DUTCH AMERICA, Containing SURINAM, on the Continent of SOUTH AMERICA AFTER the Portuguese had difpoffeffed the Dutch of Brafil in the manner we have feen; and after they had been entirely removed out of North America, they were obliged to confole themfelves with their rich poffeffions in the Eaft Indies, and to fit down content in the Weft with Surinam; a country once in the poffeffion of England, but of no great value whilft we had it, and which we ceded to them in exchange for New York; with two or three fmall and barren islands in the north fea, not far from the Spanish main. Dutch Guiana is fituated between five and feven degrees north lat. extending 100 miles along the coaft from the mouth of the river Oronoque, north, to the river Maroni, or French Guiana, fouth. The climate of this country is generally reckoned unwholefome; and a confiderable part of the coaft is low, and covered with water. The chief fettlement is at Surinam, a town built on a river of the fame name; and the Dutch have extended their plantations thirty leagues above the mouth of this river. This was one of the richest and most valuable colonies belonging to the United Provinces; but it is in a lefs profperous fituation than it was fome years fince, owing, among other caufes, to the wars of the fugitive negroes, whom the Dutch treated with great barbarity, and who are become fo numerous, having increased from year to year, that they have formed a kind of colony in the woods, which are almoft inacceffible, along the rivers of Surinam, Saramaca, and Copename, and are become very formidable enemies to their former mafters. Under the command of chiefs, whom they have elected among themselves, they have cultivated lands for their fubfiftence, and make frequent incurfions into the neighbouring plantations. The chief trade of Surinam confifts in fugar, a great deal of cotton, coffee of an excellent kind, tobacco, flax, fkins, and fome valuable dyeing drugs. They trade with the North American colonies, who bring hither horfes, live cattle, and provifions, and take home a large quantity of melaffes. Surinam was taken by the English in August 1799. Connected with Surinam, we fhall mention the two Dutch colonies of Demerary and Iffequibo on the Spanish main, which furrendered to the English in the year 1781, and were represented as a very valuable acquifition, which would produce more revenue to the crown than all the British Weft-India islands united. But the report was either not believed or flighted; for the colonies were left defenceless, and foon were retaken by a French frigate. In the prefent war, however, they again furrendered to the British arms, April 21, 1796. Dr. Bancroft obferves, that the inhabitants of Dutch Guiana are either whites, blacks, or the reddish-brown aboriginal natives of America. The promifcuous intercourse of these different people has likewife generated feveral intermediate cafts, whofe colours immutably depend on their degree of confanguinity to either whites, Indians, or negroes. These are divided into Mulattoes, Tercerones, Quarterones, and Quinterones, with feveral intermediate fubdivifions, proceeding from their retrograde intercourfe. There are fo great a number of birds, of various fpecies, and remarkable for the beauty of their plumage, in Guiana, that feveral perfons in this colony have employed themselves advantageoufly, with their flaves and dependents, in killing and prferving birds for the cabinets of naturalifts in different parts of Europe. The torporific eel is found in the rivers of Guiana, which, when touched either by the hand, or by a rod of iron, gold, filver, copper, or by a stick of fome particular kinds of heavy American wood, communicates a fhock perfectly resembling that of electricity. There are an immenfe number and variety of snakes in this country, which form one of its principal inconveniences. A fnake was killed fome years fince, on a plantation which had belonged to Peter Amyatt, efq. which was upwards of thirty-three feet in length, and in the largest place near the middle three feet in circumference. It had a broad head, large prominent eyes, and a very wide mouth, in which was a double row of teeth. Among the animals of Dutch Guiana is the Laubba, which is peculiar to this country. It is a small amphibious creature, about the fize of a pig four months old, covered with fine short hair; and its fleth, by the Europeans who refide here, is preferred to all other kinds of meat. DUTCH ISLANDS IN AMERICA. ST. EUSTATIUS, SITUATED in 17° 29′ N. lat. 63° 10. Nophers, 10′ W. long OR EUSTATIA. and three leagues north-weft of St. Chriftopher's, is only a mountain, about twenty-nine miles in compafs, rifing out of the fea like a pyramid, and almoft round. But though fo fmall, and inconveniently laid out by nature, the induftry of the Dutch has made it to turn to very good account, and it is faid to contain 5000 whites and 15,000 negroes. The fides of the mountain are difpofed in very pretty fettlements; but they have neither fprings nor rivers. They raise here fugar and tobacco; and this ifland, as well as Curaffou, is engaged in the Spanish contraband