Some of the episodes in this book first appeared – in a rather different form – in Wanderlust and the Daily Telegraph.
Finally, there’s my wife, Jayne, and daughter, Lucy. As before, Jayne has been a source of tireless inspiration and support, and Lucy has borne my long absence with great understanding and curiosity. My gratitude therefore comes, as always, with all my love.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustrations
itr.1 Sir Walter Raleigh
1.3 Slave girl after 200 lashes, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
2.2 Amerindian woman
3.2 Walton Hall, Yorkshire, from Waterton’s Wanderings in South America by Charles Waterton
4.2 Guianese slaves in 1773, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
5.2 A slave on the ‘Rack’, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
6.3 Paramaribo slaves in c. 1830, from an etching by Benoit
7.2 Surinamese 2½ dollar note, from the author’s collection
8.2 Stedman’s armoured barge, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
8.3 Devil’s Harbour, Cottica, Suriname, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
8.4 The plantation L’Espérance, Suriname, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
8.5 Killing a giant snake, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
9.3 A colonial stamp from French Guiana, from the author’s collection
Black and white plates
i1.1 Sir Walter Raleigh talking to Amerindians (from Walter De Bry’s Americae Pars VIII, Frankfurt, 1599)
i1.2 An Amerindian bowman, Karanambu, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.3 An Amerindian family at the turn of the twentieth century (author’s photograph)
i1.4 A Macushi farmer, near Surama, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.5 A giant otter, Karanambu, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.6 Sir Charles Waterton (The National Portrait Gallery)
i1.7 Diane McTurk, Karanambu, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.8 An overturned truck, Rupununi, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.9 Vaqueiros at Dadanawa ranch, Rupununi, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.10 Jaguar skins at Dadanawa ranch, Rupununi, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.11 The Rev Jim Jones
i1.12 The aftermath of the Jonestown massacre
i1.13 Jonestown; the site of the massacre today (author’s photograph)
i1.14 A Dutch planter circa 1770, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
i1.15 Fort Island, Essequibo, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.16 Fort Nassau, Berbice, from a Dutch print of 1682
i1.17 A Saramaccaner maroon by the Gran Rio, Suriname (author’s photograph)
i1.18 A cane worker, West Demerara, Guyana (author’s photograph)
i1.19 A Paramaccaner maroon, Marowijne River, Suriname (author’s photograph)
Colour plates
i2.1 Dutch sailing ship in Paramaribo, 2009 (author’s photograph)
i2.2 Captain John Stedman, among the rebels circa 1773, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
i2.3 The slave girl, Joanna, from Expedition to Surinam by John Stedman
i2.4 Dancers at the Snow Ball, Paramaribo, Suriname (author’s photograph)
i2.5 A Surinamese holding Stedman’s book (author’s photograph)
i2.6 The author at the tomb of Charles Godeffroy (author’s photograph)
i2.7 The Waterkant, Paramaribo (author’s photograph)
i2.8 Maroon women washing in the river, Awaradam, Suriname (author’s photograph)
i2.9 A Saramaccaner maroon holding a tapir’s skull (author’s photograph)
i2.10 Ronnie Brunswijk
i2.11 Desi Bouterse
i2.12 The Jungle Commandos
i2.13 The Camp de la Transportation, St-Laurent-du-Maroni (by Francis Lagrange)
i2.14 Inside the Camp de la Transportation, St-Laurent-du-Maroni (author’s photograph)
i2.15 Looking towards Devil’s Island from St-Joseph, Les Iles du Salut, French Guiana (author’s photograph)
i2.16 Captain Alfred Dreyfus
i2.17 The guillotine in action, from a contemporary French postcard
i2.18 The solitary confinement cells today, on St-Joseph (author’s photograph)
INDEX
Page references for illustrations are in italics
A
Accabre
Agiti Ondro
Akara
Albina, 8.1, 9.1
ALCOA
Alfonsdorp
Alkmaar
Allicock, Bradford
Allicock, Dango
Allicock, Fred
Allicock, Ovid
Allicock, Paula, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
Allicock, Pinky, 3.1, 3.2
Allicock, Sidney
Allicock, Sidney, Junior
Allicock, Velda
Allicock, Veronica
Aluku
Alukus. see Bonis
Amazon
Amos, Baroness
Amos, Linda, 1.1, 2.1
Andrews, Cyril
Annai
Apatou
Appun, Carl
Atorads
Atta, 5.1, 5.2
Attenborough, David, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1
Awaradam
B
Baganara
Bancroft, Dr Edward
anaconda
plantations, 4.1, 4.2
slave revolt 5.1, 5.2
water monkey, 3.1, 3.2
woorali, 3.1
Baratand
Barbakoeba Kreek
Bartica
Behn, Aphra
Bérac, Comte de
Berbice River, 5.1, 5.2
bauxite mining
Dageraad
De Velde
Fort Canje
Fort Nassau
Hollandia, 5.1
New Amsterdam
Peereboom, 5.1, 5.2
slave revolt, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3
