Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-18
PIaccr.miatuE in surinam.
JH. Abbott IN Boston JournaLl


Psramaribo. the capital OF Surinam,
Dutch Guiana, has population OF some
%. 600 inhabitants, of whom 1900 are
whites, owning sugar and cocoa planta-
tons. There are some ten or fifteen
Americans. who devote their time to
plscer-mining, and our method Of carry
ing on the business is like tins We first
buy our boats-dugouts we call them
and | have seen these boats so large
that you could put three tons OF
provisions and ten to fourteen men
in one of them. After securing
the boats we then buy provisions enough
to last three months. engage our men, and
start up the river. working the boats al
day. and at night going ashore in some
bush niger" camp waiting for day
light. Some OF the rivers are very dill
calf to get up, rs there are bad rapids to
ascend, but after having once gotten up
the river as far as We wish TO go then
We take TO the shore, build q magazine,
a place TO store our PROVISIONS, and
begin to work our way overland At
last We reach our clam, build our camp.
and after that is completed commence TO
get provisions in from the river banks.
Not till then are we ready for the real
work First we put some of our men at
clearing land and some ut work getting
the sluice ready, these men being negroes
whose expenses do not amount to 81 per
day. They wear no clothing 10 speak Of,
and they are always happy when in the
mines. We work them from o'clock I'M
til Il. and then they go to camp, each
man TO cook for himself.
Now l will give YOU some idea OF what
has been done in that part OF the coun-
try. Out of one placer seven days
Journey from town, and worked without
an overseer for three years, they took
fity pounds Of gold per month. Out OF
another place they took from fifty
pounds to eighty pounds per MONTH
and this place was abandoned alter
having been only half worked. lmate
a visit to this place, washed some OF the
talhngs, and found them to be rich. But
when these men came to stumps and 0lg
boulders they would work around them,
as they are a lazy set if not looked after.
In fact, not ono half OF tue pay dirt
of TINS place has been washed. After
you strike high land it is impossible to
wash pan Of dirt and not see the color
of gold. have washed pans Of dirt on
the above-named place that will pay a.
high as 81 TO "a pan. and this was
creek that had been worked. Two young
Americans worked 4 place and made a
fortune from 1t IN two years. here Is
one man who went there without shy
money to speak Of, and to-day be IS the
richest man III the colony, not month
passing without his getting has seventy
to one hundred pounds. He employs
some forty to fifty negroes. Most OF the
planters own land, but 1t never has been
prospected. because they cannot engage
q foreman to look after the men.
am asked what the dangers OF the
country are. | must gay 1t is not the
healthiest country in the world. In the
city there is little sickness, but IN the
bush we have the malarial fever. Yet !
never saw as bad cases as have in this
country. There is plenty Of game 10 the
bush-deer, wlldh hog. tiger, slolh, ant
eater, monkey, baboon- and hundreds
Of different birds, and have killed some
very large snakes. But You will meet
with them more on the lowlands and on
the coast.