Narrative of Five Years Expedition Against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam: Transcribed for the First Time From the Original 1790 Manuscript

by John Gabriel Stedman, Richard Price (Editor), Sally Price (Editor)

Overview

When John Gabriel Stedman’s Narrative of Five Years Expedition was first published in 1796—a bowdlerized edition “full of lies and nonsense”—Stedman claimed to have burned two thousand copies. It nevertheless became an immediate popular success. A first-hand account of an eighteenth-century slave society, including graphic accounts of the worlds of both masters and slaves, it also contained vivid descriptions of exotic plants and animals, of military campaigns, and of romantic adventures. Illustrated by William Blake, Francesco Bartolozzi, and others, Stedman’s work was quickly translated into a half-dozen languages and was eventually published in over twenty-five different editions.
 
The Prices’ acclaimed critical edition is based on Stedman’s original, handwritten manuscript, which offers a portrait at considerable variance with the 1796 classic. The unexpurgated text, presented here with extensive notes and commentary, constitutes one of the richest and most evocative accounts ever written of a flourishing slave society. The Prices restore early omissions involving Stedman’s horror at the Dutch planters’ use of casual torture to discipline their slaves; his love and admiration for Joanna, his mulatto mistress; his strong belief in racial equality; and his outrage that “in 20 Years two millions of People are murdered to Provide us with Coffee & Sugar.” Freed from its original publisher’s censorship, Stedman’s Narrative stands as one of the strongest indictments ever to appear against New World slavery.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504028943
Publisher:	Open Road Distribution
Publication date:	01/12/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	808
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

John Gabriel Stedman (1744–1797), Scottish soldier and adventurer, fought against rebel slaves in Suriname, had a famous romance with the slave Joanna, and authored one of the most important books ever written about a slave society. Richard and Sally Price have been conducting research about Suriname since the 1960s and have written a number of prize-winning books about the region.

Read an Excerpt

Narrative of a Five Years Expedition Against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam

Transcribed for the First Time from the Original 1790 Manuscript

---

By Richard Price, Sally Price

OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

Copyright © 1988 Richard Price & Sally Price
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5040-2894-3

---

CHAPTER 1

Insurrection amongst the Negroes in Dutch Guiana — An Expedition sets out from the Texel — Short account of the Voyage — The Fleet arrives in the River Surinam — Reception of the Troops — Sketch of the Inhabitants &c

The exploring of Foreign Countries having of late so much taken up the attention of the publick & with so much success, particularly since the first discoveries of the immortal CaptnCook, besides which thinking that the Colony of Surinam in Dutch Guiana was not as yet perfectly known to this Kingdom, not to mention the pressure of my Friends–were the Principal Motives that induc'd me to throw in my mite & not my abilities as an Author, neyther as a painter, never having been teach'd the art of Drawing–thus but little brillancy can be expected from eyther my pen or my pencil–

No Art without a Genius will prevail,
And parts without the help of Art will Fail
But both ingredients jointly must unite
To make the happy Character Compleat.

Then let Truth, Simple Truth alone be my Apology–more so since in the Army & Navy ought ever to be met with the Fewest Compliments but the greatest sincerity — this Stamps the Gentleman — & thus without Further Circumlocution I come to the point by boldly setting out on the Subject —

A most dangerous Revolt having broke out in the Colony of Surinam amongst the negro–slaves who were Arm'd & assembled in the woods threat'ning immediate destruction to that settlement, determin'd the states of the united Provinces to send out a fresh Corps of 500 Volunteers in 1772 to act Conjuntly with the troops already there, in Quelling the Insurrection & preventing a general massacre — at this time I was Lieutenant in the Honble Genl Stuarts Regiment of the Scots Bregade in the Service of Holland when impress'd by the Prospect of Preferment usually annext to so Hazardous a Service & in the hopes of Gratifying my Curiosity in exploring a Country so Little known–I offered myself to be one of the party–& had the honour to be Accepted by his Serene Highness the prince of Orange who immediately advanc'd me to the rank of Captn by Brevet in the new Corps intended for the expedition under Col: Fourgeoud a Swis Gentleman from Geneva near the Alpin mountains, who was invested with the supreme Authority & Appointed to be our Commander in Chief —

