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prevails here among the free coloured women, who will sometimes challenge one another, when they are offended, before a tribunal of their own sex. They appoint a day, and fix a place, which is in general a handsome garden, where a large tent is erected, and in the evening is well lighted up. The lady who first gave the challenge is seated in the principal part of the tent, surrounded by her own slaves, and those of her friends, finely dressed. A circus of chairs is placed for the visiters. The lady (or to whom she gives the commission) sings a line containing part of her complaint, or some reflection upon her antagonist; and this is repeated in a chorus by the attending female slaves, and followed by other lines until it be comes a complete song, between the different parts of which there is a dance; and the negro females accompany the movements, and mark the time with fruit-shells strung on a string like beads. This method of treating the dispute gives at least, to the adversary, a fair opportunity of knowing what is spoken of her, and, of course enables her to answer it. The next week she invites the company, when it becomes her turn to expose the character of her antagonist; and this kind of alternate contention is sometimes carried on for several weeks, during which they are vi sited by some of the principal in habitants, as the scene affords con siderable entertainment. Some times, indeed, these females of colour will challenge a friend, in a frolic, to arrange such partics against one another, and a great deal of humour is then displayed, in which even the visiters are often

not spared; but, to prevent any dis. order at such numerous meetings, some of the police-officers are al ways in attendance.

The free negroes are esteemed to be about equal in number at Para. maribo to the people of colour: they are handicrafts, such as black. smiths, carpenters, tailors, shoe. makers, &c. but they work extremely slow, and are very neg. ligent, so that little dependence can be put in most of them. There is, however, a great differ. ence between those who have been instructed in the Christian religion, by the Moravians and the others; and I have found by experiencs how much more their word may be relied on; but in general all the free negroes are reported to be very idle, and will only labour just for a present subsistence. The negro slaves often declare that they are better off than the free negroes. In the songs which the plantation negroes frequently sing there is one of a very lively tune, and is always accompanied with much laughter and mirth; the words are, mackarele Saneda, mackarele Monday, mackarele Tuesday, mackarele alleday, &c. ; the meaning is, mackarel Sunday, mackarel Monday, mackarel Tues. day, mackarel every day, &c. Seeing the negroes so very merry when they were singing this song, I asked them the meaning of the words, when one of them answer. ed, "Mastera, when we have good master, we find ourselves more happy than those free negroes are, and when we see one of them, we make him hear this, for they live upon nothing but mackarel, whilst we other negroes have plenty of different provisions on the planta

tions."

tions." Mackarcl is a very cheap diet here; and that the plantation negroes have some reason for their exultation, I am inclined to think, as I have seen very few among the free negroes as strong and hearty in appearance as they

are.

The custom which the free negroes have of following their fu nerals, gives me an opportunity of observing them collectively.*

The number of slaves kept in the town are estimated, as I ob. served in one of my former letters, at eleven thousand: they are not only employed in the management of the house, but are also put out to different mechanics, to learn those occupations of which their master stands most in need. But there is one method here of employing the negroes, which should not be tolerated; some of the inhabitants, when they find a slave possessing sagacity, will make him a pedlar, or strolling trader, furnishing him with different articles, and leaving entirely the manage ment of the business to him; but he is obliged to pay so much per week to his master, who cares not what means he employs to obtain it; now, when the man has been some weeks without selling enough for his regular payment, instances have occurred of his endeavouring to supply the deficiency by imposition or even by theft, thinking

that even if he should be detected, his master would, from a regard to his own interest, screen him as much as possible from severe punishment.

The great vivacity in the tem per of the negroes is never more displayed than in their Sunday amusements; you know the lively play which is performed in the south of Europe, where one party shews with his finger a certain num. ber, to which the other is to add with his fingers a number, and quickly to answer how many the number is together, which is performed with a great deal of gesti. culation; but the negroes here have still a more lively game; one of them makes, with his feet, all the extraordinary figures that are possible to be invented, and the other is to imitate them instantly, trying who can tire the other most. They play also with balls, but not in the European manner, by turns, but he is considered the best who can first catch the ball; and being all of them constantly employed together, you may judge how fatigning this must be to the players. The negro girls, while they are washing the floors of the houses, are fre quently singing, and beating time to their merry songs, with the cloth with which they are at work.

