BE RBICE, the name of a river of South Ameri ca, in the province of Guiana, which runs from south to north, and discharges itself into the Atlantic Ocean. It is chiefly remarkable for an extensive set tlement formed upon its banks, in the beginning of the seventeenth century, by a Dutch colony.
The river itself is about a mile and a half broad at its mouth, where it is divided into two channels by an island, called Crab Island, about two miles in ference. Owing to a bar of sand about five miles from its mouth, and stretching from east to west, the navigation is both difficult and dangerous. On this account, all vessels drawing more than four feet of water, are obliged to anchor at the port of Demera ry, from which their cargo is carried to Berbice in colony schooners, that are again'employed in convey ing to Demerary the produce of the settlement. The colony of Berbice was founded in the year 1626, by Van Peer of Flushing, who sent out several ships to trade with the Indians. The colony had flourished to such a degree, that the French, who made a de scent upon the coast, were able to extort a contribu, tion of 20,000 florins. In 1678, the settlement was granted, as an hereditary fief, to the family of Van Peer. In consequence of another attack made upon the colony by a flotilla of French privateers, a con. tribution of 300,000 florins was paid for the safety of the settlement. This sum was discharged by the hotise of Van Hoorn and Company, who received return three-fourths of the ,settlement. The new -' proprietors of this colony were permitted, by the Dutch East India Company, to import 21.0 negroes annually from Africa, at the rate of 165 florins a head ; and the Company became bound to furnish them with a greater number, if it were necessary, at the rate of 250 florins each. They were also allowed to dispose of their lands and slaves, and to levy a duty of 300 florins from every vessel that came to the colony. By these means, the cultivation of sugar, cocoa, and in digo was greatly extended ; many fruitless searches were made after mines ; and settlers were invited to the infant colony.
The revenues of the colony arise from a capitation tax on the inhabitants ; an excise on every fifty pounds of sugar that is made ; a weighage toll of two per cent. on all exports and imports ; and a duty of three florins per last on the tonnage of ships. The imported goods are the same as those carried to the other parts of the West Indies ; and the exports are cotton, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, •a dyeing stuff called rokou, but chiefly sugar, all of which are obtained from nearly an hundred plantations, formed on the banks of. the river.
In consequence of the dampness and marshiness of the. coast, the early settlers built a town and fortress, called Zealandica, fifty miles up the river. The in crease of the colony, however, and the difficulty of navigating the river, induced the settlers to build the town of New Amsterdam on the south side of the river Canje, or where it discharges itself into the mouth of the Berbice. The houses extend up the banks of the latter river about a mile and a half. Each house, with a quarter of an acre of land annex ed to it, is surrounded by a trench, which is filled and emptied at every tide. The houses are a story
high, and are very long and narrow, with galleries on both sides to afford a shelter from the sun. They are generally .thatched with troolie and plantain leaves for the sake of coolness, but the quantity of vermin which is harboured in this kind of thatch, has induced the English settlers to employ shin gles. The government-house and the buildings an nexed to it arc of brick, and are remarkable for their splendour and magnificence. The entrance of the river is guarded on the east side by fort St An drew and a small battery, while the York redoubt defends it from the opposite bank. The colonial go vernment propose to fortify Crab Island ; but this is a matter of no importance, as Berbice must always fall along with the contiguous colony of Demarary. The west hanks of the river were first cultivated ; but, in 1799; the country, as far to the east of the river as the Devil's .Creek, was rapidly cleared of its wood, and became an extensive cotton plantation. The lands on the banks of the river Canje have also been put into a state of cultivation, and produce sugar, coffee, and plantains. This river is navigable for co lony schooners for about 50 miles from its embouch ure, and is remarkable for immense falls and cata racts near its source. About 10 miles below its head, there is a creek connected with the river Courantine, by which overland dispatches have.been brought from Surinam by the Indians.
In the year 1796, Berbice capitulated to the Eng lish, who reinstated in his office the former governor .Van Batenburg. In 1799, when Surinam surrender ed to the British arms, the governor of Berbiec en tered into a negotiation with Governor Frederici, by which Surinam ceded to Berbice the tract of land between the Courantine and the Devil's Creek, which was speedily put into a state of cultivation. At the peace of Amiens, Berbice, along with Demarary, was restored to the Dutch government. The troops which were sent to protect the colony suffered great distress from the want of proper food and accommo dation, and all their applications for redress were dis - regarded. A mutiny was thus occasioned, which could not be quelled without the assistance of troops from Demerary and Surinam. After the mutineers had surrendered themselves to the government, Bei- bice surrendered to the British tinder General Grin field and Sir Samuel Hood, in September 1803, since which time it has continued in our possession.
The population of Berbice amounts at present to 43,500 ; of whom 1000 are free people of colour, 2500 are whites, and the rest are negroes, the number of whom is doubled within the last ten years. The colony of Berbice was bounded on the east by the Devil's Creek till the year 1799, when its eastern li mits were extended to the river Courantine. It is sepatined, on the west, from the colony of Demerary by A barry creek. The breadth of the settlement, from the mouth of the river Courantine, is about 45 geographical miles ; its former breadth being only about 30. New Amsterdam is about 52 miles to the south-cast by east of Stabroek, the capital of Deme rary. West Long. 57° 20', North Lat. 6° 20'. (it)