The commandant having required me to wait the reply of the commander in chief, to a letter upon the subject of our recall from this station, I have availed myself of the interval, to make out a complete set of the returns and accounts of the whole hospital department, from the date of our arrival upon this coast; and having toiled at official papers for several weeks, with all the application of an office clerk, I feel that I cannot better devote my remaining leisure, than in transcribing for your eye a few notes which I have collected, from time to time, upon the general subject of these colonies.

To an intelligent and inquiring mind, like yours, every thing that concerns mankind, and the countries we inhabit, must be strongly interesting: the general appearance of the territory—the salubrity of the air—the common productions, and the returns of produce—the price of provisions—the wages of labour—the laws and form of government—the distribution of property, and the administration of justice, cannot fail to be questions of importance; and hence, although I have not had an opportunity of acquiring minute or extensive information upon these subjects, I offer no apology for laying before you the few observations which I have been able to make, assured that you will not deem them wholly devoid of interest.

An unfavorable prejudice has been imbibed respecting the climate upon this coast; and a general opinion prevails, as well in the West India islands as in Europe, that these settlements are very unhealthy: but, however the fact may stand, upon a comparison with the genial climate of a portion of Europe, it is certainly incorrect with respect to the neighbouring islands. Probably it is a prejudice that dates its origin from the earliest cultivation of the colonies; being formed either from a superficial view of the peculiar surface of the land; or in consequence of sickness having prevailed among the settlers, at the time of first clearing the soil.

Low and flat countries are usually unpropitious to the health of man; but the insalubrity does not result as a necessary consequence of this form of the land: other circumstances are required: for, unless these conspire, or, having conspired, if they be removed, the fact no longer exists. A level country badly cleared, not well drained, and only partially improved, will, no doubt, be unhealthy: but a district so well cultivated as Demarara, will not be sickly, only because it is low. A broken or mountainous territory may preserve its salubrity in great measure from its form, or the particular exposure of its irregular surface: but a flat soil ever demands the aid of industry; and can only be made healthy by unceasing toil: and, herein, is afforded a beautiful and striking example of the all-providing care of Nature: she has made labour necessary to the well-being of man; and she causes the earth to bestow health as the consequence of his toil; but if he neglect the salutary exertions required, she compels the very fields, not only to reproach his indolence, but to punish him with sickness. She has gone even further; for, these fields which, bereft of his health-inspiring toil, will destroy him, she has particularly empowered to reward him with plenty and riches, if he deny them not the attentions which she dictates for the preservation of his health.

You will have collected some knowledge of the general appearance, and the state of cultivation of this coast, from the desultory remarks I have already sent you; but as I find a few words upon these subjects, among my general notes, I shall transcribe them, with the others, and you may read them, or not, as suits your leisure. I have told you that on approaching these colonies from the sea, the land is not visible, until you come very near to the shore. The tops of trees only are seen; which appear to be growing out of the ocean. Before the coast was brought into a state of culture, the forest reached nearly to the verge of the water, and from the land being low, it was frequently overflowed by the tides. Now, there is a cultivated territory, a mile and a half in depth, between the ocean and the forest; but this is so entirely flat, as to escape the eye, and on sailing towards the coast, the trees still look as if they were growing within the margin of the sea.

Perhaps none but the plodding industrious Hollander would have attempted to clear such a country: where wood and water concealed every appearance of the land, and seemed to bid defiance to all the powers of cultivation. Nor indeed were the early labours of the first settlers directed to this part of the coast. They sailed far up the rivers, and established the settlements upon their more elevated banks, at a distance remote from the sea; not venturing to devote their industry to the immediate borders of the ocean, until they were prompted to it by the enterprise of more adventurous planters from the British islands.

The whole of the territory now brought into cultivation upon the coast, is made-land. It has been placed—I had almost said created, by the hand of man; and is preserved to his use, only by constant toil. Numerous ditches and canals are cut to drain the water from the common surface; and the land that is planted, is merely the mud and clay thrown out of these channels.

An estate, or plantation, usually consists of a long piece of flat land, about a quarter of a mile in width, and a mile and half in depth, running back from the sea to the woods. It is bordered by wide ditches, traversed by numbers of others, and thus formed into many separate divisions, somewhat resembling an assemblage of beds; such as are usually made in our English gardens, for the planting of asparagus.