The creole-negroes, particularly the women, have in general a more

By the laws of Surinam, it is enacted, that if a master wishes to emancipate a negro, he must first prove how the negro is to gain his future living; or to give him a house with some land attached to it; besides which the master must give security to the value of three thousand florins, in case the negro should become so poor or infirm, or otherwise as to prove a burthen to the colony. It is observed, however, that the free negroes, whatever be their condition at first, decline too often in their condition, particularly their posterity; but some who merit to be excepted from this reproach, I know myself.

cheerful

cheerful countenance than those brought from the coast of Africa, and though they cannot be compared to a beauty of a fair complexion, yet if a statue of a fine fi gured nymph executed in black marble can please you, then some of these sable females might likewise engage your admiration. There are here also some Indian slaves, but they are only allowed to be purchased when those Indian nations, who live on the territory of the colony, have been at war with some distant tribes, and have taken prisoners from them; the inhabitants of the colony who buy them, employ them only as huntsmen, or servants, as they are never used for tilling the ground, for though they are very active, yet they do not possess any remarkable bodily strength; and besides they are in their disposition rather of a melancholy turn. They sometimes feel an unusual eagerness to return to their own nation, but will not venture the passage, for fear they might fall into the hands of Indians, who do not belong to their own tribe, and thus become their slaves again, therefore they rather prefer to stay with their European masters; but then they soon fall into a decline; grief and stupor end their lives.

Arrawouke Indians of Surinam.

[From the same.]

The Indians who are mentioned in this letter all belong to the Arrawoukes nation, who are in every respect the best among the different tribes that have settled in this

part of Guiana. The Arrawouks were never known to be guilty of the horrid custom of killing their prisoners and devouring them, as is related of the Caribs, with whom they were often in hostilities; and gentlemen who have had the best opportunities of getting informa. tion of the disposition and habits of these people, have assured me that they are not addicted to a crime which the Abbé Raynal bas charged upon all the Indian na tions, without any exception; the Arrawoukes cannot, without in. justice, even be suspected of this, as they are far from a state of bru tal savageness, and still further from a degenerated stage of civi lization; they therefore are nots abominable as to be addicted to the most disgusting of all vices.

The greatest fault of the Arra. woukes seems to be an inordinate fondness for strong liquors, though they generally drink water, and use spirits only at public festivals; but when they come to Parama ribo, the greatest part of what they sell is exchanged for rum, in which they then indulge themselves, so far as to become completely in. toxicated; but even then it hap pens that some among them are quite sober, and take charge of their inebriated brethren; so that it seems either there are some of them who never fall into this excess, or that they get drunk by turns. Notwithstanding the too great inclination for strong liquors, which the Arrawoukes have in common with all the other Indian nations, yet in other respects the comparison is much in their favour, as they possess more talents, and it is to be wished that more pains

wert

were taken for their civilization. The Moravians have lately engaged in this good work; but as I have not yet visited those parts of the country where these missionaries labour, I can give you no further account of them or their success; but I intend to visit them as soon as I can get an opportunity.

Character, Manners, Customs, Habits, Dress, and Language of the Catalonions. [From L'Aborde's View of Spain.]

The Catalans are charged with asperity of character, roughness of expression, and vehemence of action. There are grounds for this charge; but if we inquire into the cause, and at the same time recollect the good qualities which atone for those defects, we shall perhaps be less disposed to blame them.

The Catalans,accustomed, under the kings of Aragon, to share the legislative power with the sove reign, to look upon their prince only as Count of Barcelona, and to pay no taxes but such as they chose to grant, considered themselves as all partaking of the supreme authority, and each in particular as a little sovereign. In those days they had ideas of independence which they long cherished, and which at length degenerated into a republican spirit. Hence the haughtiness peculiar to the inhabitants of this province, the autho. ritative tone, the repugnance to whatever has the slightest appear. ance of command in another, or even of subordination.

