The major, who had intended to devote eight days to this excursion, stretched the time to almost fourteen, which was agreeable to me, for I had a longing for such an opportunity before leaving Germany. The major gunned and helped to collect specimens while we advanced as far as Fort Sarou and Fort Nathan, the former six day’s journey to the North, the latter on the coast. From both places, although the time was short, we brought many interesting objects. We profited by our experience on this trip and will know better how to equip ourselves for similar occasions in the future. This journey cost us nothing. Other, similar excursions are to be made to other rivers. While packing and putting things to rights there came another, a still more important invitation.
The bush negroes, living in the more elevated regions, are at peace with the colonies. They employ a runner between them and the town and the Dutch have an official, given the title of postmaster, to represent them. One of the latter is stationed in the upper middle part of Surinam, an eleven day’s journey from here. This official is here on a visit and appears quite anxious to have us visit his place. This we intend to do, God willing, early in May, for three months. There no longer are any Indians in that neighborhood. It might be one of our most important journeys and possibly the last we can make. I suppose taking with me a mulatto from here who is a good hunter, experienced in skinning. Things coming from there have a greater significance, so the gain of such an enterprise would outweigh what could be accomplished here in double the time.
We are doing well, as it is, and hope for continued success. I will not write again until after our return from the expedition. Before our departure we will send all the things, so far collected, at the next sailing of the N… There is not very much of zoological material at hand, but I will make a special report concerning the same. If this first export will but cover the cost of transportation I will be satisfied. I have several rare specimens but unfortunately not all of them are in the best state of preservation The time for butterflies is not yet. Most of the birds are moulting, which hurts the skins. Many of the animals being good food, but hard to keep, are sent to the table to be eaten. However, not to mention other difficulties, the main impediment has to do with myself.
I have no other letter prepared, therefore kindly make it do for yourself and my folks. More next month, when, with the specimens, there will come a package of letters
Paramaribo, Sept.24, 1827.
I still owe you the promised report on the Moravians. You must long have desired to know about them. I have not forgotten how earnestly you admonished me to write soon and plenty about my beloved missionaries. No less forgotten than one could forget your friendly and deeply impressive words from our conversations. I Cheerfully set myself to the task of making my report.
I would like to do so publicity, before all the world, only I could not, in the case, do it so openly, or so cheerfully, for I would then, to justify myself, have to do so apologetically for fear of laying myself open to the charge of being a sentimentalist, and thus lose influence with many. I have met with intimations of the kind, here, as else. Where in former times, when I was accused of mixing with catholics, or at least of being inclined to mysticism.
Some times I was rebuffed with the bald remark that young persons should not act piously, which in older ones might be excused: that the young were either hypocrites or sentimentalists, or at best weaklings who have sown their wild oats, etc., etc. The majority here takes things for granted is different, showing but little interest in things out of the ordinary. It is an unhappy country in spite of its many blessings and resources.
The aborigines, the Indians, as far as I may judge from hearsay, and visits made to them, are far less impression able than what is told of Northern tribes. They are a roving people, more disposed to follow the chase than agriculture. They are far from being deceitful, and without taking much thought they look out for their immediate wants.
The influence that the whites exert upon the more friendly tribes might, perhaps, awaken their soul’s, as happens in North America. As it is they see but little good, and are lacking in experience. For their ready wares they receive, in exchange, firewater, and when they are drunk it is easy to coax from them the rest of their belonging, for small pay. They frequently come back for more whiskey but show little respect for the sellers and cheaters. The few traditionary remnants left them of God and higher beings, their feeble attempts at idol worship, and their priests who are but slightly above the rest of them, make it difficult for any more liberal education to find its way to them.
In politics they remain unnoticed, the people believing them to be negligible, but they have, now and them, in former times, been made use of against the bush negroes, whom they dislike. The Moravians send missionaries among the Indians, of whom some few who remain have been baptized. What the rest who remain unbaptized, think of these, I do not know, but probably they remain indifferent.
The negroes who were brought here, who constitute the majority of the population, are more recipient. They brought with them a larger measure of idol worship, but their language, originated here, is more picturesque, and with words continually added thereto. they are helped to communicate with the white people, which enriches their fund of ideas. A considerable number of them have been baptized although these are in the minority.
The bushmen, who were freed in earlier years, were at first inimical to the whites, but after receiving a greater show of kindness from these, they became more submissive; although on account of their native pride, more difficult to convert. They enjoy many privileges, carry on a trade in wood, but spend their money on frippery. An existing disposition to weaken them with luxuries and dissipation fails on account of their free forest lives, which bring them more of good than temptations abroad can do them harm. They are at discord with the whites and a burden to them. The latter live in fear of the bushmen, of which these are aware. The Moravians send their missionaries in the hope of making converts.
The slaves who are more numerous in the town, where they serve in various capacities, than on the plantations, particularly the outlying ones, and some of these who have been freed, are more approachable than the bushmen, with whom, however, they mix.
The so-called Kleurlinge, a mixture of black and white, mulattoes, are treated with more respect, and less work is required of them. These enjoy greater advantages, and a larger number from this class are given their freedom. Also most of them are baptized. Although more gifted by nature, mentally and physically, few of them are altogether free from objectionable traits. Nevertheless they are more ready to be taught. I regard them as being more capable and receptive. Through the influence of the Moravians they have become amenable to the law, and have the marriage ceremony performed according to custom.
The whites, with the exception of the higher officials who are legally married, live together in common law, a custom in Surinam sanctioned by usage. Foreigners who come here for commercial reasons, get rich and leave, employ housekeepers, negresses, mulattoes, even free born white girls. Only well-to- do white girls from the better classes, look for proposals and proper marriages. Many are the jests at the expense of the mulattoes for having the nuptial ceremony performed.
I, myself, know of girls who would rather live out of wedlock with a man of wealth, than to be legally married to a poor one, and this by advice of their parents. As a rule, the numerous children from such alliances, are, in a measure, cared for and educated by their fathers, and are not allowed to suffer hardship, but in general, because the fathers have died, or gone away, or have changed wives the children are neglected, become poor, run wild and fall into evil ways. So it comes about that the white man is punished through his most sacred possessions, his children, to suffer for the crime of trading in human beings in which he is guilty.
The indolence of the coloured race makes it incumbent upon a householder to employ at least several servants, in small houses five or six, in large establishments as many as forty or fifty. All white children are raised by the blacks excepting in isolated cases where better educated white mothers assume the care of their children. Even the children cannot be kept from associating with the negroes whose language they learn to speak, a misfortune in itself, because upon the first language a human being is taught depends his higher development. As it is, the children not only remain dull and stupid but pick up many things, particularly bad habits, which stick to them and ruin their lives, not by halves, but wholly.
In 1878 and 1879 he published 2 editions of his book, Sunstroke and Its Homeopathic Treatment.
Upon Hering's death in 1880 Knerr became responsible for the completion of the 10-volume Guiding Symptoms.
Dr. Knerr wrote 2-volume Repertory to the Guiding Symptoms,