1 54 TRINIDAD. 



the other islands and the neighbouring continent. At a later 

 period, however, their remnant groups were formed into several 

 missions throughout the island — namely, at Tacarigua, Arouca, 

 Caura, Cumana, Siparia, Montserrat, Savanna Grande, Arima, 

 and Toco. But in Trinidad, as in other parts of the New World, 

 the poor Indians have resisted the pressure of civilisation, and 

 finally sunk under the ascendancy of a more intelligent race. 

 In the year 1783, the indigenous population amounted to 2,032 

 souls, who, at the capitulation of the island, had declined, 

 according to official returns, to 1,082 individuals. In the year 

 1830 there still existed 689 survivors of that race, the ratio of 

 mortality being, among them, in the same year, 3*49, and that 

 of births 3*75 per cent. At present there cannot be above fifty 

 to one hundred Indians in the colony; so that the aborigines 

 may be said to be almost extinct. The natural inquiry arises, 

 what were the causes productive of this general decrease ? Dk 

 they emigrate to the neighbouring continent, or did they 

 away in the island ? It is highly probable that many did s< 



^ a refuge and a home in the virgin forests of Venezuela ; but 

 also coincide in opinion with some judicious observers, who tn 

 this extinction of our Indian population partly to the preferenc 



*S manifested by the Indian women towards the whites and tl 

 negroes, by whom they were kindly treated, whilst they were 

 regarded by their husbands, of kindred race, more as slaves and 

 beasts of burden than as equals or companions. As a conse- 

 quence of those connections, there exists at present in the island 

 a certain number of individuals of Indian descent, but of mixed 

 blood. 



I have already mentioned that it was only from the granting 

 of the second cedula by the Spanish Government, in the year 

 1783, that Trinidad may date any ostensible settlement. En- 

 couraged by the liberal offers made under that cedula, colonists 

 began to throng from Grenada, St. Vincent, and the French 

 islands, succeeded by a few refugees from San Domingo, with 

 some emigres from France, and even from Canada. Their ; 

 example was followed by many respectable coloured families from 

 the above-mentioned islands, who gladly availed themselves of 

 the protection afforded, and the opportunity offered of bettering 

 their condition, by becoming landowners in Trinidad ; and as late 

 as the year 1829, if my information is correct, there were 



