from branch to branch. The po- 
pulation of the town of Cayenne. having 
increafed of Jate years, and its circuit nat 
admitting of a propertionate enlargement, 
a new town has been built on the neigh- 
bouring Savanna, feparated trom the tor- 
mer merely by a ditch. This new town, 
which is already more confiderable than 
the ancient city of Cayenne, and is daily 
increafing, is conftructed on a regular 
plan; the ftreets are wide, admit of the 
free acce(s and circulation of air, and con- 
tain fome elegant houles, the beautiful 
appearance whereot becomes more ftriking 
trom every thing about them bearing ob- 
vious marks of poverty and wretchednels. 
Cayenne, the metropolis ot the whole 
colony; 1s alfo the capital of the ifland of 
the fame name, formed northwards by the 
fea, and in. other direStions by the rivers 
Ouya,Cayenne, and Orayu, It is therefore 
no eafy matter foaccount for the opinion of 
many people, who image that the Ifland 
ef Cayenne os as much teparated from the 
Authentic Account of Cayenne, 
[July 1, 
Continent as any of the Antilles; it being 
disjoined from it only by a canal. 
This ifland, which is but five or fix 
leagues in length, and three leagues in 
breadth, is the more diftinguithed from its 
elevated and mountainous eround, as near- 
ly all the other parts of the coaft-of Gu- 
jana are low, and covered with {wamp- 
pines, a fpecies of large trees, which’ 
grow in the fea, and form forefts at a con- 
fiderable diftance from fhore. All the pro- 
ductions of the continent of Guiana are 
alfo produced in the ifland, with this diffe- 
rence only, that the latter is, as it were, 
exhaufted, and does not indemnify the 
-planter for his trouble and expence, while, 
on the contrary, more remote lands are 
fruitful in fo aftonifhing a degree, that 
hardly an idea thereof can be formed in 
other countries ; yet the produce of the foil 
isnot obtained without labour and expence. 
Falfe opinions having long been entertained 
on the nature of the ground beft qualified for 
cultivation, and feveral enterprizes, which 
could not fucceed, having failed of fuceefs, 
the moft unfavourable ideas have been 
formed on the climate and fertility of Gu- 
jana. No body chofe, therefore, to wafte 
his money and indultry in the cultivation 
of a foil reputed fo ungrateful, and the 
country remained accordingly in a ftate of 
infancy and unimportance. ; 
The number of inhabitants amounts, ex- 
clufively of the garrifon, at higheft, to 
about one thoufand or twelve hundred 
whites, who moft of them refide in the 
town of Cayenne. They confift of fome 
fecble remains of the unfortunate expedi- 
tion to Kourou, under the adminiftration 
of the late Duke of Choifeul, of poor 
emigrants from Canada, and fome other 
perions, moftly of the loweft clafs, chained 
down, as it were, to the glebe of the colo- 
ny, becaufe their means allow them not to 
emigrate to other parts. They cultivate 
no more land than what is requifite for 
their fubfiftence; unable as they are to 
expend any money for the purpofes of a 
more extenfve culture, they have hitherto 
in vain folicited the fupport of government 
for that important end. The rulers of 
Fiance, fetting not the leaft value on the 
poficilion of Guiana, and unconfcieus of 
the importance of that colony, have only 
made ita pot to fend thither none but 
men of very moderate abilities, who con-- 
demned themfelves to this exile, in hopes 
of getting clear of their creditors, and who 
were more anxious to mend their ru- 
ined circumitances, than to improve the 
country. 
‘Lois dmall number of whites, who have 
fcarcely 
