BERBICE is a colony belonging to the British, situate on the banks of the river of that name, in the province of Guiana, in South America. The la titude of the mouth of the river Berbice is 6 de grees, 20 minutes north ; and its longitude 57 de grees, 11 minutes west from London. The planta tions are situate on each side of the river, and ex tend nearly SOO miles from its entrance. Previously to the year 1799, this colony was bounded on the east by the Devil's Creek, and on the west by Abar ry Creek, which separated it from Demerary, its breadth being then 30 miles. But when Surinam surrendered to the British in that year, a mode tion was entered into between the Governors of these two colonies, by which Surinam conceded to Berbice the tract of country between the Devil's Creek, and the river Courantine ; thus increasing its breadth to about 45 miles. The sea coast, extend ing nearly 50 miles, and the west bank of the Cou rantine, were immediately surveyed, and laid out into regular allotments. The extent of this colony was farther enlarged by the British, who cleared and em banked from the sea the whole line of coast between the Demerary and the Courantine, forming upon it a carriage-road 60 feet broad, with six•foot parapets on each side for the convenience of travelling.
Previously to this improvement, the face of this country resembled that of the rest of Guiana. On the shores there was a border of low ground, be tween high and low-water marks, covered with man grove. When the tide flowed, this border had seve ral feet of water over it ; and when it ebbed, it pre sented an inaccessible mud-bank. This is now ren dered dry and productive. Behind this border of mangroves, at the distance of 400 or 500 paces, commence low, level, swampy savannahs, formed by the rains, which are prolonged in the direction of the coast, with a depth more or less considerable, according to the distance of the mountains. This part of the colony was almost entirely neglected by the Dutch, who fixed their principal plantations in the more elevated and interior part of the country.
The year, here, is divided into two dry and two wet seasons ; light showers begin to refresh the land about the middle of April ; the rain increases till the middle of June, when it falls in torrents ; at the beginning of July, these heavy rains begin to de crease; and in August, the long dry season begins, and continues till November. December and Janu
ary constitute the short and rainy season ; and Fe bruary and March the short dry season. The land winds prevail during the two wet seasons, and are unhealthy ; in the dry season, the air is refreshed, by regular, diurnal sea-breezes. The temperature of this colony is not so great as might be expected from its latitude ; the thermometer very seldom rises to 91 degrees ; in general, during May, June, and July, it varies between 83 and 84 ; the lowest degree is about 75. The weather always changes very gradually.
There are two rivers in this colony ; the. Berbice, and the Canje. The former runs from south to north, and discharges itself into the Atlantic Ocean. The coast on each side of it forms a bay at its en trance, which is nearly a mile in width, having a small island in the middle, called Crab Island, from the number of land-crabs on it ; the entrance is pro tected by three forts, but they are of little use, as Berbice must, from its situation, always follow the fate of Demerary. Without the entrance of the river is a bar of sand, over which, at high tide, there is Bel dam more than 16 feet of water ; but within, the water is of sufficient depth, and the river is navi gable, for ships of burden two hundred miles from its mouth. On account of the bar, however, few vessels rendezvous here, but anchor off the port of Demerary.
The river Canje is narrow, but deep, running at first nearly from south to north, but afterwards diverg ing to the east, till it falls into the Berbice about a mile from the sea. It is navigable for colonyschooners 80 miles up. At its head are immense falls, and about 40 miles below, there is a creek which connects it wish the Courantine. In this route, and by means of this creek, or island, dispatches are brought from Surinam to Berbice by the Indians. The water on all the coast of Berbice is brackish. The rain-wa ter, which lodges in the low parts of the forests, call ed bush-water, is collected by the Indians for the purposes of drinking and cooking. The forests are extensive, and contain many very large trees. Dr Pinckard describes an enormous tree of the Tonquin Bean, the body of which rose perpendicularly to the height of between 70 and 80 feet, before it threw out a single branch.