Having taken the Oaths of Fidelity on the 12th of Novr provided myself with a Case of Pistols & otherwise prepard for the Voyage I took my last Farewell from my old Regt & other Friends & repair'd to the Island of Texel where many of the Troops were already assembled to be put on board–& where in rowing ashore I had nearly perish'd by the Boats sinking in the surff in company with one Campbell & one Macdonald two young officers — The Island of Weeringen was however the general Spot of Rendezvous and here our Commander in Chief arriv'd on Decr 7th when he was Saluted by 3 Cheers from the whole Corps in General — Three Transport Ships lay in the Texel Roads to receive us on board & on the 8th of Decr the troops being form'd into Companys & Created to a Regt of marines, were embark'd & only waited for the first fair wind to set sail to South America — At our Embarcation we were Saluted with 7 Guns from each Ship in particular, which Compliment was again return'd by 3 Cheers from the Soldiers my station being with Colonel Fourgeoud —

We lay wind bound in the Roads for Several days during which time a Mr Hesseling one of our officers most unluckily was Seiz'd with the Small–Pox which might have infected the whole Ships Company, and to prevent which he was hoisted over board, and ordered a Shore on a place call'd the Helder, w[h]ere I accompanied him in an open boat, and where his Malady encreasing he was left behind when the fleet sailed for Surinam —

At my returning on board the Surgeon declared that he saw the Symtoms of the same disorder on myself and I was next ordered a Shoare on the Island of Texel. there I past my Quarantine between hope and fear the best I could However the Surgeon proved to be mistaken, and after much uneasiness of mind, I got once more on board in perfect Health and Spirits Just before the Signal Gun was fired for the fleet to weigh Anchor–which circumstance cannot but induce me to advise those destined to a Naval or Military Life to avail themselves of the Art of innoculation in order to avoid a painful Anxiety to themselves and a most dangerous Infection to their fellow Creatures —

Dec. 24th–at Eight OClock in the morning with a fresh breese from E.N.E and the most beautiful Weather, our small fleet put to Sea in Company with above a hundred other Vessels, bound for different parts of the Globe, and under Convoy of the westellingwerf and Boreus Men of War — how applicable the following lines?

This day a Day in Days of Yore
Our fathers never saw before
This Day a Day tis ten to one
Their Sons shall never see again —

The three Transports were new frigate built Ships each carrying Flag Jack and Pendant by order of his Serene Highness, and from 10 to 16 Guns while the Officers kept wach on the Quarter Deck and did Duty as is usual in the Navy

Having safely got without the Soundings–we Saluted the Men of War once more with 9 Guns from each vessel, which Compliment was the last time returned with an equal Number And we kept Course down Channel while at Sea our fleet though small made a very Splendid Appearance —

— Sic transit Gloria Mundi —

The 4 first Days we passed Northforeland the Isle of Wight and Portland point where the westerlingwerf Convoy being spring aleak left us and ran into Plymouth for Repair —

The wind now freshened as we came near the Bay of Biscay where the Mate of the Vessel made me take particular Notice of a kind of Sea Swallow, which is commonly known by the name of the Storm Bird, as it is supposed to give Seamen Notice of an approaching Tempest — This Bird is of a very deep blew Colour and approaching to black with some variegated tinges throughout — The Size may be near that of a large Martin or Swallow with the feet of a Duck the toes being joined by a Membrane and the Wings of a most extraordinary Length with which it flies Swifter and longer than any bird existing, Skimming with an incredible velocity round the Horison — Its bill is long, and Sharp pointed, and it lives entirely upon fish. The cause of this Birds giving Notice of an approaching Storm is not from its instinct of Philanthaophry towards Man as some have foolishly been pleased to assert, but its flying before the Tempest proceeds only from the more natural instinct of its hastening to avoid it. If the wind blows very high it is never upon the wing but thus overtaken floats on the Surface of the waves —

The next day being January 2nd 1773 we had as was expected a very hard gale of Wind at N.N.E. with double reefed topsails and haches lay'd fore and aft which made the poor Soldiers very seek — Off Cape Finister we lost sight of the Boreas Man of war, and of the vigilence transport who had both parted Company with us during the Gale. Thus remaining but 2 Vessells out of five and being now without any Convoy we prepared the Ships for defence against the rude African pirates should any of them chance to fall in with us —

