No. 322. of them for the colony at their full value; this would greatly stimulate these people and make them vigilant. These boats would also greatly contribute towards protecting the post of Moruca and the Indians living there against molestation by the Spaniards from the Orinoco. Extract from Report of Commissioners W. A. Sirtema van Grovestins and W. The river of Essequibo is cultivated on the eastern side from Bourassiri to Bonnasigue, and on the western side from the Toeloekaboeka to the Supinaam Creek, being a distance of nine thousand six hundred rods. However, many more lands here could be brought under cultivation if the vicinity of the river Orinoco did not prevent it, for the Spaniards there sometimes come with armed boats, called lances [lanchas], as far as Moruca and by force carry away the Indians who dwell there, enslaving them, while on the other hand our negro slaves, when they run away, betake themselves to Orinoco, where they are proclaimed free. The colonies of Demerara and Essequibo therefore form a stretch of twenty-four [Dutch] miles along the coast of Guiana; and, if means could be found to facilitate the inland communication by appropriate canals issuing into the rivers, both for the transportation of products and for the drainage of the lands, this would increase incalculably the land fit for cultivation. [The Commissioners suggest the following garrisons:] side twenty-five men.. The fort Willem Fredrik.......... On Coerabane [creek] fifty men.. On Mahaica [creek] fifty men. 50 25 50 50 1 Note by Prof. Burr.-These were the Commissioners sent by the Dutch Government for thorough inquiry into the administration of the colonies by the West India Company; and the sequel was the assumption of the colonies by the State at the expiration of the Company's charter in 1792. Sirtema van Grovestins became the first Governor under the new régime. This transcript is made from the official original of the report, signed in autograph. There is also in the Archives another manuscript of it, a copy, marked 2013. 2 Note by Prof. Burr.-I. e., Bourassiri Creek. Note by Prof. Burr.-Bonasica Creek. 4 Note by Prof. Burr.-Doubtless for Toeloekaboera (Tulu cabura) Creek. It behooves here to say a word of the so-called Postholders. These are employees of the Company who dwell on the various frontiers in order to foster the good understanding with the Indians. Extracts from copy of proceedings of West India Company (the Ten) September 30, 1784, transmitted to the Commandeur and Court of Policy in Demerara. [Translated from pp. 34-35 of a record in the office of the Secretary of the Government, Georgetown, entitled Orders and Extracts from Minutes of West India Co, sent to Director-General and Court of Policy 1783-1791.]1 Means must be devised to get possession of some of the negroes who may have suffered most in Orinoco, and who have been there for some time, that they may inform their companions of these circumstances, and thereby discourage them by these means. For this purpose it would be necessary to make a fund (of about 10,000 florins), with the object of persuading some Spaniards of the lower classes to endeavor to procure some negroes like those already described, * * * and in order that by this means not to give to the Spaniards any opportuity of having much communication with our negroes in the Colony, it would be expedient to give orders to said Spaniards, who might have any negroes (like those before mentioned), to bring them to the post of Moroco, and there to deliver them to a person appointed for that purpose, giving them the price agreed. Letter from Louis Chollet, Colonist and Land-Surveyor in Essequibo, to West India Company (Amsterdam Chamber), 1791. [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 607-608.] Louis Chollet respectfully represents that he, the petitioner, for many years a resident of the colony of Essequibo and Demerara, has among other things applied himself there to the knowledge of the grounds and 1 For another translation of this document (from the original) see page 240. No. 325. lands which are situated under the jurisdiction of those colonies and might yet be brought under cultivation. That he especially studied the whole west seacoast, from Essequibo to the river of Pomeroon, and furthermore the river of Pomeroon itself, as being of a nature probably to surpass expectation when settlements and plantations are formed there. That he has circumstantially embodied all this in a Memorial which he, the petitioner, takes the liberty to inclose herewith, together with a map drawn up by himself, beginning at the creek of Mahaicony and ending with the boundary between the Spaniards and the colonies of the State, on which map the river of Pomeroon with the adjoining lands is also represented.1 And, inasmuch as he would greatly like to establish himself in the aforesaid river of Pomeroon and to lay out a plantation there, therefore he hereby takes the liberty to apply to the Company, requesting that he be granted in that river 500 acres of land, on such basis and in such way as Your Honors shall see fit; or, in case Your Honors have already, contrary to his belief, made dispositions concerning the lands in that river, in such case a grant of 500 acres on the seacoast west of that river. Wherewith, etc. LOUIS CHOLLET. No. 326. Extract from the secret proceedings of the Council of the Colonies of the State in the West Indies, January 4, 1793. [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 609–610.] Private instructions for J. W. A. Sirtema van Grovestins, GovernorGeneral of Essequibo, Demerara, and appurtenant rivers and districts. 24. He shall as soon as possible send in to the Council a circumstantial report of all the lands granted, adding to it an accurate list of lands not granted, and how the river Pomeroon can be turned to account? and how the interior lands? whether canals can be made thither, and how private individuals can be stimulated thereto; and, in general, everything that can in any way serve in making a system for future grants. 