No. 82.

Extract from letter from West India Company (Zeeland Chamber) to Samuel Beekman, Commandeur in Essequibo, May 2, 1708.

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[Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 229-230.]

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And as for your proposal to lay in the river[s] of Moruca and Pomeroon a toll for the traders to Orinoco, namely, for every new canoe f. 3.., for a corial 1 florin and 10 stivers, for a red slave f. 6.., and for all articles which are weighed or measured five per cent., we can as yet give no positive answer thereto, but you should first inform us whether this can just now be properly and lawfully done,-furthermore, what that tax might be estimated to produce yearly to the company,—and, still further, what expenses would probably have to be made to lay and collect that toll there; when we have obtained this information, we shall submit it to the Board of Ten and send you their decision.

Extracts from Journal of the Secret Expedition to the Orinoco, March 18 to July 13, 1711.

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[Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 225, 227.]

9 ditto [i. e., April, 1711.]-Started again from there in the morning and came about noon into a creek named Mora and came in the evening into the river of Barima.

10 ditto. Started again from there and came in the evening to the mouth of that river.

14 ditto [i. e., June, 1711.]-Started from there and in the afternoon came into the river of Barima.

15 ditto.—Started from there in the morning at 3 o'clock and slept at an unknown shelter.

Extract from letter from Johan de Goijer, Governor in Surinam, to the Society of Surinam, March 31, 1712.

No whites are allowed to enter the Orinoco except with a pass. The

No. 84.

thing we have in view could be accomplished only under pretext of trading with the Indians, for which we would need the permission of the commander of the Orinoco. He was favorably inclined towards us, and if he had remained in command we might have expected everything from him; this was why Mollinay had orders to address himself to him. Now there is another commander, who is not willing to allow anyone there; but possibly this may change with time, and I shall therefore continue to exert myself elsewhere in order to attain our object.

No. 85.

Extract from letter from Pieter van der Heyden Resen, Commandeur in Essequibo, to West India Company, July 31, 1712.

[Reprinted from Blue Book, No. 3, p. 74.]

Concerning the 600 to 700 stoops of balsam (oil), of which I spoke in my former despatch that I would have in readiness with this same merchandize, I am obliged, to my vexation, to say that this past year not a single pound has been procured for the Noble Company, since they in Orinoco had all at once prohibited the traffic in it to the Hollanders, these changes having come to pass with the arrival of a new Governor at Trinidad, who, with this object, has caused several manned vessels to cruise in the River Orinoco, so as to confiscate and bring in as good prizes all Dutch vessels who should wish to come thither; that has forced me to put a stop to the journey, since of necessity I dared not hazard and put in danger on such like a journey the Company's cargoes, slaves, vessels, and other goods, the which I hope Y. N. will take well; yet some, however, have undertaken to send thither with small vessels, but at how great risk! But at the present moment the traffic is again free, so that shortly I shall send thither, as before, a proper vessel, and I think that next year I shall have about 600 stoops ready for the Noble Company.

Extracts from letter from Pieter de Blaake, Postholder in Wacupo, to the Commandeur in Essequibo, January 2, 1713.

[Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 236, 237.]

To you, very worshipful Commandeur Pieter van der Heide Riseere. I make known to you, that on 30 December, in the morning, at day

Note by Prof. Burr.-I. e. the old Commander.

No. 86.

break, about 25 hostile men, as well French as Spaniards, half-breeds and red nation, were received by me very affably at the house Wacupo under a delightful attackation; our force consisted in four men without more, to wit Pieter de Blacker, Jan van Stralen, Jan Vervis, and Aerens of Surinam, and three times delightfully repelled, through God's blessing and His strong arm who has faithfully delivered us in this great dis

Jan Patist they have touched at on 29 December in the mouth and chased even into Moruca and has above the savannas of Korey thus come to Wacupo on 1 January, and all my folk of the house whom I sent to the seaside they have taken away their corials and chased into the bush and chopped the boat to pieces.

Extract from letter from Pieter van der Heyden Resen, Commandeur in Essequibo, to West India Company, April 19, 1713.

In pursuance of your order, the prohibition concerning the tradingin of red slaves, annatto dye, and balsam copaiba, issued by me on 24 July of last year, shall provisionally be left standing, and be executed until I receive counter orders: although this causes great regret among the free, who have complained about this at various times, urging that they did not claim to trade within the territory of the Company, but asked only permission to do so on Spanish territory, such as Orinoco, Trinidad, etc.; which I refused them.

Extracts from letter from Pieter van der Heyden Rescn, Commandeur in Essequibo, to West India Company, May 31, 1713.

