BOOK instrument, on account of their excessive hardness. The XCII. ferole, or satin wood, the licaria, which, before it attains its Parasitical plants. full growth, is sometimes called rose wood, and afterwards falsely described as a different tree under the name of sassafras,* two kinds of icica, the berk back, the mahogany and cuppy trees may be easily worked. The forests of Guiana abound in varied and romantic scenery; the lofty panax monototoni and the Bignonia copaia grow to the height of eighty or a hundred feet; different species of rubiaceæ, the arracocerra and arnotta diffuse an aromatic fragrance throughout the woods. The parasitical plants render the forests impassable in many places; their tendrils are seen on the summits of the highest trees, and their flowers conceal or obscure the foliage. Many uscful and curious plants might be added to those already mentioned; the simira yields a rich crimson die; the largest canoes in the country are made of the wild cotton tree; the leaves of the parassalla are comparatively little injured from the action of the air, and a single tree Quadru affords sufficient materials for the roof of a cottage. The peds. quadrupeds of Guiana are the same as those of Brazil and Paraguay. M. Bajon states, that the jaguar is smaller in this country than in any other part of America; he adds, that it can bring an ox to the ground, but that it is afraid of man, and never ventures to attack him. Stedman on the other hand observes,, that these animals sometimes carry off negro women, and too frequently their children, while they are working in the fields. The couguar, or red tiger of Surinam is less than the jaguar, but resembles it in its habits, and is equally ferocious. The tiger-cat is a very beautiful animal of the same class; it is not much larger than the common cat, and of a yellow colour with annulated black spots; like the rest of its kind, it is lively, mischievous, and untameable. It is evident, from Stedman's account of the jaguaretta, that he sup *Aublet, t. II. article Licaria. + C. Aublat, t. I. p. 172. poses it to be different from the jaguar; but this opinion BOOK is contrary to the common one and to that of the most XCII. celebrated naturalists, who consider the jaguaretta to be the same animal as the jaguar. The ant bear is indige- Ant Bears. nous to the country: the two species, which are best known are the tamanda and the tamanoir; the former is almost eight feet in length; it attacks the jaguar, and seldom leaves its hold without destroying it. The can- Cancrocrophagus, or dog-crab, frequents the sea-shore and uses phagus. its feet very dexterously in drawing shell-fish out of their cavities. There are many species of monkies in Guiana; the quata is perhaps the most remarkable from its likeness to man; a fanciful traveller takes notice of a striking resemblance between these animals and Indian old women.* The guata has short ears, four fingers on its hands, and five toes on its feet, the extremity of its tail is of a spiral form, and enables it to suspend itself on the branches of trees. Some naturalists maintain that the ourang-outang has been observed in Guiana, but this is by no means certain, and many well-informed travellers are of a different opinion. Three species of deer are said to be indigenous to the country, and one of these, (the cariacon) resembles the roe-buck in size and form. The agouti and paca are considered the best game in Guiana. The cabiai is an amphibious animal armed with strong tusks, and covered with bristles; it has been classed as a species of cavey on account of its not having a tail. The peccary or Mexican hog has an orifice on its back containing a fetid liquor not unlike musk, for which reason it has been called the porcus moschiferus; they go together in herds and sometimes lay waste orchards and cultivated fields. The squirrels mentioned by Bancroft appear to be the same as those of Europe. The Viverra vittata, or crabbodaga of Surinam, is the most destructive animal of the weasel kind; although not pressed by hunger, it delights * Stedman. Bats. BOOK in killing its prey. The coati mondi is a great destroyer XCII. of poultry, and is said to be as cunning as the fox. Different species of tatous and didelphes or opposums, have been described among the animals of Guiana; but Stedman denies the existence of the didelphus Eneas, which, when exposed to danger, was supposed to carry its young on its back. The vampire bat is the most destructive in this country; the Vespertilio Lepturus, that has been described by Schreber, has only been observed in the neighbourhood of Reptiles. Surinam. The boa, or, as it is called in the country, the aboma, is a large amphibious snake about forty feet in length, and four or five in circumference; it is indifferent as to its prey, and destroys, when hungry, any animal that comes within its reach; the negroes consider it excellent food, and its fat is converted into oil. The rattle-snake and dipsas are the most noxious reptiles in Guiana, the sting of the latter is not always fatal, but it produces fever accompanied with excessive thirst, from which circumstance it has derived its name;† Guiana is besides infested with serpents, lizards, and caymans. Many of the birds indigenous to the new continent are found in this country, three species have been noticed on account of their likeness to the pheasant; one of these, the parragua, is distinguished by the loudness of its cry. Birds. Fish. British Of the fresh water fish, the pacoun and aymara are said to be the best the warapper has been found on the trees; it feeds on them during the inundations, and remains entangled among the branches when the waters have subsided.