Having now slept and refreshed myself a few hours, I was waited on by four American captains, viz. captain Timmons of the Harmony, captain Lewis of the Peggy, captain Bogard of the Olive Branch, and captain Minet of the America, who insisted on my refusing any vessel whatever from the colony this time, and offering to send me up in one of their own boats, manned by their own sailors only, to which each would equally contribute. I can aver, that notwithstanding the threatening rupture between Great Britain and her colonies, which seemed then upon the eve of breaking out into open violence, nothing could surpass the warm and cordial friendship which these gentlemen possessed, not only for me, but for every individual that bore a British name, or had any connection with that island; professing that they still retained the greatest regard for every thing in Britain, but its administration. I accepted of their very polite proposal; and having arranged matters in such a manner at home, that neither colonel Fourgeoud nor the cock-roachers could injure me, I shook hands with my mulatto, and at six in the evening repaired once more to the water-side, escorted by my English and American friends, where, having drank a bowl of punch, we separated. I then departed for my station, they having hoisted the colours on board all their vessels in the road, and at the boat's going off saluted me with three cheers, to my great satisfaction, and the mortification of the gaping multitude by which we were surrounded. We soon rowed beyond the view of Paramaribo.

Being arrived at the fortress of New Amsterdam, we were obliged to stop for the return of the tide, to row up the river Comewina. In this interval, I was genteelly entertained with a supper by the Society officers quartered there; but at 12 o'clock we got aboard, and having rowed all night, I breakfasted with captain Macneyl, who was one of general Spork's captains in 1751; after which we once more set out, and arrived at the plantation Charlottenburgh. So much incensed was I at the usage I had met with at Paramaribo, and so well pleased with the English sailors, that I ordered the tars a din

ner of 12 roasted ducks, and gave them 36 bottles of claret, being my whole stock, besides a guinea. When the tide ebbed they took their leave, and rowed down to their vessels, as well pleased, and as drunk as wine or strong spirits could make them.

'I now pursued my voyage upwards as far as the estate Mondesir; afterwards, having viewed the ruins of the three estates, Zuzingheyd, Peru, and L'Esperance, which had been burnt when I commanded at Devil's Harwar, I arrived at Lepair. Here one of the overseers gave me an account of his miraculous escape from the rebels, which I shall relate in his own words." The rebels, sir," said he, " had already surrounded the dwelling-house in which I was, before I knew of their being in the plantation, and were employed in setting fire to the four corners of it, so that to run out of doors was rushing on certain death. In this dilemma I fled to the garret, where I laid myself flat upon one of the beams, in hopes of their dispersing soon, and that I might effect my escape before the building should be burnt down; but in this I was disappointed, as they still remained: and at the same time the flames increased so fast, that the heat became insupportable in the place where I was, and I had no other alternative left, than to be burnt to death, or to leap from a high garret window into the midst of my exasperated enemies. This last measure, however, I resolved upon, and had not only the good fortune to alight unhurt upon my feet, but to escape without a wound, from among so many men armed with sabres and bill-hooks. I flew to the river-side, into which I plunged headlong; however, not being able to swim, I immediately sunk to the bottom; but (said he) I still kept my full presence of mind, and while they concluded me to be drowned, found means, by the help of the moco-moco and mangrove roots, to bring myself not only under cover of the impending verdure, but just so far above water with my lips as to continue in a state of respiration till all was over. Having killed every other person, the rebels departed, and I was taken up by a boat from my very perilous situation.”

After a variety of little adventures Stedman arrived at the Wana creek, and shortly after the troops arrived in two columns, the one commanded by major Rughcop, and the other by colonel Fourgeoud. I was now,' says he, in excellent health and good spirits; and in hopes of being reconciled to Fourgeoud by this voluntary proof of my zeal for the service, I returned to the rangers' camp to wait his arrival. I was indeed well acquainted with his irreconcileable temper, and at the same time conscious of my own wild and ungovernable disposition, when I thought myself ill treated; but soon forgot trifling injuries, and was now determined, by my active and affable behaviour, to make him my friend if possible. At length the wished-for hour arrived; and being apprized of colonel Fourgeoud's approach, I went half a mile from the camp to meet him, acquainting him that I was come pour participer de la gloire, and to serve under his immediate command, which he answered with a bow, I returned it, and we marched together to the rangers' camp.'

