222 THE COCAL. 



Y family, leaving liis slaves to live at ease on his estates, 



retreated, Avitli a household of twelve persons, to a small 

 property of his own, which was buried in the primaeval 

 forests of Oropuche. With them went his second son, 



Monsignor F , then and afterw^ards cure of San Josef, 



who died shortly before my visit to the island. I always 

 heard him spoken of as a gentleman and a scholar, a 

 saintly and cultivated priest of the old French School, re- 

 spected and beloved by men of all denominations. His 

 church of San Josef, though still unfinished, had been taxed, 

 as well as all the Eoman Catholic churches of the island, 

 to build the Pioman Catholic Cathedral at Port of Spain ; 

 and he, refusing to obey an order which he considered un- 

 just, threw up his cure, and retreated with the rest of the 

 family to the palm-leaf ajoupas in the forest. 



M. F chose three of his finest ISTegros as companions. 



Melchior was to go out every day to shoot wild pigeons, 

 coming every morning to ask how many were needed, so 

 as not to squander powder and shot. The number ordered 

 were always punctually brought in, besides sometimes a w^ild 

 turkey Pajui or other fine birds. Alejos, who is now a 

 cacao proprietor, and owner of a house in Arima, was chosen 

 to go out every day, except Sundays, with the dogs; and 

 scarcely ever failed to bring in a lapo or quenco. Aristobal 

 was chosen for the fishing, and brought in good loads of 



