nspicuous exception: poor Berbice was actually taken over, and every
white man driven from the plantations.

The Dutch were noted nigger drivers, and although the English were
unable to boast much of their humanity, they stigmatised the Hollander
as a cruel master. If a negro was obstinate, the Englishman threatened
to sell him to a Dutchman or Jew, but the worst threat of all was to
give him to a free negro. Whether this bad character was deserved or not
is doubtful, but it is quite certain that the criminal law of the
Netherlands permitted "the question" when a prisoner would not admit his
guilt. This, however, was applicable to white as well as black, there
being no particular slave code in the Dutch colonies.

What was the immediate cause of the great rising of 1763, in Berbice,
was never exactly ascertained, but vague complaints were made of
ill-treatment by certain planters. It commenced on the 27th of February,
on an estate in the river Canje, and from thence spread like wildfire
over the whole colony. The population consisted of, besides the free
Indians, 346 whites, 244 Indian slaves, and about 4,000 negro slaves.
The garrison was supposed to consist of sixty soldiers besides officers,
distributed at several forts and posts, but owing to sickness only about
twenty were fit for duty when the rising took place.

An epidemic of fever and dysentery had prevailed for two years among
both whites and slaves, weakening the former in such a manner that they
had no courage to contend with the revolted negroes, but mostly ran away
to Fort Nassau when they heard of the rising. Almost out of their senses
from fright, they urged Governor Hoogenheim to abandon the fort and
colony at once. Only one of the councillors stood by the Governor, and
it was as much as these two could accomplish to prevent even the
soldiers from running away. As for moving against the rebels, this was
impossible, for not one of the colonists would follow Councillor
Abbinsetts in his attempt to do something. Their fright even affected
the officials and soldiers in such a manner that the Governor could
hardly escape their importunities to be allowed to leave.

Four vessels lay in the river, two merchant ships and two slavers, but
even their crews were sick, and the captain of one so utterly broken
down that he could not attend to his duties. The Governor tried to get
them to go up the river and do something, but they were almost as
frightened as the