A deep bank of earth, called a dyke, is thrown up in front, to defend the estate from the encroachments of the sea; and a similar bank is raised at the back, to prevent it from being inundated by the waters, which overspread the flat surface of the forest. The ditches unite by frequent intersections, and form ready communications with the sea. It is one of the regular duties of the estate, thoroughly to scour out these trenches every year; when the mud that is removed, makes a coating of manure, and serves to raise, while it enriches the soil; which from cultivation, from the falling of heavy rains, and from the flowing of the tides in the numerous channels around it, were it not for this supply, would soon wear to a level, and be again a prey to the waters.

From a number of these estates lying contiguous to each other, the coast is formed into an open, though narrow, territory; and the border of the sea is seen spreading into one splendid cotton-field, a mile and half deep, and of nearly seventy miles extent. The surface being quite level, this immense tract of cultivated land opens at once to the eye, and the scene is not less rich than novel. Perhaps a plain so spacious, a soil so fertile, and a produce so abundant, cannot be met with in any other country.

Like the earth in cultivation, that which forms the public roads is only the mud and clay procured from the ditches which skirt them. They are of course flat, like the rest of the territory, and running at the bottom, or along the sides of the estates, they form straight lines, and right angles, throughout the whole extent of the plantations, interrupted only by the wooden bridges which cross the numerous ditches and canals.

In allotting the land, a certain width of it between each two estates, is, with much wisdom, reserved to the settlement, in order to form what are here termed colony-paths. These not only serve as common ways, from the front to the back of every plantation, but in each of them is cut a public canal, which runs from the sea, throughout the whole depth of the cultivated land, to the forest. By this provision many useful purposes are answered; general convenience is promoted; and each individual planter is benefited.

The colony-path not only offers itself as a common road, from the sea to the Bush, but preserves a free communication for any future settlers, who may engage in the culture of land at the back of the present estates; while the canal, by means of flood-gates, lets off to the ocean, the water that lodges in the forest, and prevents it from overflowing the cultivated fields; bringing at the same time, a supply of fresh water, for the use of the negroes and the cattle; and affording to the planters a ready means of conveying the produce of their estates to the sea.

Although the general face of the colonies be such as to convey an unfavorable impression, the peculiar mode of cultivation protects them from the ills, which, upon a first view of the soil, might seem to be threatened. From the frequent use of the hoe, in clearing the crops, scarcely a weed is left to grow up and decay; from the numerous channels, which intersect each other, the rain that falls is carried off, without becoming stagnant; from the flowing of the tide, every thing noxious, brought to the ditches, is speedily removed; and from an annual scouring, the channels are kept peculiarly free from impurities: hence, notwithstanding its flatness, the land which is brought into cultivation is not suffered to grow swampy; no offensive accumulation is formed; nor does the mud-impregnated water of the ditches remain to grow putrid, and emit unhealthy vapours. The earth is always fresh; the channels are free; and the waters frequently renewed; it consequently follows that the evils, which commonly proceed from low and neglected ground, are in a great measure prevented.

When I mentioned as one of the advantages of the public canals, that they furnish a supply for the slaves and the cattle, I might have added, that the paucity of good water is one of the greatest inconveniences that is known in these colonies; for although the canals bring in plenty that is fresh, it is so strongly impregnated with infused leaves, and other vegetable matters, in consequence of coming from the forest, that it is very unpleasant, both to the eye and the palate, and as the negroes express it, “no good for backra,” although these poor beings are, themselves, obliged to share it with the cattle.

The river water is brackish to the distance of many miles from the coast: springs there are none; and what might be procured by wells could not be used. Under these circumstances, the expedient of preserving the offerings from the clouds naturally suggested itself; and accordingly, tanks, or cisterns, have been constructed for this purpose at almost every estate. Some families put the rain-water into large earthen jars, in which, with much care, it is kept good, during the whole period of the dry season. Those who are not possessed of either jars, or cisterns, are obliged to content themselves with the strongly macerated infusion of the forests, called “bush-water;” or to send parties many miles, with boats and casks, to obtain fresh water from a remote part of the river, or from some of its tributary streams.

From the nature of the land, the crops upon this coast are very abundant, and are far more regularly productive, than in any others of our settlements in the West Indies. These colonies likewise possess the great advantage of being free from hurricanes and earthquakes, and from that mischievous insect, the borer, which in the islands so often destroys the canes. They are also exempt from great droughts, which are so frequently injurious to the islands, and, in consequence of being open to the breeze, they are less liable to frequent and sudden changes of temperature: neither hills, nor rocks, nor woods offer any impediment to the trade winds, which come to them from the ocean, and are scarcely ever absent throughout the whole annual circle.

