river, continued for some time to serve the purpose, the postholder going down from time to time to the coast to intercept fugitives.* In 1783, however, this higher station, too, during the occupation of the Colony by the French, was entirely abandoned; and it was not thereafter occupied.+ About 1785, after the restoration of the colony to the Dutch, a new station was put up at the mouth of the Moruca. After the expiration of the West India Company, in 1792, this was the only Dutch station which continued to appear on pay or muster rolls.‡ The British, during their occupation of the colony allowed it to fall into a very dilapidated state. In 1802 it was resumed by the Dutch during their brief occupa tion of the colony.§ *Yet in 1765 the Moruca postholder, who had apparently come down to the coast in the effort to intercept certain fugitives, could report, "I am lying between the mouth of Moruca and Pomeroon, so that I can see everything that passes the seacoast"-language which certainly does not imply the presence there, at that date, of a regular lookout. And the historian Hartsinck, writing in 1770, after mentioning the post's erection there in 1757 at the joint cost of the Company and the planters, declares that [Beschryving van Guiana, i, 258–9] “it has since fallen to ruin." [U. S. Commission Report, i, 236; see also Blue Book, 3, 137.] Whether or no the English maintained the post, the French, who succeeded them in the possession of the colony, abandoned it; for on December 5, 1783, the Spanish officer, Inciarte, who had made so successful a reconnoissance here in 1779, reported the abandonment to his superiors, urging them to take advantage of the opportunity by occupying the place. This, however, so far as is known, was never done. [U. S. Commission Report, i, 238; see also Appendix to Case, ii, 440.] After the expiration of the West India Company and the assumption of the colonies by the State, in 1792, the only post which continues to appear on pay and muster rolls is that of Moruca. [U. S. Commission Report, i, 242.] § While I am finishing this letter, the Postholder of the post of Moruca comes to report that the detachment for that post arrived there three days ago, but that everything is in ruins and that the battery cannot stand for six weeks more; that an entirely new dike of some sort must be made there and all the buildings set back; that the few cannons found lying flat on the ground; that the gun-carriages are rotten, and that the English have cut and slashed everything to pieces; in a word, that things are in a hopeless state. I have not yet received a report from the officer who was ordered thither, and we shall have to await it; there are Moruca shanty. Abandoned in 1783. Moruca trading station of 1785. No Dutch occupation of the interior. Dutch pursuit of fugitive slaves. As to the interior, apart from the ineffectual attempts of the Dutch in 1754-58 and in 1766-72, (to be referred to later), there was at no time any Dutch occupation whatever above the lowest falls of the Cuyuni.* Of course the pursuit of runaways and their capture but according to these details there is not much of good to be expected. [Appendix to Case, ii, 254.] * Turning now, my Lords, to the matter of the River Essequebo, it is now about two years since I myself with Mr. van der Kaey proceeded up the river to find out whether it was not in any way possible to successfully set on foot some enterprise up above the falls, but we found the river very dangerous, so that in some places we were obliged to be drawn up in a corrial through the falls, with great danger to our lives. It is absolutely impossible to navigate the river with large boats, such as canoes, and it is equally impossible with barques, because above the plantation Nieuw Cortrijk there is fall upon fall. With regard to the land out there, it seems to me very good, but having inquired how high the water rose in those parts, it was pointed out to me in different places that it rose in the rainy season between 25 and 30 feet, so that nearly all the land is then under water, and there are also many great hills there which are nearly all rocky and very steep at the river side. I have also carefully inquired, my Lords, what kind of trade might be done there with the Indians, and have up to the present not been able to discover any other trade but a little maraen which is brought thence, and sometimes a few red slaves. To this end two creoles went up the river only last year, who, having been out for seven or eight months, brought very little home. The only profit that this Colony derives from the River Essequebo is that the latter is very rich in fish, and is therefore visited annually both by the Company and by the private colonists for the purpose of