The troops in this expedition had destroyed a great quantity of rice belonging to the rebels; but the soldiers being nearly starved by the avarice of the colonel, had broke out into mutiny, which was with difficulty suppressed.

Whilst I was now about noon resting in my hammock very contentedly,' says Stedman, I was accosted by my friend hieutenant Campbell, who acquainted me, with tears in his eyes, that the evening before colonel Fourgeoud had given to the officers of the Surinam Society, not only of that brave and gallant corps the Scots brigade in the Dutch service, but of the British in general, the most unmerited character that could be invented. I immediately started up; and having got Campbell's information, confirmed, went to Fourgeoud, and asked him in public the cause of this unmanly slander.-He replied with a stare, that his observations only regarded my petticoat-trowsers, which I wore for coolness and conveniency, as many British seamen do, and which he had never seen on the mountains of Switzerland. But as to the rest of what was said respecting us, he laid it totally to the charge of

Mr. Stoelman, captain of the Cottica militia, who was absent. Thus I could only answer by denouncing, in the severest terms, vengeance upon this assassin of our reputation; and after, promising to transform my short trowsers into long ones, we coolly separated. An hour however after this, I received a sudden order to cross the Cormoetibo river, and be henceforth under the command of major Rughcop, who was with his party or column at this time encamped on the south side at the mouth of Wana creek. Being arrived in major Rughcop's camp, and having got a couple of negroes to serve me, the next measure was to build a hut, or, more properly speaking, a shed over my hammock, to keep me free from the rain and the sun, which was done within the space of one hour.

While we continued in this station, one morning, being returned from a patrole, with 20 marines and 20 rangers, and sitting round a species of table to take some dinner with the other officers, I was rudely insulted by a captain Meyland, of the Society troops, who, as I said, with lieutenant Fredericy, had taken Boucou, and who was colonel Fourgeoud's countryman and friend. The affront consisted in Meyland's handing about to each a drop of claret, he having indeed but one bottle left, and, in an impertinent manner, excepting me alone, although I held the glass in my hand to receive it. Justly suspecting this insult to originate from my commander-in-chief, rather than appear to seek a quarrel, I endeavoured to make an apology, telling him, I had inadvertantly erred in holding out my glass, not imagining I was to be distinguished from the other officers; assuring him it was not for the value of his wine, which I politely relinquished to my neighbour; but this concession had no other effect than to increase the wrath of my fierce adversary, who, apparently mistaking it for pusillanimity, became overbearing and scurrilous, in which he was seconded by all the other Swiss and Germans without exception. I said no more, and having tore away a wing of a boiled bird called powese, that stood before me (which bird had been shot by one of the rangers) I devoured it with little ceremony, and left the table, with a determination to support my character or die.

Thus resolved, I first went to the hut of a sick soldier, whose sabre I borrowed (my own being broken) on pretence of going out to cut a few sticks; after this I went in quest of Mr. Meyland, and found him contentedly smoking his pipe by the water-side, looking at one of his friends who was angling. Having tapped him on the shoulder, I hastily told him before the other, that now if he did not fight me that instant like a gentleman. I was determined to take revenge another way, with the flat of my sabre, where he stood. He at first declared that he had only meant a joke, and seemed for peace; but perceiving that I persisted, he with great sang froid knocked the tobacco-ashes from his pipe against the heel of his shoe; then having brought his sabre, we walked together without seconds about half a mile into the wood; here I stopt the captain short, and drawing my weapon, now desired him to stand on his defence; this he did, but at the same time observed, that as the point of his sword was broken off, we were unequally armed; and so indeed we were, his being still near one foot longer than my own; therefore calling to him that sabres were not made to thrust, but to cut with, 1 offered to make an exchange; but he refusing, I dropped mine on the ground, and eagerly with both hands endeavoured to wrest his from him, till (as I had hold of it by the blade) I saw the blood trickle down all my fingers, and I was obliged to let go.

I now grasped my own sabre, with which I struck at him many times, but without the least effect, as he parried every blow with the utmost facility; at last, with all his force, he made a cut at my head, which, being conscious I could not ward off by my skill, I bowed under it, and at the same instant striking sideways for his throat, had the good fortune to make a gash in the thick part of his right-arm at least six inches long, the two lips of which appeared through his blue jacket, and in consequence of which his right-hand came down dangling by his side. I had, however, not escaped entirely unhurt, for his sabre, having passed through my hat without touching my skull, had glanced to my right-shoulder, and cut it about one inch deep. At this time I insisted on his asking