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[Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 239-240.]

What has been said about the annatto, might likewise be observed with respect to the copaiba trade- that is to say, when that trade exists; but for a considerable time it has not been possible to carry it on, because of some dislike which the Spaniards (on whose territory the copaiba is 1Note by Prof. Burr-I. e., doubtless, the mouth of the Pomeroon.

No. 88.

traded-in), have taken to our nation; they also have now been cruising after the Dutch boats which go thither; so that I have not dared to risk so greatly the Company's wares and other effects-all of which I have fully reported to the Chamber Zeeland in my letters of July 31, 1712, and April 19, 1713. Consequently, there is, as yet, no stock of it on hand.

But as to the copaiba oil, that, together with the trading-in of red Indian slaves, was prohibited by me to the inhabitants of this colony, in pursuance of orders from the Chamber Zeeland, so lately as on July 24 of last year, as can be more fully observed from the inclosed copy of my letter-upon this subject I wrote at much length to the Chamber at the time; therefore, it cannot be denied that copaiba was ere this sent from here to the Fatherland, because this trade has been permitted to be free, as it took place outside of the Company's district and was only carried on upon Spanish territory in the river Orinoco, where the inhabitants of the colonies Berbice and Surinam trade likewise; however, since the prohibition, no copaiba oil has to my knowledge been sent, and it shall remain prohibited until I receive counter orders. This is the only information about that matter which I am able to furnish to the Board of Ten.

Extracts from letter from West India Company (Zeeland Chamber) to Pieter van der Heyden Resen, Commandeur in Essequibo, May 14, 1714. [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 240-241.]

We leave it still most urgently recommended to you that you strictly maintain the prohibition of trade in red slaves, annatto dye, and balsam copaiba; for the Company desires as heretofore to keep that trade exclusively for itself, in order thereby in a measure to provide for the costs and heavy expense of keeping up that colony, and we can therefore give no heed to the complaints of the inhabitants.

And, as for their protestations that they are not going to trade within the territory of the Company, that is absurd indeed; for, although Orinoco, Trinidad, etc., is [sic] under the power of the Spaniards, still it also lies within the charter of the Company, where nobody has the right to trade except the Company and those to whom the Company gives permission to do so; so that it all is the territory of the Company, even though we have no forts there. And it is an untruth that an enactment was ever published making that trade free; but the contrary is clearly

No. 89.

enough to be seen in the resolution of the Board of Ten. This has therefore crept in there only through neglect; for which reason you are instructed, as above stated, to see closely to it that the Company suffer no injury herein.

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Memorial of the Free Settlers of the Colony of Essequibo to the Directors of the West India Company, (Zeeland Chamber), May 24, 1717. [Reprinted (with corrections) from Blue Book, No. 3, pp. 75-76.]

Pressing difficulties compel those who are distressed to look out for proper remedies in order to prevent them; in this condition the undersigned free settlers of the Colony Essequebo in America find themselves compelled to take the freedom to trouble your Noblenesses with the following representation, trusting that you will favourably consider the same, and will grant its requests.

It is now nearly five years since we have been prohibited by the Heer Commander Pieter van der Heijden, acting under the orders of Y. N. from trading, as well within as without this Colony in Red Indian slaves, balsam, &c.; through which prohibition we find ourselves deprived not only of the advantages the said business, however small, would have been able to bring to us, but further must see the profits, which were to be expected therefrom, accrue before our eyes to our neighbours, to wit, the colonists of Surinam and Berbice, and seeing that it has pleased Y. N. to make a prohibition of such a character to take effect, we trusted that it, through the serious recommendation of our aforesaid Heer Commandeur would have been suspended, so we take liberty, Y. N., simply and directly to show how little advantage it is for the Noble Company that the aforesaid prohibition continues to remain, how much prejudice we suffer therefrom, and how it favours the inhabitants of Surinam and Berbice, and also encourages them to push on the business more and more to their profit.

Your Noblenesses are well aware that it is permitted to those of the said colonies1 to traffic in everything they can get, nothing else is left for us than the bartering for Indian vessels, canoes, and corials, and occasionally some hammocks or cacao from the Spaniards in Orinoco; so that we are restricted in a river, which is outside the territory of the Noble Company, where the same has no more power than a private merchant, which is in the Spanish possession, and where the commonest person of our neighbours is allowed to carry on trade in anything that he pleases, as well as the Noble Company, without exception from what place they come. Y. N. are also aware (or at least we suppose so) that

1 For this word colonies the Blue Book has provinces.