No. 153. Münster (mentioned because you suggested this to us), nor in any other, is there to our knowledge anything to be found about this; the only thing we have discovered up to this time by our search, is a definite boundaryline made in the West Indies between New Netherland and New England in the year 1650, but nothing more or further. For which aforesaid reasons, it is therefore our opinion that one ought to proceed with all circumspection in defining the Company's territory and in disputing about its jurisdiction, in case this may have led to the aforesaid preparations of the Spaniards, and that it would be best in all befitting and amicable ways to guard against all estrangements and the hostile acts arising therefrom. Extract from letter from Christiaan Finett and Adolph von Roosen in Demerara to Frederick, King of Prussia, May 22, 1755. [Reprinted from Blue Book, No. 3, p. 147.] We beg most humbly to submit that we, the undersigned, did in the year 1754 go to the Rivers Wijne and Barima which lie at a latitude of eight degrees north, and did inspect the same, and found there an immense tract of good and fertile land which could be used for sugar, coffee, cocoa, rice and other plantations; which rivers have on the east the Hollanders to the River Essequibo, and on the west the river of Orinocque belonging to the Spanish crown. The River Barima is quite capable of being navigated by the largest vessels without danger; we therefore beg for the favour (since we, the undersigned, have ascertained that the said river belongs to Your Majesty) of being granted Your Majesty's commission, and if it pleased Your Majesty to order one of us two to come over, we are ready to obey such royal order immediately and to bring the map of that river with us. Extract from letter from Storm van's Gravesande, Director-General in Essequibo, to West India Company, May 31, 1755. [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 364-365.] All this notwithstanding, they [the Spaniards] will try to creep in No. 155. 1 softly, and, as far as possible, to approach us and hem us in. And it is certain that they now have taken complete possession of the creek Orawary, emptying into the Cuyuni, which indisputably is your territory. The Post located by order of the Council above in Cuyuni is situated not more than ten or twelve hours from the Spanish dwellings. Extract from letter from Storm van's Gravesande, Director-General in Essequibo, to West India Company, September 9, 1755. After the despatch of my last, the Postholder of Marocco has come, and has brought me a letter from a missionary Father written to him from Oronoque, wherein he has requested him to deliver up and send to him some Indians of the Chiama nation, by us called Shiamacotte, and who have already (over ten years) been dwelling under the Post, adding that, in case of reluctance, he would come with sufficient force to fetch them, and take them away in chains. The letter has appeared to me a very surprising one. Extracts from letter from Storm van's Gravesande, Director-General in Essequibo, to West India Company, June 27, 1757. In the matter of J. Knott's request my feelings were quite different from theirs (the Court of Policy), and since I was outvoted in this affair, I consider it my bounden duty to respectfully lay before your Lordships my views and the grounds upon which they are based. Your Lordships are pleased to say that the question of opening or not opening the River Pouwaron is bound up with the consideration of J. Knott's request. In reply to this, I beg to observe with all due deference that this does not appear to be so. Because it is a certainty and as clear as the light of Heaven that the opening of the Pouwaron would be most injurious to 1 Note by Prof. Burr.-Thus, and not "Iruwary" (as in the Blue Book), the name is clearly written, both in the Hague transcript and in the autograph original at London. No. 157. this river and to the Demerary. It is a matter and I say so with all respect that ought not to be thought of until Essequibo and Demerara are so thickly populated that not a foot of unappropriated land is to be found. * * * [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, p. 373.] [I regard] the river of Pomeroon as a district bringing no earthly profit to the Company; and I am, moreover, convinced that, if once we should be so fortunate as to have this river [Essequibo] and Demerara completely settled (which cannot be expected inside of fifty years, for a considerable number, possibly even more than 300 plantations, can still be laid out if some pains be taken), no one would then be kept from settling in Pomeroon by the fact that there is no bourewey wood left there. No. 158. Extract from letter from Storm van's Gravesande, Director-General in Essequibo, to West India Company, March 18, 1761. I am frequently coerced into taking a course which I really believe to be disadvantageous, and into which I am forced because I do not want to have seven-eighths of the Colony against me. This is the case with the order I gave last year to allow no more Spaniards to come up the river, for this measure really appears to me to be injurious to our interests. I have always imagined that it was best for our inhabitants to send few or no boats to Orinoco, and so compel the Spaniards to come here with their merchandise; in this way our people would not be exposed to the least danger, and the arrangement began to work very well. But the jealousy of those who had been accustomed to have that trade in their own hands caused many remarks