salting, to which end two boats have again been prepared for your Lordships, which will be ready to depart in the month of October. I see no profit for your Lordships in sending any man up the river, because I can discover nothing of the savage nation. [Appendix to Case, ii, 81.] Concerning the advantages of the trade in the rivers of Masseroeny and Cajoeny for the Honourable Company alone, this consists only in red slaves, and the order has been renewed because the veto was one kept up by all former Commandeurs. But most of the Indians having left those parts that trade is now of less profit, except for the orange dye. The plantation Poelwijk, lying up in the first-mentioned river, sometimes buys one or two red slaves in a whole year, but they are mostly children of about 8 or 10 years old, who are bought for about twelve or thirteen axes and choppers, together with a few provisions. The red slaves, too, cannot work together with a black slave, and are mostly used on the plantations for hunting and fishing, the women looking after the cassava for the daily consumption of the plantation. The great number of rocks which lie in these two rivers, and which occasion the falls by reason of the strong stream rushing over them, makes these rivers unnavigable for large vessels, wherefore it is impossible to establish any plantations there, although the soil is very well fitted for it. [Appendix to Case, i, 84-85.] extended beyond the Moruca on the coast, and beyond Kykoveral in the interior; but such captures were always effected either without the knowledge, with the connivance, or by the express permission of the Spaniards. SLAVE TRADING CUYUNI STATIONS OF 1754 AND 1766. Dutch pursuit of fugitive slaves. Failure of the Dutch to occupy The two ineffectual attempts of the Dutch in 1754, and again in 1766, to establish slave and trading stations interior. on the Cuyuni merit more than passing notice-not because of any importance on the part of the stations themselves, but merely because they furnished to the Spaniards signal opportunities for proving to the Dutch how thoroughly Spain was mistress of the CuyuniMazaruni basin. Proposal in 1750 to establish a trad In 1750 the acting Dutch Governor in speaking of the Spanish missions deprecated the opening of the ing post. trade in cattle with them "unless a good post were established" on the route.* In 1754 or 1755 such a station was actually established at some place on the lower Cuyuni, possibly as high up as the mouth of the Quive-kuru creek. Its purpose was threefold: 1st, to foster trade with Indians and Spaniards; 2d, to capture new slaves, and *The aforesaid Persik has also informed me that the Fathers up in Orinoco were inclined to open a trade with this colony in cattle, which they, if able to obtain permission, could transport overland. If permission be asked and the Commandeur be still absent, I shall refuse it, until you shall be pleased to frame the necessary orders thereon, which I hereby request. On the one hand, this would contribute very much to the encouragement and stimulation of trade, but on the other hand it would be a safe and open way (not to mention times of war) for the slaves who might come to run away from this colony, unless a good post were established thereon. On account of the consequences, I have thought it best simply to mention this to you, that you may be pleased to deliberate thereon in your high wisdom as you may deem most proper, trusting that, as the Commandeur in person is with you, he will doubtless have spoken thereof also. [U. S. Commission, Report, ii, 335.] Purpose of the post. post. Purpose of the intercept runaways; and 3d, to keep an eye upon Span ish movements in that quarter.* When its purposes became known to the Spaniards, in 1758, they quickly descended from the savannas, made prisoners of the few persons whom they found, and laid waste everything about the post.† No attempt was made by the Dutch to re-establish the post, and their remonstrances upon the subject remained unheeded by the Spaniards.‡ The importance of some post in the Cuyuni for the prevention of smuggling and for intercepting runaway slaves became each year more urgent.