The year is commonly divided into two wet and two dry seasons. The long wet season begins in April, declines in August, and ceases in September. The roads are then dry, and the weather fine until the middle of November; when the short wet season sets in, and continues till January. From the middle of that month until the latter end of April, the weather is dry, the atmosphere clear and pure, and the climate genial. The roads are then good, the breeze is powerful and steady, the air comparatively cool, and the temperature subject to little variation.

In these colonies laws are made, and acts passed by the governor and council; the governor having two votes.

The members of council are chosen by keizers, or electors; these being appointed by the inhabitants; each inhabitant, possessed of property, to the amount of six hundred guilders per annum, being entitled to a vote.

To qualify a person for being elected a member of council, it is requisite that he be a freeholder, and a protestant: that he shall have resided three years in the colony; and that he understand the Dutch language.

The council framing laws, is called a court of policy: this court is of a mixed form, resembling a combination of the house of assembly, and the governor and council of the British colonies.

The court of justice, like the legislative and executive, is composed of the governor, and of counsellors elected by the keizers. This court takes cognizance of all civil and criminal causes, and admits of no appeal, except to the sovereign.

A commissary court is established for the adjustment of petty offences, and for the decision of all questions of property below the value of 600 guilders. This court consists of two members of the court of justice, who are appointed in rotation, the governor nominally presiding. The fiscal is the active officer of this court. It is his duty to announce, or impose the fines; but he has no power to levy them. If they be resisted, he serves the parties with a citation, and they appeal to the commissary court.

The fiscal is the great law officer, and may be considered as the attorney and solicitor general of the colony. His powers and privileges are very considerable, and his influence, of course, extensive.

The country is divided into a certain number of districts, with a burgher captain appointed to each, on whom devolves the more immediate execution of the public regulations, whether made for the particular convenience of the respective districts, or for the common benefit of the colony at large.

It is a regulation—or law of the colony, that each planter shall keep in repair that portion of the public road, together with its bridges, which crosses or passes at the end of his own estate. But instead of overseers, or surveyors of the road being appointed, it is made the duty of the fiscal, to travel throughout the colony, twice in every year, for the express purpose of inspecting the roads and bridges, and imposing fines upon the owners of such as are not found to be in good repair.

In these tours of inspection the law requires that he shall be accompanied by a burgher officer, and a clerk from the government secretary’s office; the former to approve, the latter to witness such approval, and to note the fines imposed. This control seems to be highly necessary, as certain proportions of these fines become the perquisite of the fiscal, and serve to enrich his own purse.

The planters, upon receiving notice of the fines, thus levied, have the privilege of resisting the payment of them: in which case the fiscal refers the question to the commissary court, and himself pleads the cause, as the principal law officer of the colony. But it frequently happens, that by offering a third, or a half of the fine, the affair is compromised—the fiscal silenced—his pocket satisfied; and all further appeal to the court of justice prevented.

The regulation has, however, the effect of keeping the public roads in very excellent repair; for, knowing how very improbable it is, that the least defect can escape the penetrating and interested eye of the fiscal, each planter is particularly attentive to the highways and the bridges^[4].

All grants of land, in these colonies, are made from the States General of the United Provinces; and they commonly consist of lots, either of 250, or 500 acres, laid out in the abovementioned regular form, which is favored by the situation, and flatness of the land. In front, towards the sea, each estate is about 1200 Dutch^[5] feet in width; and in length, back from the sea into the forest, or Bush, 9000 feet. In Berbische many of the grants are 1800 feet wide, and 12,000 feet deep. On granting the land it is stipulated that the plantation shall be advanced to a certain state of cultivation by a given period, under the penalty of being forfeited at the expiration of that term, if not improved to the extent specified; and by way of encouragement to the planter, a second depth, further into the forest, of equal extent, and immediately at the back of the other, is usually granted to the person who holds the first depth from the sea, so soon as it shall be certified, by the two neighbouring planters, that two-thirds of the first grant are brought into good cultivation, and that the new grant will not be in anywise injurious to them. Some gentlemen are now in possession of these double plantations of 18,000 feet; but, for the most part, only the single estates of 9000 feet are yet made obedient to the hoe.