to be made concerning the permission given the Spaniards, and brought me many remonstrances. Seeing that I took no notice of all this, and merely answered that the trade was free, and that it was only right that all the colonists should be able to profit by it, they brought things to such a pass that, just before the arrival of R. Robberts, a Petition was laid before the Court in the name of the colonists, asking, amongst other things, that the permission should be withdrawn from the Spaniards, and that they should be forbidden to come here. Finally, on the receipt of a despatch from Mr. Spoors in Demerary, which I have the honour to inclose, I was obliged to bring myself to No. 158. issue the desired orders, which still hold good. From that despatch your Lordships will see how Mr. Spoors is also deceived. The report of the negro (who was no doubt put up to this) contains a most evident falsehood. The Spaniards whom he accuses, and who had come here with a large quantity of tobacco, could not have got so far on their return journey, and it has also been ascertained that they were in reality still at the Honourable Company's Post at Maroco when the event occurred; and I am also informed on very good authority that the canoes were taken by an armed boat, commanded by Captain D. Flores, who was sent out expressly to catch the Surinama traders1 in Barima, and who captured everything that came in his way. Trade is now at an absolute standstill, because everything in Orinoco being in disorder, the Commandant having been summoned to Cumana to answer several charges brought against him, no boats dare to go to that place, and none being allowed to come here, the people who have always devoted themselves to this trade are left with their stocks in a state of great embarrassment. No. 159. Extracts from letter from Storm van 's Gravesande, Director-General in Essequibo, to West India Company, July 7, 1756. * [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 368–370.] As peace has not yet been made with the Accoways of Mazaruni and Essequibo, I am obliged to leave the garrison at the old fort, and cannot yet imagine how this matter will turn out. It is, however, of the extremest importance to this colony. I send you herewith a copy of the report of the bylier of the post Arinda up in Essequibo, who recently came down. This report, if one could firmly rely on it, gives much reason for anxiety. Please remember that, on the small map which I handed to his late Illustrions Highness [the Stadhouder] and to you, there are marked two or three places where, according to the report of a Jesuit Father, the Spaniards were establishing themselves, wherewith this report very well agrees. If this be true, we should be shut in by them in the same manner as the English in North America by the French forts of the Ohio, which would be of the very worst consequences to this colony, and must by all means be stopped, directly or indirectly. 1 Note by Prof. Burr.-For this word traders the Blue Book has pirates. *Note by Prof. Burr.-See atlas of the U. S. Commission, map 61, * No. 159. The colonist D. Couvreur, who has just now come from up in Mazaruni where he lives, has given me information which confirms the report of the bylier in Essequibo, saying that various Indians from above have retreated to his place; that between two and three days' journey above his plantation, which is equal to about 12 or at most 15 hours of travel, there live some whites who have there a great house and more than two hundred Indians with them, whom they make believe a lot of things and are able to keep under absolute command. He has proposed to me that, in the month of August, when the water at the falls is somewhat lower, he shall go himself with some other colonists and creoles of the Company and kidnap those whites and bring them here. This was very acceptable to me, as I know him to be a man capable of a daring deed; wherefore I have accepted this and shall in the next session of the Court submit this matter for consideration. [Inclosure in above.-J. Steyner, Bylier at Arinda post, to Gravesande, May 28, 1756.] Your Excellency, you still remember the rumors of those three Christians who are above in the savanna, now they have made themselves masters of the entire savanna: Your Excellency, I do not know what will come of this, they make themselves masters of all rivers, Your Excellency, I believe that they are Spanish folk, that they make themselves masters of all places, they come by way of Cuyuni. You must know that they have three fast places, one in Wenamu, a branch of Cuyuni, the second up in Mazaruni in Queribura, the third up in Siparuni at Mawakken, those places are all of them gruesomely strong. On May 3, they came to the Caribs' and began to clear gardens ; on May 17, they went with 10 corials to Demerara to dwell. Your Excellency, much though I ask them whence they come, they give me this answer, that they have arisen from the dead, and they say that as many more will come. No. 160. Extract from letter from Storm van's Gravesande, Director-General in Essequibo, to West India Company, February 15, 1757. * [Reprinted from U. S. Commission, Report, Vol. 2, pp. 372-373.] * * * * * Among the Accoways it remains quiet; we hear nothing more of them, but their chiefs have not yet come to me, so that we must still be on our guard. The complaints having often been reiterated by the Commandant of Orinoco concerning the evil conduct of the traders, or rovers, in Barima, both those from Surinam and those from here, I have written circum |