74 MONTSERRAT. 



other contains the warelen's residence and office, the police- 

 station, and a numerously attended school. 



The squatters are of many races, and of many hues of 

 black and hrown. The half-breeds from the neighbouring 

 coast of Venezuela, a mixture, probably of Spanish, Xegro, 

 and Indian, are among the most industrious ; and their cacao 

 plantations, in some cases, hold 8,000 to 10,000 trees. The 

 south-west corner of Montserrat^ is almost entirely settled 

 by Africans of various tribes Mandingos, Foulahs, Homas, 

 Yarribas, Ashantees, and Congos. The last occupy the lowest 

 position in the social scale. They lead, for the most part, a 

 semi-barbarous life, dwelling in miserable huts, and subsisting 

 on the produce of an acre or two of badly cultivated land, 

 eked out with the pay of an occasional day's labour on some 

 neighbouring estate. The social portion of some of the Yar- 

 ribas forms a marked contrast to that of the Congos. They 

 inhabit houses of cedar, or other substantial materials. Their 

 gardens are, for the most part, well stocked and kept. They 

 raise crops of yam, cassava, Indian corn, &c. ; and some of 

 them subscribe to a fund on which they may draw in case of 

 illness or misfortune. They are, however (as is to be ex- 



^ I quote mostly from a report of my friend Mr. Eobert Mitchell, who, almost 

 alone, did this good work, and who has, since my departure, been sent to 

 Denierara to assist at the investigation into the alleged Ol-usage of the Coolie 

 immigrants there. No more just or experienced public servant could have 

 been employed on such an errand. 