1 Note by Prof. Burr.-For a reproduction of what is, almost undoubtedly, a copy of this map, see atlas of the U. S. Commission, map 68. *Note by Prof. Burr.-With the close of the year 1791 the West India Company came to an end. Its colonies passed into the hands of the State, which, until November, 1795, administered them through a body called the "Council of the Colonies of the State in the West Indies." No. 327. Extracts from letter from W. A. Sirtema van Grovestins, Governor-General in Essequibo and Demerara, to the Council of the Colonies of the State in the West Indies, August 19, 1794. [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 612–627]. SIRS: I have the honor to send you, accompanying this letter, the journal kept of my voyage to the river of Pomeroon, to which are added a few considerations concerning the nature of the grounds, what will be needed for working them, and the advantages which may result therefrom to the mother-land. At the same time I have thought it might be useful to make a calculation, together with an estimate, of the sum to which will amount the cost of making a coffee plantation, beginning with a small force of ten negroes. Moreover, what heavy expenses must be incurred for making a sugar plantation. And, lastly, a calculation of what the expenses will be for making a cotton plantation, in the grounds that are fit for this, and how soon the planters can have a yield therefrom. And, the surveyor Louis Chollet having handed to me on the 1st July of this year a memorial concerning the aforesaid river and coast of Pomeroon, which was found by me to be exceedingly interesting, I could not but join it hereto likewise, and bring it before you for deliberation. This memorial, joined to my aforesaid journal, and the memorial of considerations which I have furnished to you with respect to the grounds along the eastern seacoast of Demerary, and moreover my various dispatches dealing with the regulations as to the granting of the grounds and with this matter generally, will, I trust, give sufficient information for formulating regulations to apply to the grounds in the river and coast of Pomeroon. However, if you should be pleased nevertheless to authorize me provisionally to frame such regulations, taking account of the local circumstances, I shall very gladly try to do so, the rather since very probably in course of time certain circumstances will show themselves which must give rise to some change, such as the local conditions will not fail to suggest. Proceeding now to the map of the aforesaid river and seacoast of Pomeroon, furnished berewith1, I beg leave to draw your attention to the fact that on it has been placed a canal which in course of time will have to be made from the seacoast to the river of Pomeroon, it being marked with the letters D D. between numbers 57 and 58. I have asked the surveyor Chollet to consider whether it would not be better to make a canal between numbers 75 and 76, but he answered saying that, if the canal were made between numbers 57 and 58, it would be much nearer and more conveniently situated for the inhabitants on the shore of Essequibo, and also for those on the islands situated there; furthermore, 1 Note by Prof. Burr.-For this map see atlas of the U. S. Commission, map 69. No. 327. that farther on than the creek Corial-path, the waves there are high and very dangerous as far as the mouth of the river of Pomeroon. You will please notice, furthermore, that on the map after every four plantations along the seacoast has been reserved a Company's path, which will have a width of ten rods, large enough for placing a post there, while several of these Company's paths can serve for draining off the forestwater. The batteries along the mouth of the river, marked with the letter aa, appear to me to be very well placed, and, as for the execution of this work, it will have to be entrusted to a skillful engineer. The reserved land from the point Cape Nassau to No. 98 along the seacoast, as also in front in the river, is exceedingly necessary to prevent the washing away of the grounds there. The town, marked on the map with the letter A. is very well placed, but it is easy to understand that it can only be inhabited by the officials of the country so long as that colony brings forth no products; but, as soon as this happens, doubtless sundry commercial houses will establish themselves there, and it will be possible to sell every concession at a high price. The aforesaid town will, according to the map, occupy 400 rods of front, and thus be amply large enough; for other matters concerning it I respectfully refer to my journal. Before proceeding to the various applications for grounds, I take the liberty to submit to you, as my opinion, that it would be of very great advantage if you reserved to yourselves the lands from the river Moruca up to the projected town, that is, from No. 1 to No. 19 inclusive. For the rest I must remark that, the river of Pomeroon once having been set going, there will appear various applicants desirous to obtain these concessions, and I am honestly convinced that within the space of five years planters will offer you for a concession there more than f. 10,000, the more so because of the great advantage of these lands, namely that, though on the mainland, they nevertheless get the benefit of the sea winds, and run no risk whatever of any washing away; * * * * * * * * W. A. S. VAN GROVESTINS. [INCLOSURE No. 1.] Journal of my visit to the river of Pomeroon; to which are joined sundry recommendations. On May 15, between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, I went on board the cutter of Mr. Blair, whereupon we set sail, Mr. Smeer, Captain in the Navy, going along at my request to make measurements at this opportunity of the coast and of the entrance of the river Pomeroon. And, in order more fruitfully to put my conclusions on paper, I gave orders to the two surveyors, Messrs. Chollet and van den Burght, to go with me. |