§ In 1763 the Having had the honour of writing to your Lordships but a short time ago respecting the state of affairs in Essequibo, I should have very little to say in this letter were I not obliged to inform your Lordships at the earliest opportunity of an occurrence that caused me not only great surprise but also great embarrassment. Nearly all the Caraiban Indians living on the River Cuyuni came down the stream last week, and informed the creoles of your Lordships' living just below the great fall of that river that the Spaniards of Orinoco, according to their computation about 100 strong, had come down the stream, and made a successful raid upon your Lordships' Post; that they had carried off as prisoners the Post-holder and his assistant, and a creole belonging to your Lordships, together with his wife and children; that they had laid waste the Post and all round it, and had threatened to come down stream again and serve the whole Colony in the same way. [Appendix to Case, ii, 125.] The destroyed post was not at once restored. Both the colonial authorities and the West India Company hoped that the Spanish Government would make reparation for the act of violence. But they waited in vain. [U. S. Commission Report, i, 336-337.] The extract from the map of Mr. D'Anville, enriched by you with indication of the post in question and of many other places, and transmitted with your letter of March 18th, pleases us exceedingly. We shall not fail, when opportunity offers, to make the necessary use of it in the affair of Rio Cuyuni, of which we are by no means losing sight. [Appendix to Case, ii, 146.] Concerning the affairs of Cuyuni we shall in the near future present a further memorial to the States-General. [Appendix to Case, ii, 147.] Up to this time not the least answer has been received from the Court of Madrid to the memorial about Cuyuni presented by us to the States-General. In view of this, it is our intention to present one of these days a further memorial upon that subject to the States-General, with addition of what has happened since, and especially of the matter of the colonist I. Dudonjon. This further memorial will probably now be of more influence and effect, because of the war with England. [Ap pendix to Case, ii, 149.] The Cuyuni was now, however, too familiar a route to be left open ed. Dutch Governor suggested to the Company that quietly Some post requirand "without exercising the least violence," possession should be again taken of the post in Cuyuni.* This suggestion was approved.† In 1766 a new post with three, soon after reduced to two, and finally to a single man, was established on the Cuyuni, probably at a different site from the post of 1758, but certainly not above Tokoro island. Cuyuni trading post of 1766. The Dutch were, however, too weak, and the Span- dona and post iards too strong for this post to continue. In 1769 it moved down in with impunity. A rascally colonist went up the river and misused the Indians under pretence of authority. Spaniards or Spanish Indians repeatedly came all the way down to the Dutch plantations. The Caribs, in dismay, were all withdrawing to the Essequibo. Smugglers availed themselves of this door. Runaway slaves found the river an open road; they even began establishing themselves there. [U. S. Commission, Report, i, 337.] "I could greatly wish that your further memorial to the StatesGeneral might finally have the desired effect, and that an end might be reached of that matter, for which I very much long. But could you not find it good that meanwhile, without use of the least violence, possession should be again taken of the post in Cuyuni?" [U. S. Commission, Report, i, 337-338, note 10.] U. S. Commission, Report, i, 338. As early as March, 1767, there was a rumor that the post had been sacked by the Spaniards. This proved a false alarm; but Spanish influence over the Indians was such that they would do nothing for the postholder, and even passed the post in their canoes in defiance of his summons to lie to for inspection. In September there was again rumor that the post had been raided. This was again an error; but the governor a few weeks later declared to the militia officers of the colony that there were no Indians left there, and that the new postholder could scarcely maintain himself. In December the postholder, who had suffered much there from illness, asked on this pretext to be relieved; and in February, 1768, on the ground that the Indians would have nothing to do with a Frenchman, he was allowed to withdraw, and was stationed elsewhere. His place was never filled, nor were soldiers found for the post; the two byliers alone remained there, the elder in charge. [U. S. Commission Report, i, 339.] I am anxious [writes Gravesande, March 23, 1767,] to have some tidings from Cajoeny, because I received a note from Director Van der Heyde yesterday in which he informs me that the creole, Tampoko, had been to see his son at Old Duynenburg, and had reported that he had heard from a few Indians that a party of Indians had been sent by the Spanish Mission to make a raid upon the Post, and had completely sacked it, and that he was going to find out how true that was. That Post is a terrible eyesore to the Spaniards, and there is no doubt that it stands in the way of their attaining some important aims. As soon as I 1769. |