86 SAVONETTA. 



the education system of Trinidad. All it seems to me to 

 want, with its late modifications, is compulsory attendance. 



Soon, turning down an old Indian path, we saw the Gulf 

 once more, and between us and it the sheet of cane cultiva- 

 tion, of which one estate ran up to our feet, " like a bright 

 green bay entered by a narrow strait among the dark forest." 

 Just before we came to it we passed another pleasant sight : 

 more Coolie settlers, who had had lands granted them in 

 lieu of the return passage to which they were entitled, 

 were all busily felKng wood, putting up bamboo and palm- 

 leaf cabins, and settling themselves down each one his own 

 master, yet near enough to the sugar estates below to get 

 remunerative work whenever needful. 



Then on, over slow miles (you must not trot beneath the 

 burning midday sun) of sandy stifling flat, between high 

 canes, till we saw with joy, through long vistas of straight 

 traces, the Mangrove shrubbery which marked the sea. 

 We turned into lar^^e suf^ar-works, to be cooled with sherrv 

 and ice by a hospitable manager, whose rooms were hung 

 with good prints, and stored with good books and knick- 

 knacks from Europe, showing the signs of a lady's hand. 

 And here our party broke up. The rest carried their mud 

 back to Port of Spain ; I in the opposite direction back to 

 San Fernando, down a little creek which served as a port 

 to the estate. 