§ The Dutch settlements of Essequibo, Demerary and Berbice form what has been called British Guiana; which is inhabited by 9,000 whites and 80,000 negroes. The Essequibo. city and harbour of Essequibo, although situated on the confluence of two large rivers, has not hitherto been considered of much importance. The most of the settlers reside near their plantations on the banks of the river: Stedman, t. 2d. p. 190. † Stedman, Bajon. Leblond, description abregee. since the thick woods have been cut down, the refreshing BOOK sea breeze is not obstructed in its course, and the climate XCII. is milder and more salubrious than that of Surinam. It was formerly believed that there were mines near the banks of the Essequibo,-one indeed is marked on some of our maps; but the attempts made by the Dutch to discover them were not attended with success. The inconsiderable establishments of Middleburgh and Zelandia on the Poumaron are subject to Essequibo. Demerary is the most flourishing of the British settlements in Guiana; the population of Stabroek, the capital, amounts to 10,000 souls; many of the inhabitants are very wealthy, and the people still retain several Dutch customs. Foreign commodities are very dear; a guinea is frequently given for a pound of tea.* Travellers have not observed in Essequibo or in Demerary any of those banks of shells and marine deposits which are so common throughout the coast of Guiana. The soil is in many places very damp, and consists chiefly of a dark blue or grey mould. New Amsterdam is the Berbice. chief town in the colony of Berbice; it is situated on a river which has given its name to the settlement. There are no cataracts on the Berbice, and in this respect it differs from the other rivers of Guiana. The marshy grounds extend in some places to three or four leagues in the interior, and the land is supposed to be better adapted for cocoa and coffee, than for sugar plantations. Fort Nassau was built by the Dutch, to defend themselves against the attacks of a hostile fleet. The fine colony of Surinam is still Dutch in the hands of the Dutch, and is perhaps the best monument of the industry of that laborious people; none of the Antilles are so extensively or so well cultivated. Parmaribo, the principal and only town is built on the right side of the beautiful river Surinam; the streets are lined with orange, shaddock, tamarind and lemon trees, which appear in bloom while their branches at the same time are weighed down with fruit. The walks are covered with fine gravel and sea *Bolingbroke's Voyage to Demerary. 71 VOL. V. Guiana. XCII. ance. BOOK shells; the houses are sumptuously furnished; the rooms are seldom papered or plastered, but wainscotted with cedar, Brazilian, or mahogany wood. If we include the military establishments, the number of Europeans or whites in Surinam may amount to 10,000; the greater part of them reside in the capital, there are besides not less than 80,000 negroes, and the value of the exports is calculated at more Appear- than £1,000,000. Those that have visited Holland and lower Holstein, may form an imperfect notion of the Dutch and British settlements in Guiana;-a vast plain covered with plantations, or enamelled with a rich verdure, bounded on one side by a dark ridge of impenetrable forests, and watered on the other by the azure billows of the ocean. This garden between the sea and the desert is intersected by a great many streams confined by dikes, and separated from each other by excellent roads or navigable canals. Each habitation seems to be a village from the number of small buildings attached to it, and the natural beauties of the country form a striking contrast with its rich cultivaRevolted tion,* The revolted negroes have established several petty Negroes, republics in the interior: although the inhabitants of these states go naked, they live in abundance. They make their butter from the fat of the palm tree worm, and extract good oil from the pistachio nut. They are not only skilled in the chase, but are expert fishermen, and acquainted with the art of curing their provisions. Like the Hindoos, they obtain salt from the ashes of the palm tree; and if a sufficient quantity of that article cannot be procured, they season their food with red pepper. The palm tree furnishes them with plenty of wine; their fields are covered with rice, manioc, ignames and plantains. The manicole supplies them with all the materials of which their huts are constructed; their cups or gourds are made from the calabash tree, and a sort of net-work woven by an insect serves them for hats. The nebees or banes, so common in the forests, are converted into cordage. *Pinkard's Notes on the West Indies. |