January 4th A Stout Ship cast up to windward in the offing which Bearing strait down upon us we took to be an Algerine Cruiser but which proved to be the Boreas Man a war who joined us in a little time thereafter. From this date the Men were daily exercised by Shooting with Marbles at a Mark /from the Quarterdeck/ which was suspended to the yards arm the best Marksmen being encouraged by a dram of Brandy —

The 14th in the Morning Watch we past the Tropicks where the usual Ceremony of Ducking was ransom'd for tipping the Sailors with some Silver in an old Shoe that was nailed to the Mast for the purpose. About this time the Convoy most unluckily lost one of her best Seamen, the Boatswains Mate, who by his too great intrepidity pitched from the fore yards arm in the waves — his presence of mind in calling to the Captain, be not alarmed for me Sir, in the certain Hopes of meeting with relief attracted peculiar Compassion since no Assistance of any kind was offered to him in Consequence of which after Swimming a Considerable time within view, the Misfortunate Young Man went to the Bottom —

We now were got into the Trade Winds, which blow perpetually East and differ with the monsoons in these last being only periodical —

There we saw several Dolphins which make a beautiful appearance in the water, and seem to take pleasure in following the Ships — The Dolphin of the ancients which is of the Grampus kind, and who has been so much the predilection of the Poets on account of its Philanthrophy &c is found by the Moderns to possess the very reverse Qualifications, being exceedingly destructive, and voracious, while those Bounds and Gambols which it makes near the Ships in place of giving pleasure, are looked on by the Mariners as a prediction of approaching bad weather — What in my Opinion alone makes the modern Dolphin or Dorado /which is supposed to be of the same species/ so much attract our Attention is the unrivaled and dazzling brilliancy of its Colours in the Sea–its back being all along like enamelled with Spots between azure blue and a reflecting light Sea green, which Shine conspicuously on a dark Ground, and make the fish appear as bespangled with the richest jewels, while the belley is of a lightish and the fins and Tail of a beautiful Golden die — Its length is from 5 to 6 feet, and of a slender tapering make from the head towards the Tail, which projects with two large horns — and something in the form of a Cresent, the Head juts out with a lengthened kind of Snout — The Jaws of which are armed with Small Teeth — its eyes are large and Scales exceedingly small, while one remarkable fin runs over its back from the one extremity to the other —

The Weather here became from day to day more warm which made it very Comfortable while I generally spent my time Mast High above my Shipmates by reading a Book for amusement in the round tops, or hawling a Rope for exercise and whose Company in the Cabbin could not be very desirous owing to Sea Sickness, and other complaints being most of them fresh water Sailors, one or two who had belonged to the navy excepted, and a few of those gallant Officers who helped to Quell the negro insurrection in the Colony of Berbice in 1763 of which Colonel Fourgeoud was one — so little were they used to being on board that a Lieutenant Du Moulin was thrown over the Ships gunnel by a roll of the vessel and must inevitably been drown'd, had I not grasped him in the fall as I chanced to stand without board upon the main chain Wails — Here one of our Officers made an Experiment on the pressure of water by sinking a well corked Bottle several fathoms deep, fixed to a Line with a Lead, when either the Cork is forced into the bottle or the bottle itself broke to pieces.

I here made also a most Salutary Remark which however trifling and insignificant it may appear to many must be of the greatest Consequence to Sailors,-viz-that in the Cloaths, Bedding, or Linnens of the Seamen no vermin can exist in hot Climates, while yet at the same time they Continue on the Head, at least such we experienced it in our vessel to the great Consolation of the Ships Company besides which it was attested to be usual by one or two oldpeople of the crew —

Here the Sea Swarms with an Animal that seems to Sail on the Surface of the Water with a side wind, and is vulgarly called by the Seamen a Portuguee manowar, whether this is the Nautilus, or the Argonauta of Linnoeus I am not naturalist sufficient justly to determine thus shall content myself with saying that this Animal appears above water like a Ladies fan expanded with a beautiful red border the lower extremity of which is fixed in a thin Shell by the way of a boat, which it sinks, rises to the Surface, and guides to and fro at discretion by means of 6 Tentacula or limbs that are used by the Animal like oars — I shall only add that when those animals are touched by the Hand they occasion a very painful tingling which continues for some time —

