THE PEOPLE 1 j 1 



Since the middle of the last century the social condition of 

 the inhabitants has undergone a complete change. At tha t 

 time there were no towns, and the inhabitants assembled 

 only on feast-days at the central point in each parish. 

 They dwelt in rude hovels, and their only utensil was the 

 calabash. An empty bottle was handed down as an heir- 

 loom to the favorite son. At present, more than one half 

 of the inhabitants have gravitated toward the towns, espe- 

 cially those on the seaboard, and trade has familiarized 

 them with modern inventions. 



