You will not be surprised to hear that, although we are removed from the busy metropolis of England, and all the gay scenes and adventures indicated in the jeux d’esprit, bon mots, doubles entendres, and the many idly amusing histories which daily swell the columns of the newspapers, we are not without our little cabals and intrigues, and anecdotes, and particular heads of news, which, in the absence of more weighty occurrences, often acquire a degree of importance they do not merit, and become the subjects of general conversation and remark. At present the prevailing topic is not devoid of interest. It relates to a mulatto woman called Princess Changuion, regarding whom a degree of concern has been excited, in consequence of a proclamation which has lately appeared in the Essequibo Gazette, and which has called forth a sense of compassion, and of party feeling in her behalf.
She is a free mulatto, and was lately the favored dulcinea of a person high in office: circumstances having rendered her name the general theme of the day, her crimes, her merits, and her sufferings are warmly canvassed in every society, and even those who never saw, nor heard of her before, would appear, from their confident remarks, to be intimately acquainted with every particular of her history and conduct. It has been thought that in consequence of having committed an offence, which certainly would not appear to be of the first magnitude, the arm of power has been too severely extended towards her; and from the sentence seeming to imply prejudice, it is even hinted that private, or party pique, has had its influence in deciding the quota of punishment: indeed, if loud whisper may be credited, her persecutors have been exasperated against her, in proportion as others have betrayed towards her situation feelings of compassion.
As the tale is told, some dispute had arisen between a Dutch dame, and this yellow princess, in which the white lady alleged an unjust accusation against the mulatto, and otherwise so ill treated her as to provoke her to hold up her hand in a menacing manner; for which most heinous offence, the poor Changuion has been subjected to an arbitrary confinement, and sentenced to be further punished with a severe flogging—burning in the forehead—the loss of an ear—and banishment! This you will readily perceive, was dealing out, to a person in freedom, the cruel treatment practised upon slaves, and for no better reason, than because nature had given a yellow tint to her skin. The undue severity used towards her has had the effect of animating the benevolent exertions of those who regard her as a victim of prejudice, and it being known that in some countries not only law and justice, but even despotic authority might be softened by gold, due inquiries were made, and it was understood that a thousand guilders, properly employed, might mitigate, if not efface the decree. But, from the influence of a power opposed to the party, who thus interested themselves in the cause of humanity, the chastisement was ordered to be inflicted, at the very moment when the thousand guilders were expected to be taken as the price of her release. Still it happened that the iron arm of despotism was disappointed of its blow; for, in the course of the night, preceding the morning when this unhappy female was to have been led out to punishment, she contrived to effect her escape from confinement; and it is whispered, in a certain circle, that she will probably find a place of concealment, until she can meet with an opportunity of executing the latter part of her sentence by self-banishment.
You will be pleased to know that the climate upon this coast has lately become quite salubrious, and that our sick list has rapidly decreased, in consequence of great numbers of patients being discharged, and but few admitted. I may also remark that we have found the month of March the most pleasant, as well as the most healthy season of the year: not only has the weather been drier, the breeze stronger, and the air cooler, but we have been less subject to prickly heat, and less annoyed with musquitoes. Happily the wings of these tormenting insects have not been able to support their light bodies against the increased strength of the breeze. The roads have likewise been dry, and peculiarly pleasant for travelling, which in these colonies is no trifling consideration; for, in consequence of their being low, and flat, and muddy, only a moderate fall of rain leaves the highways deep in wet, and almost impassable.
Although the month of March has been the driest of all the twelve, some parts of October, November, and February were likewise very fine, and the muddy roads were then, also, dry and smooth.
After long waiting, I may at last announce to you that a ship is come in, direct from England; by which we are furnished with an ample supply of hospital dresses, bedding, and other stores, for the accommodation of the sick. The arrival of these things is rather late, it must be confessed; but it will afford me the satisfaction of leaving the department well provided, and free from the many inconveniences, to which it has been, necessarily, exposed while under my direction.
A copy has also reached my hand of the new regulations, for improving the situation of regimental surgeons, by doing away their medicine-money, and other perquisites, and consolidating their pay into a regular and specific sum: likewise for establishing their rank, and putting them upon a footing with military officers, in respect to quarters and field-allowances. This is an important and well-advised arrangement, and does honor to its projector. Indeed it is matter of surprise that the system of granting medicine-money, and other perquisites, should have been so long continued, since it not only offered an inadequate reward, but held out encouragement to a neglect of duty, by lessening the emoluments of the surgeon, in proportion as he supplied the requisite means to the sick.
But I am sorry to remark, that the new regulation, excellent as it is, from being limited to regimental surgeons, stops short of its effect. To have rendered it complete in its operation, it should have extended further, and have defined the rank of the different officers of the hospital staff: thus it might have become a general, and standard rule for the whole medical body; and have prevented many cavillings, and unpleasant occurrences on service; while it would have given the department the respectability that is due to it, and have fixed its importance among military men. As it now stands, it is manifestly defective, from giving to a regimental surgeon a degree of rank, of which it leaves him again divested, upon his receiving promotion to the staff. The regulation might also have gone still further, with additional benefit, and have fixed the title as well as the rank of the various medical appointments, for, at present, without a due regard to the military system, the department is branching out into multiplied divisions, devoid of the appropriate distinctions of rank and duty.
It would perhaps be a task, which might puzzle the whole war-office, with the army medical board included, to discriminate between the endless ramifications and subdivisions which are made to display themselves in the army medical code; more especially with respect to the higher appointments, under all the various degrees of physicians and surgeons, and deputies and assistants, and heads and principals—such as, “physician-general, surgeon-general, inspector-general of regimental hospitals, inspector-general of hospitals, deputy inspector-general of hospitals, assistant inspector-general of hospitals, director of hospitals, inspector of hospitals, assistant inspector of hospitals, field inspector of hospitals, head of hospitals, principal medical officer of hospitals[3], &c. &c. &c.”
By a late arrival from head-quarters, we learn that the commander in chief has sailed, with the expedition recently fitted out at Martinique, and is supposed to be bound to Porto Rico. We hope soon to ascertain its destination, by receiving happy tidings of its issue.