trade, for which, however, it is not fo well fituated; and it has drawn the fame advantage from its conftant neutrality. But when hoftilities were commenced by Great Britain against Holland, admiral Rodney was fent with a confiderable land and fea force against St. Euftatius, which, being incapable of any defence, furrendered at difcretion on the 3d of February, 1781. The private property of the inhabitants was confifcated, with a degree of rigour very uncommon among civilifed nations, and very inconfiftent with the humanity and generofity by which the English nation were formerly characterised. The reafon affigned was, that the inhabitants of St. Euftatius had affifted the revolted colonies with naval and other ftores. But on the 27th of November, the fame year, St. Euftatius was retaken by the French, under the command of the marquis de Bouillé, though their force confifted of only three frigates and fome small craft, and about t 300 mėn. CURASSOU.] Situated in 12 degrees north lat. 9 or 10 leagues from the continent of Terra Firma, is 30 miles long and 10 broad. It seems as if it were fated, that the ingenuity and patience of the Hollanders fhould every where, both in Europe and America, be employed in fighting against an unfriendly nature; for this ifland is not only barren, and dependent upon the rains for water, but the harbour is naturally one of the worst in America; yet the Dutch have entirely remedied that defect; they have upon this harbour one of the largeft, and by far one of the most elegant and cleanly towns in the West Indies. The public buildings are numerous and handfome; the private houfes commodious; and the magazines large, convenient, and well filled. All kind of labour is here performed by engines; fome of them fo well contrived, that fhips are at once lifted into the dock. Though this island is naturally barren, the induftry of the Dutch has brought it to produce a confiderable quantity both of tobacco and fugar: it has, befides, good falt-works, for the produce of which there is a brisk demand from the English islands, and the colonies on the continent. But what renders this island of most advantage to the Dutch is the contraband trade which is carried on between the inhabitants and the Spaniards, and their harbour being the rendezvous to all nations in time of war. The Dutch fhips from Europe touch here for intelligence, or pilots, and then proceed to the Spanish coafts for trade, which they force with a ftrong hand, it being very difficult for the Spanish guarda-coftas to take thefe veffels; for they are not only ftout fhips, with a number of guns, but are manned with lage crews of chofen feamen, deeply interested in the fafety of the veffel and the fuccefs of the voyage. They have each á fhare in the cargo, of a value proportioned to the ftation of the owner, fupplied by the merchants upon credit, and at prime cost. This animates them with an uncommon courage, and they fight bravely, because every man fights in defence of his own property. Befides this, there is a conftant intercourse between this island and the Spanish continent. Curaffou has numerous warehouses, always full of the commodities of Europe and the Eaft Indies. Here are all forts of woollen and linen cloths, laces, filks, ribbands, iron utenfils, naval and military ftores, brandy, the fpices of the Moluccas, and the calicoes of India, white and painted. Hither the Dutch Weft-India, which is alfo their African, company annually bring three or four cargoes of flaves; and to this mart the Spaniards themfelves come in small veffels, and carry off not only the beft of the negroes, at a very high price, but great quantities of all the above forts of goods; and the feller has this advantage, that the refufe of warehoufes and mercers' fhops, with every thing that has grown unfafhionable and unfaleable in Europe, goes off here extremely well; every thing being fufficiently recommended by its being European. The Spaniards pay in gold and filver, coined or in bars, cacao, vanilla, Jefuit's bark, cochineal, and other valuable commodities. The trade of Curaffou, even in times of peace, is faid to be annually worth to the Dutch no lefs than 500,0001. but in the time of war the profit is ftill greater, for then it becomes the common emporium of the Weft Indies; it affords a retreat to fhips of all nations, and at the same time refufes none of them arms and ammunition. The intercourse with Spain being then interrupted, the Spanish colonies have fcarcely any other market from whence they can be well fupplied, either with flaves or goods. The French come hither to buy the beef, pork, corn, flour, and lumber, which the English bring from the continent of North America, or which is exported from Ireland; fo that, whether in peace or war, the trade of this ifland flourishes extremely." The trade of all the Dutch American fettlements was originally carried on by the Weft-India company alone: at prefent fuch fhips as go company, however, reserve to themselves the whole of what is carried on between Africa and the American islands. The other lands, Bonaire and Aruba, are inconfiderable in themfelves, and