Map of the the lower reaches of the Berbice and Corantijn rivers

Title Leupe: Kaart van de rivieren de Berbice en de Corantyn, zynde laatst gemelde rivier de limietscheiding tusschen de Colonien Berbice en Suriname, volgens conventie tusschen de wederzydsche gouvernementen van Suriname en Berbice, gesloten den 20 januari 1800.

Due to the gradual economic shift to the lower reaches of the Berbice river and on the adjacent coast by the late eighteenth century, it was inevitable that also the administrative centre of power would eventually move to the estuary, and in 1785 that was exactly what the Society directorate decided to do. The plan was implemented in 1790 and the result is shown on this map.

The new main town is located on the confluence of the Berbice and Canje rivers, which after the previous main town near Fort Nassau was again given the name Nieuw-Amsterdam. In the interim years, the plantation acreage downriver and on the coast had extended spectacularly, especially under British rule after 1796, as can also clearly be seen on the map.

After the British occupation of Surinam in 1799, the border between the colonies of Surinam and Berbice was finally fixed on the Corentyne in January 1800, as is mentioned on the map.

Like before, the agreed to western border of Berbice was the Duivelskreek (Devil’s Creek), now known as the Abari River.

North is lower right.