Springlands
Bishop, Maurice
Blackstone, Sir William, 9.1, 9.2
Blake, William
Bobby
Bolingbroke, Henry, 4.1, 6.1
Berbice River, 5.1, 5.2
maroons, 6.1, 6.2
Reynestein estate, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Bonis, 6.1, 7.1
Guyane, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1
Maufrais
revolt, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Bonny, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Boston, Captain, 6.1, 6.2
Bottom Floor, 2.1, 2.2
Boucou, 7.1, 7.2
Bouterse, Desi, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, atw.1
December Murders
Hinterland War, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5
Braithwaite, Inspector
Brazil, itr.1, 3.1, 3.2, 8.1
Oiapoque
Brétigny, Sieur de
Bricko
British Guiana. see Guyana
Brunswijk, Ronnie (Ronbo), 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4
Burnham, Forbes, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1
and Jones, 2.1, 2.2
Rupununi revolt
Burro-Burro River, 3.1, 3.2
C
Cabanas
Cacao
Caine, Shakira
Canje River
Caramaca
The Caretaker, 4.1, 4.2
Carew, Bampfylde Moore
Cayenne
Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG)
Cesar, Captain, 4.1, 4.2
Charles, Jermaine ‘Skinny’
Charles, Kenwin
Charles, Mike, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
Charlottenberg
Charrière, Henri, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4
Clemenceau, Georges, 9.1, 9.2
Coermotibo River
Coffey, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3
Collot d’Herbois, Jean-Marie
Commewijne River, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Connel, Mr
Corentyne River
Cottica River, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6
Cabanas
Stedman, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4
Crijnssen, Abraham
D
Dadanawa, 3.1, 3.2
Dageraad
Davis, Hassoldt
de Berrio, Antonio
de Freitas, Sandy, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7
de Gersdorph, Baron, 7.1, 7.2
de Salve, Colonel, 5.1, 5.2
De Velde
Deböo
December murders, 8.1, atw.1
Demerara River, itr.1, 4.1, 4.2
Dutch
Wales
Devil’s Harbour, 8.1, 8.2
see also Cabanas
Devil’s Island, 9.1, 9.2
Dhoni, Ramdat
Jonestown
Timehi
Wales, 4.1, 4.2
Diable. see Devil’s Island
Dieudonne
Django, 8.1, 8.2
Dreyfus, Captain Alfred
Duke, Denise
Duke, Fitz, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Dum Diversas, itr.1
Duppe, Thomas, epl.1, epl.2
Durrell, Gerald, 3.1, 3.2
Dutch Guiana. see Suriname
E
Edgar
Edi, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4
Edwards, Colin, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2
El Dorado
Enterprise
Essequibo River, itr.1, 2.1, 4.1, 4.2
Baganara
Bartica
Dutch
Fort Island
Iwokrama
Kaieteur Falls
Lake Parima, 3.1, 3.2
Omai spill
Schomburgk
F
Farrier, Brother Matthias
Fauquemberg, 7.1, 7.2
Felisie, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5
Fey, Toon
Paramaribo, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3
Saramaccaners, 6.1, 6.2
Fineman
Fort Canje
Fort Island
Fort Nassau, 5.1, 5.2
Fort New Amsterdam, 7.1, 7.2
Fort New Guinea
Fort Zeelandia, 7.1, 8.1
Forte, Gordon
Fourgeoud, Colonel, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Fredericksdorp
French Guiana. see Guyane
Freud, Sigmund
Fridge, 5.1, 5.2
G
Gale, Jimmy
Gandhi, Mahatma
Garage Ivan, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3
George, Mr, 4.1, 4.2
George, Caroline
George, David, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
George, Gabriella
George, Philip
Georgetown, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5
Camp Street jail
Cara Lodge Hotel, 1.1, 1.2
Castellani House
churches
Coffey’s statue
fires
housing schemes
Lorlene James, 1.1, 1.2
Pegasus Hotel, 1.1, 1.2
People’s Temple
Red House
riots
slavery
Stabroek Market
The Tower
Townies
trials
violence, 1.1, 1.2
water, 1.1
Godeffroy, Mrs, 8.1, 8.2
Godeffroy, Charles, 8.1, 8.2
Godowata
Gorinsky, Cesar
Gorinsky, Pixie
Gowsary, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
Gran Rio
Grant, Bernie
Grant, Eddy, 1.1, 4.1
Gravesande, Laurens Storm van ’s, 4.1, 4.2
Green, Fr Hildebrand, 4.1, 4.2
Grimmond, Georgiana
Groot Marseille
Guerard, Albert
Guianas, itr.1, itr.2, 9.1
see also Brazil; Guyana; Guyane; Suriname; Venezuela
Gullit, Ruud, 6.1, 6.2
Guyana, itr.1, itr.2, 1.1, 4.1
Amerindians
Berbice River, 5.1, 5.2
Burnham, 1.1, 2.1
Essequibo River
Georgetown, 1.1, 1.2
independence
Indians
Jagan, 1.1, 2.1
Jonestown, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2
and Norway
plantations, 4.1, 4.2
Rupununi, 3.1, 3.2
slave revolt, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3
slavery
Working People’s Alliance
Guyane, itr.1, itr.2, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4
Bonis, 8.1, 8.2
Cayenne
Centre Spatial Guyanais
forest
Hmong
Iles du Salut
Kourou
Maripa Falls
Maufrais
Oyapok
penal colony, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3
roadblocks
Royale, 9.1, 9.2
slavery
St-Georges
St-Laurent-du-Maroni
H
Hagemëyer, Captain
Harkenroth, Secretary
Harlem
Hart, Ben
Hartsinck, J. J.