The Catalan tongue contributes to the roughness of expression

complained of; its pronunciation is hard, sharp, and dry, and it often utters the tenderest and most empassioned sentiment, without grace or delicacy.

Activity is the basis of the Cata. lan character; it is blunt in persons who have not received the polish of education. But we must do the Catalans justice: this propensity to motion, this natural vivacity, impelled them to great un. dertakings; it frequently rendered

them victorious in the times of the counts of Barcelona and kings of Aragon; it led them into Greece, and gained them important conquests; it carried them to the island of Majorca, and there destroyed the empire of the Saracens, it established the dominion of the kingdom of the kings of Aragon in the island of Sardinia; it guided them on the seas, and carried them to every part of the new world; it opened the career of the sciences to them; it turned their genius to commerce, and expanded it in every branch; it developed, sustained, and increased their industry; it improved their agricul ture; it was the grand spring of the establishment of their manufactures, and, in fine, of the opulence of their province.

The Catalans are indefatigable in their undertakings; they have a horror at kleness; no obstacle can deter them. The activity of their genius, and the ambition that attends it, lead them to every part of the world: there is not a town, not a port in Spain, India, or Spanish America, where Catalans are not to be found; they are to be met with in France, Italy, England, Germany, in all the ports of Europe, and throughout the colo

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nies. They are valiant, and someLimes even rash; they are not to be terrified by the greatest dangers; in war they never fly, nor do they ever give up an enterprize. They, the Aragonese, and Gali. cians, are the best soldiers in Spain. Their bravery and firmness have been so often proved, that for ages past no doubt has ever been entertained of them; they have several times displayed them with the greatest energy, and in the remotest periods; and in the beginning of the eighteenth century they sustained the united efforts of the armies of France and Spain against Catalonia.

After what has been just said, it will be easily imagined that they have very violent passions: in fact, they can encounter any thing to satisfy them. The desire of wealth makes them industrious; emulation makes them active, leads them to every part of the world, and enables them to brave the perils of long voyages; and glory blinds them to every kind of danger. When they love, they love warmly; but their hatred is implacable, they have rarely sufficient strength of mind to stifle their resentment, But we are not, therefore, to imagine the Catalan disposed to mis. chief; he is not so naturally. He works himself into a rage, and is loud, but seldom commits acts of violence. In a political point of view the Catalan is restless and factious; he is for ever sighing for a liberty, or rather independence, which he has often attempted to acquire, and which has so frequent ly impelled him to take up arins. But, as devoted in his attachment as terrible in his hatred, he is ready to make every sacrifice for a prince

who knows how to gain his love. At the commencement of the wat with France, Catalonia made the king an offer to defend him them. selves against all the troops of the enemy. In the number of the va lunteers there were thirty thousand monks or priests; this offer was not accepted, chiefly on account of the nature of the war, which was to be an offensive one, and required an army of regular troops. Catalo. nia, far from having suffered by the campaigns of which it was the theatre, grew rich by the sums expended in the province, and it is obvious that a war with France is as useful to it as one with England is disastrous.

But

The Catalans are charged with an eagerness for money which in. duces them to undergo any labour in the acquisition of it, and to take the greatest care to keep it. the fact is, they spend as readily as they earn, and are capable of generosity, of which they gave a striking proof in the unhappy pc. riods of the French revolution, A multitude of French people, men, women, and children, of all ranks, found help and consolation in this province. Reuss, Mon. blanc, Blanas, and the frontiers to. wards France, particularly dis. tinguished themselves in that respect.

The inhabitants of Catalonia have a decided taste for the ceremo nics of the church, for processions, public feasts, assemblies, balls, dances, and other meetings. The romerias are in great vogue; these are journeys on certain days to solitary chapels, and to hermitages, whither the people flock in crowds. The bull-feasts have scarcely found their way here.

The

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