The 18th it blew very fresh, and heavy Seas washed over the vessel — in helping this day to reef the Main top sail for amusement I had the Misfortune to loose my bunch with all my Keys which dropped into the Sea from the yard arm as I threw my foot over the braces; and which trifling accident I should not relate had it not proved to me an insurmountable inconvenience during the rest of the voyage since I could come at nothing of my own private property — And the more so while the whole Ships Company Officers included lived on salt provisions alone, a pig and a couple of lean Sheep excepted whose legs had been broke by the rolling and pitching of the vessel & which dinners were sometimes served up in the very Tubs employed by the Surgeons to void the filth of the Seek, while we must impute this abominable negligence to Monsieur Laurant Colonel Fourgeoud's French Valet de Chambre, and which delicacies I have often Supplied by a Salt-Herring slic'd up with Onions that I purchased from one of the foremast-Men and Converted In Salamagundy. This manner of living on Salt Beef, Pork, Peas, &c like the Common Sailors /whilst splash whent the Carion and plump went the Cabbages, and the water was no better than it ought to be/ was introduced by the Care of our prudent Commander in Chief who like a wise father of his People wished to make us accustomed to what we were to meet with when we should be encamped in the woods of Surinam Besides from a generous Intention of regaling the South American Inhabitants on European refreshments, such as live Sheep, Hogs, fowls, Ducks, Baconhams–harts-Tongues preserv'd-Greens, pickles, Spices &c all of which were on board in profusion and provided by the Town of Amsterdam

But good Intentions do not always meet with their Reward, since the worms, without any ones permission laid hold of the whole dead stock for themselves /what had Life only escaping their Rage/ who were for a punishment together with their plunder plunged overboard into the ocean

Another Inconveniency arose from this plan which was that Gentlemen not being altogether composed like foremast-Men severals began to give Symptoms of the Scurvy and even of another loathsome indisposition that shall be nameless However by patience flour of Brimstone and Butter I for one had the good fortune to weather those trifling Evils but the weakness of discontent still remained, Myself and one or two more dared to complain, we even dared to Sigh, and wish for better usage, my Sighs in particular reached the ears of the Commander in Chief, and I had ever after cause to repent of my presumption, our precious Souls were however not neglected, since prayers were every day read from the Quarter deck by a Corporal who acted as Chaplain, but who unluckily was since detected in Committing a Crime that will not bear to be mentioned

The 20th about this time we saw numbers of flying fish this animal the Exocoetus volitans of Linnaeus is about the Size of a Herring — its back is flat and of an olive brown Colour the Sides and Belly of a resplendent Silvery white the mouth Small the eyes large the tail bifurcated and the Scales hard, Smooth and Silvery the pectoral fins serve this fish at times for wings, yet no longer than whilst they are wet, when it drops back into the Sea. they are of a golden Colour at the upper Surfaces and beautifully variegated near the Edges with blue Spots, their length is as long as the Body, its flight which is occasioned by the Pursuits of the Dolphins, and other large fishes is always straight forward and generally of short duration till it redips its fins in the Sea. the throwing themselves so frequently on board vessels, and sticking in the Shrouds is not to avoid the danger of Sea Birds as some writers have been pleased to assert, but in my opinion simply because they are obstructed in their flight by an Object which probably they can neither see nor turn away from–I here only shall add that the flying fish is of different Species, is both the prey of the Scaly, and of the feather'd Creation–and that it often meets his doom in that Element to where it made application for its Safety —

(Continues...)

---

Excerpted from Narrative of a Five Years Expedition Against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam by Richard Price, Sally Price. Copyright © 1988 Richard Price & Sally Price. Excerpted by permission of OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---

Table of Contents

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments,
Introduction,
Stedman's 1790 "Narrative",
Editors' Notes to Stedman's "Narrative",
Appendix A: Flora and Fauna Identifications,
Appendix B: Sources for Literary Citations,
References Cited,

Editorial Reviews

The 1790 Narrative is mostly written in direct, earthy prose that evokes the emotional response of a young European captain to the naked breasts of ‘beautiful Negroe Maids,’ to the clouds of ravenous ‘muskitos,’ to the tremors of tropical fever, and to the delight of stripping off all his sweat-soaked clothing and diving daily into the cool depth of a Surinamese river.... After the passage of two centuries, we now have a superbly edited critical edition of the book Stedman actually wrote.” —David Brion Davis, New York Review of Books
 
“The editors have done their job brilliantly.” —Choice magazine

From the Publisher