Hasselbaink, Jimmy Floyd
Hastings, Warren
Hattinga, Captain
Hayman, Robert, itr.1, epl.1, epl.2, epl.3
Hellman, Charles
Hendrik
Hinterland War, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 9.1
Hmong
Holland, Ashley, 3.1, 3.2
Hollandia
Hubert, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Hughes, Cathy
Hughes, Nigel
Humboldt, Alexander von, 3.1, 3.2
I
Iles du Salut, 9.1, 9.2
Devil’s Island, 9.1, 9.2
Royale, 9.1, 9.2
St-Joseph, 9.1, 9.2
Isaacs, Orvin
Isaacs, Oswald
Ivan, 2.1, 2.2
Garage Ivan, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3
Iwo
Iwokrama, 4.1
J
Jacobus, 8.1, 8.2
Jagan, Cheddi, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 4.1
Jagan, Janet, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, atw.1
Jagan, Joey, 1.1, 1.2
Jagger, Mick
James, Floyd, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
James, Lorlene, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, atw.1
and Burnham, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5
Camp Street jail
People’s Temple
Working People’s Alliance
Joanna, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Jones, Revd Jim, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5
Jonestown massacre, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Jonestown, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2
Jordan, Brother Paschal
Jupiter, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6
K
Kahn, Morton, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4
Kahn, Roger
Kaieteur Falls
Kaituma River
Kajana
Kanukus, 3.1, 3.2
Karanambu
Kaw, Archie
Kertzious, Colin, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3
Kertzious, Edmund
Kertzious, Gloria
Kertzious, Maylene
Keymis, Lawrence, 3.1, 3.2
Khaow Island, 4.1, 4.2
Kijk-over-al, 4.1, 4.2
Kilometre, 2.1, 4.1
Kingsley, Charles
Kluivert, Patrick
Knevett, William
Koopmans Kreek
Kourou
Centre Spatial Guyanais
Krause, Charles, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
Kurupakari
Kwintis
L
La Condamine, Charles Marie de
Lagrange, Francis, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4
Langatabbetje Island, 8.1, 8.2
Larsen, Henry
Lawson, Derek
Layton, Deborah, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, atw.1
Layton, Larry, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, atw.1
Lepper, Lieutenant
/> Lethem, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Lewis, Leona
Ley, John
Li, Mr, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Linden
Logolio
Loka Loka
Louis-Napoleon
M
Mabaruma, 2.1, 2.2
McLwraith, Ian
McTurk, Constance
McTurk, Diane, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
McTurk, Michael
McTurk, Tiny
Makushi, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1
Manari
Mann, Bonny
Manoa
Mansbridge, Lester, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6
Maripa Falls
Marowijne (Maroni) River, itr.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1
Albina
Bonis, 8.1, 8.2
Maufrais
Martínez de Albujar, Juan
Matawais
Maufrais, Raymond, 9.1, 9.2, epl.1
Mazaruni Penal Settlement
Mazuruni River
Melville, Amy
Melville, Don
Melville, Harry, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 5.1
Melville, John
Melville, Pauline
Melville, Shirley
Melville, Teddy, 3.1, 3.2
Mendes, Alex, 5.1, 5.2
Merian, Maria
Meten-Meer-Zorg
Milton, John
Moengo
Moiwana
Moore, Leon
Mora Camp
N
Naipaul, Shiva, itr.1, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
Naipaul, V. S.
Africans
Burnham
children, 1.1, 1.2
Lethem Hotel
Stedman
Suriname, 7.1, 8.1
N’Djukas, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2
Hinterland War
Kourou
New Amsterdam
New York
Nieuw Klarenbeek
Nieuw Nickerie
Nootje, Heer, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4
O
Oiapoque
Ok’ Kraimî
Okera, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1
Omai
Orinoco, 3.1, 3.2
Oucas, 6.1, 8.1
Oxford
Oyapok River, itr.1, 9.1, epl.1
Maripa Falls
Oiapoque
P
Pakaraima Mountains
Papillon, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4
Paramaccaners, 6.1, 8.1
Paramaribo, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2
Bouterse coup, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3
Fort New Amsterdam, 7.1, 7.2
Fort Zeelandia, 7.1, 8.1
maroons
nightlife
Snow Ball
Stedman, 7.1, 8.1
Parima, Lake
Park, Esther, 3.1, 3.2
Patamona
Paty de Clam, Major du, 9.1, 9.2
Peereboom, 5.1, 5.2
Penta, Karl
Phillips, Trevor
Pinckard, Dr, 1.1, 4.1, 4.2
Pingo, 6.1, 6.2
Wild Coast Page 40