should be regarded as appendages to Curaffou, for which they are chiefly employed in raifing cattle and other provifions. The fmall islands of Saba and St. Martin's, fituated at no great diftance from St. Euftatia, hardly deserve to be mentioned: they were both captured by admiral Rodney and general Vaughan, at the time when St. Euftatia furrendered to the arms of Great Britain; but were afterwards retaken by the French. DANISH ISLANDS IN AMERICA. ST. THOMAS.] AN inconfiderable inland of the Caribbees, is fituate in 64 degrees weft long. and 18 north lat. about 15 miles in circumference, and has a fafe and commodious harbour. ST. CROIX, OR SANTA CRUZ.] Another small and unhealthy island, lying about five leagues eaft of St. Thomas, ten or twelve leagues in length, and three or four where it is broadeft. These islands, so long as they remained in the hands of the Danish Weft-India company, were ill managed, and of little consequence to the Danes; but that wife and benevolent prince the late king of Denmark bought up the company's ftock, and laid the trade open; and fince that time the island of St. Thomas has been fo greatly improved, that it is faid to produce upwards of 3000 hogfheads of fugar of 1000 weight each, and others of the Weft-India commodities in tolerable plenty. In time of war, privateers bring in their prizes here for fale; and a great many veffels trade from hence along the Spanish main, and return with money, in fpecie or bars, and valuable merchandise. As for Santa Cruz, from a perfect defert a few years fince, it is beginning to thrive very faft; feveral perfons from the English iflands, fome of them of very great wealth, have gone to fettle there, and have received very great encouragement. NEW DISCOVERIES. OUR knowledge of the globe has been confiderably augmented by the late discoveries of the Ruffians, and ftill more by those that have been made by British navigators in the prefent reign, which have been numerous and important; and of these discoveries we fhall therefore give a compendious account. NORTHERN ARCHIPELAGO. THIS confifts of feveral groups of iflands, which are fituated between the eastern coaft of Kamtfchatka and the western coast of the continent of America*. Mr. Muller divides these islands into four principal groups, the first two of which are styled the Aleutian islands. The first group, which is called by fome of the iflanders Safignan, comprehends, 1. Beering's Ifland; 2. Copper Ifland; 3. Otma; 4. Samyra, or Shemyia; 5. Anakta. The fecond group is called Khao, and comprifes eight iflands, viz. 1. Immak; 2. Kifka; 3. Tchetchia; 4. Ava; 5. Kavia; 6. Tfchangulek; 7. Ulagama; 8. Amtfchidga. The third general name is Negho, and comprehends the iflands known to the Ruffians under the name of Andréanoffiki Oftrova; fixteen of which are mentioned under the following names: 1. Amatkinak; 2. Ulak; 3. Unalga; 4. Navotfha; 5. Uliga; 6. Anagin; 7. Kagulak; 8. Illafk, or Illak; 9. Takavanga, upon which is a volcano; 10. Kanaga, which has alfo a volcano; 11. Leg; 12. Sketthuna; 13. Tagaloon; 14. Gorleoi; 15. Otchu; 16. Amla. The fourth group is called Kavalang, and comprehends fixteen iflands; which are called by the Ruffians Lyffic Oftrova, or the Fox Islands; and which are named, 1. Amuchta; 2. Tfchigama; 3. Tfchegula; 4. Uniftra; 5. Ulaga; 6. Tauagulana; 7. Kagamin; 8. Kigalga; 9. Skelmaga; 10. Umnak; 11. Agun Alathfka; 12. Unimma; 13. Uligan; 14. Anturo Leiffume; 15. Semidit; 16. Senagak. Some of these itlands are only inhabited occafionally, and for fome months in the year, and others are very thinly peopled; but others have a great number of inhabitants, who constantly refide in them. Copper Ifland receives its name from the copper which the fea throws up on its coafts. The inhabitants of these islands are in general of a fhort ftature, with ftrong and robuft limbs, but free and fupple. They have lank black hair and little beard, flattith faces and fair skins. They are for the moft part well made, and of ftrong constitutions, fuitable to the boisterous climate of their ifles. The inhabitants of the Aleutian ifles live upon the roots which grow wild, and fea animals. They do not employ themselves in catching fish, though the rivers * Mr. Coxe obferves, that "the first project for making difcoveries in that tempef tuous fea which lies between Kamtschatka and America was conceived and planned by Peter I." Voyages with that view were accordingly undertaken at the expenfe of the crown; but, when it was difcovered that the islands of that fea abounded with valuable furs, private merchants immediately engaged with ardour in fimilar expeditions; and, within a period of ten years, more important difcoveries were made by thefe individuals, at their own private coft, than had hitherto been effected by all the efforts of the crown. The inveftigation of useful knowledge has also been greatly encouraged by the late emprefs of Ruffia; and the moft diftant parts of her vaft dominions, and other countries and iflands, have been explored, at her expense, by perfons of abilities and learning; in confequence of which, confiderable difcoveries have |