Thus you will perceive, that these rich colonies are merely a narrow strip of land, upon the margin of the Atlantic Ocean, bounded by a deep forest, which extends across the whole continent to the Pacific Ocean.

Until within the last twelve or fifteen years, scarcely any plantations were formed upon the coast. It is since this period that English enterprise has taught the plodding Hollander that he had overlooked his best interests, in not bestowing his industry upon the immediate verge of the ocean; and the seashore already exhibits one rich and fertile field, throughout nearly the whole extent, from the river Demarara to the river Berbische.

It is probable that, in the course of a few years, the borders of the rivers will be totally abandoned, and, instead of being enriched with coffee and sugar, will be left to relapse into their primeval state. In such event a very short time would efface every mark of human industry, and it would be difficult to discover that the arm of man had ever extended thither; for so rapid is the progress of vegetation, that the land is only held subservient to useful purposes by the unremitted toil of slaves, which being once withdrawn, it would speedily revert to its original wildness, and again become a part of one vast forest.

The colony of Berbische was the first settled; but that of Demarara has proceeded with far the most rapid improvement. The estates now in cultivation upon the sea-coast, from the Demarara river to the boundary of the colony of Berbische, are one hundred and sixteen; all producing cotton, except the “Kitty” belonging to Mr. T. Cuming, which has been recently planted with sugar^[6]. This part of the colony is divided into four districts, the burgher captains, presiding over which, are all British planters, viz. Mr. Lochland Cuming, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Telfer, and Mr. Sutherland.

It is scarcely necessary to remark that coffee, cotton, and sugar are the great, and almost only commercial productions of the colony. The average produce of the 80 best cotton estates, is calculated at from 50,000 lb. to 60,000 lb. weight, each, of cotton per annum. In the cultivation of this plant one prime negro is considered as sufficient stock for two acres of land. The average number of cotton bushes, planted upon an acre, is six hundred. Each bush is calculated to produce eight ounces of cotton; and the average price of the article, sold in the colony, is estimated at fifteen stivers per pound.

The requisite proportion of stock, for an estate cultivated with coffee, is two negroes to three acres of land. The number of coffee bushes usually planted is four hundred and fifty per acre. Each bush is calculated to produce 1½ lb. of coffee; and the average price, when sold in the colony, is from seven to eight stivers per pound.

The cultivation of sugar, is the most expensive, and requires considerably the greatest proportion of stock, one prime negro being necessary to every acre of land. The average return of an estate, planted with sugar, is 50l. sterling per acre, being 2000 lb. weight of sugar at four-pence per pound, and rum in proportion.

The domestic fowls and animals seen in these colonies are the same as those of Europe; but we find that the Moscovy duck, and the Guinea fowl are much more commonly used than in England. Very few of the birds, or beasts of the surrounding woods, have yet been domesticated, and these, not for the purpose of utility, but amusement: the monkey and parrot tribes being almost the only species seen about the houses. The horse, the sheep, the dog, and the other animals which are usually associated with the family circle, and made subservient to man, are not the native inhabitants of these forests; but, possibly, there may be others which might be brought into social habits, and made to contribute to our wants. Domestic birds it is known there are; for we occasionally see, in that state, the native ducks of the rivers, and what is here called the powys, or turkey of the woods, which is a more stately bird, and nearly as large as the common turkey of Europe.

With respect to the natural history of the country, a wider field seems to be opened in botany and zoology, than in mineralogy; for while the animal and vegetable worlds are abundantly stored, scarcely a stone or a pebble can be found in any part of the colonies yet cultivated. I lament exceedingly that my occupations will not allow me more time to devote to these subjects; and, on this ground, I have particularly to regret being separated from my baggage, having left on board the Lord Sheffield two boxes of books, the loss of which I feel very severely.

Delightful as the study is, perhaps no extensive progress can be expected to be made in the different branches of the natural history of the country, so long as it shall continue to be visited only from views of pecuniary gain. Even the enthusiasm which attaches to new discoveries, can induce but few to toil in such a climate, in the mere pursuits of science; and, accordingly, we see that it is the object of those, who do hazard their persons, to devote themselves to the means of acquiring a competent fortune, to enable them to retire, as speedily as possible, to enjoy the fruits of it in a more temperate atmosphere.

