The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-21
NEGROES or suRINAM.
They Have Their Republic In south
American Forests.

They Have Their Republic in south
American Forests.
Surlnam Gold Fields.
Among the inhabitants OF Surinam not
the least interesting are the bush negroes
or, as the Surinam Dutch call them,
bosch negroes. These negroes are the
descendants of the maroons or runaway
slaves of the old time. They live In the
woods Of the interior, and may be said to
be the agriculturists OF the colony. The
first migration to the woods by these me-
groes was made in 1863. In that year the
Portuguese Jews OF the Surinam valley.
when the tax gatherers came around. sent
their negro slaves into the woods to avoid
paying taxes for them. expecting that,
after the departure OF the revenue agents
the NEGROES would return, But they did
not. They remained In the forest, estab-
hshed themselves there, and received con-
slant accessions to their numbers from the
runaway slaves OF the settlements and the
neighborng Islands, After the emancipa-
ton act Of 1868, they received large ac-
cesslona from the negro population OF
barbauoes. Thsy have had many conflicts
with the government OF the colony during
their history. in the assertion OF their
freedom and Independence. and have al
ways maintained both. One OF their great
leaders was the famous Boni, who In l77e
ieu MS bands up to the very walls of
Paramaribo. They have had INDEPENDENT
republics and have generally held them
serves to be independent of the colonial
laws They are. however, a peaeeah,e
psople, mild and--inlike the aborigines-
temperate. They cultivate rice and other
products. which they dsposs OF 10 The
coionists- They are also the wood cut
lers OF the colony, and convey by the
rivers, streams and canals the products az
,ns forests 70 Paramarlbo. They are airiy
INDUSTRIOUS; they have no religion. their
only object Of worship being the ceiha or
cotton tree, which Is sometimes found ris-
ING IN majestic and solitary grandeur In
the clearings. having been spared by tho
AK because OF the veneration In which n
Is held. Offerings OF fowls. vans and
uianioc are often found beneath the ceiba.
ene propitiatory gifts OF the bushmen. The
Moravlan missionaries have labored hard
oIinE the push negroes into the fold
OF Christianity, but without success.
large proportion OF tho population 4.
composed OF coolies hill coolies from the
niii lands oil India, south Of the great bend
VI the River Gangcs. and coolies from Jaws
ana China. The coolies were Introduced
AFTER the emancipation OF the slaves. TO take
IN, me place Of the latter on the nlantntloas
me British were the first TO Introduce this
element OF labor, their own slaves havlng
been emaneipated in 1913 When the eman
otpahon went into effect In Surinam. ana
tne plantation negroes declined to longer
perform tho labor which was compulsory
upon tnem IN slavery, II became necessarv
% look for labor elsewhere, The british
indian authorities required such guarantees
before permitting tho coolies 10 leave india
tnat only the richest planters could afford
% secure this kind Of help. The poorest
. psantrs VINO had not abandoned their plan
ssuons turned to the Dutch colonies OF tho
facinc for rrlief in their extremity and
succeeded IN importing number Of lava.
nese coolies, Who now form an element of
ne population Of the conoly. Later, larger
eumners OF Indian coolies and Chinese we're
orouRnt ". also Arabs. natives OF AMMAN
me even nsgroes from the Senexal. The
cp,'es, w'thnnt exception. are Industrious
ena wlliihp 70 work. The labor on the ~.
y a1t eofise plautations Il mainly per-
az ~ 1hs9. bat they are found IN
I Az q aept = tndustfy. many o. them