Outalissi; a Tale of Dutch Guiana

Advertisement by the Editor.

Courteous reader! a few years ago I had the honour, with three more, of leading the forlorn hope in an enterprise of almost desperate philanthropy in Dutch Guiana. My three companions successively fell victims to the pestilential climate; I only have survived the deadly service. Amongst the papers which fell into my hands upon the death of one of my companions was the manuscript from which the following pages are printed. On my first inspection I thought it was something of a private journal of what had happened to himself, but cannot, upon the most careful inquiry, find a single name of any person at Surinam corresponding with those mentioned in the narrative, and there is no such plantation as Anne's Grove in the colony. The rest of the locale seems to agree with the reality; but whether any thing of allegorical illustration was intended by the com-

[p. VIII]

pilation, or whether it is altogether a fiction of my friend's imagination, or whether (to use a favourite metaphor of the late Lord Ellenborough in libellifying publications) it consists of only a peg or two of truth whereon to suspend a profuse drapery of fiction, or a peg or two of fiction whereon to suspend a respectable drapery of truth, you are just as good a judge as I am. In either case, whether pure fiction, or only a sort of melo-fictitious reality, it seemed to me to have sufficient interest to justify me in offering it to your candid perusal.

For myself, I disclaim all intention of personal offence or reflection in this publication; my object is merely to expose some of those features in the unreformed system of West Indian slavery, which I am quite sure every honest man in Guiana, Dutch or English, infidel or believer, will agree with me, are at irreconcileable variance with Christianity. Of the origin of that system every living being is absolutely guiltless, and many of them of all blame in the origin of their connexion with it.

I have the honour to subscribe myself,

Courteous Reader,

Your most obedient humble servant,

     The Editor.