It is not only with excessive heat and disease that those who visit these regions have to contend! The extreme annoyance, from insects and reptiles is still more severe, to many persons, than the exhausting warmth of the climate. In truth I may say it is so to myself; for the general buzzing, the biting, stinging, creeping, and crawling of these tormenting objects, distress me far more than the temperature, or any apprehension of disease. We are bitten, stung, or overrun by day and by night, and exposed to incessant pain and discomfort, unless constantly upon the watch, or carefully protected by some defensive covering; being perpetually beset with myriads of flies, ants, musquitoes, cockroaches, lizards, Jack Spaniards^[7], fireflies, centipedes, &c. &c.; which, in addition to their bites and stings, fly in our faces, crawl about our persons, and make an intolerable buzzing in our ears. In an evening, and particularly after rain, the confused noise of these humming hosts is peculiarly disagreeable. It conveys the idea of breathing in an atmosphere of sounds, or amidst a great and animated hive, where every created insect joins in full chorus—the enormous frog of the country croaking the bass, in a voice which resembles the loud bellowings of an ox.

From the great fertility of the soil; from the uninterrupted regularity of the crops, and their abundant produce; and from the immense extent of territory capable of being brought into cultivation, these colonies may be regarded as the most valuable capture which has been made during the war, and perhaps that which it might be most to the advantage of England to preserve, to herself, upon the return of peace.

The number of slaves, at this period, in the united colony of Essequibo and Demarara, is about fifty-five thousand^[8]. The greatest number possessed by an individual is nearly 2000. These are the property of Mynheer Boode, a planter living upon the western coast of the Demarara river; a man of immense fortune, who is said to have been originally a drum-boy, in the Dutch service, and to have come to this colony from Surinam, where he had arrived with the troops from Holland. Here, by a steady perseverance in successful industry, he has been enabled to acquire a fortune, which is represented as princely indeed; it being said to amount to nearly 50,000l. sterling, per annum.

Of the wages of daily labour it is difficult to speak, with any degree of accuracy, in a country where the work is done by slaves. I have already mentioned an instance of the exorbiant price of wages among the labouring class of carpenters, and this may serve as a specimen of the rate of hire given to others. The lower ranks of white people are mostly mechanics, or artisans, and these obtain high and extravagant wages in all parts of the West Indies. White labouring peasants, or husbandmen, are here unknown. The mulattoes, like wise, are for the most part bred to some handicraft employment, and very few of them are seen to toil their daily round in the field: the cultivating of the land, therefore, and all the menial, and lower degrees of labour, are performed by the negro slaves, who are themselves, equally with the implements of their toil, the sole and disposable property of their masters; wherefore, in order to ascertain the wages of labour, it would be necessary to calculate the cost of the slave, his provisions, and clothing, the price of the tools he uses, the risk of sickness, and of casualties, and the interest of money; and thence to draw the ratio of expenditure, or the sum invested to procure his daily toil.

But it sometimes happens that persons buy slaves, who have neither land for them to cultivate, nor any other means of employing them: they let them out therefore to hire, by the month or the year. Some even purchase negroes expressly for this purpose; and lay the foundation of their fortunes by selling the toil of Africans, who are thus made to sweat drops of gold for their owners, under the lash of other masters. The profit obtained from the labour of a slave, who costs about eighty pounds, is usually from twenty to twenty-two guineas per annum, all expense of food, and of medicines when sick, being defrayed, throughout the term for which he is engaged, by the person who hires him.

Upon making minute inquiry I understand that the hire of a negro may be fairly estimated at about two guilders for a single day; if engaged for several weeks, at one guilder per day; and when hired for a longer period, it may be rated at about 250, or nearly 300 guilders per annum.

The compensation of professional labour bears a due proportion to the high profits acquired by the merchants and planters. From the population being very limited, and the inhabitants not yet crowded into towns, the medical practitioners are seldom rewarded with regular fees for their attendance; but are commonly allowed an annual salary for their services, thus establishing a kind of fixed income, which depends upon the number of estates under their inspection, and not upon the number of sick, whom they may have to visit.

Cabinet wares, and household furniture are extravagantly dear. All articles of iron, or polished steel soon become spoiled, in consequence of the erosive property of the sea air; hence it is common to have the hardware tinned or plated: even keys, knives, cork-screws, and the like, whether left in the room, or worn in the pocket, are soon covered with rust, and without constant care, are rendered useless.