COUNTY OP MAYARO. 325 



cultivation for that of the cane. Six sugar estates were then 

 settled in the quarter. Immediately after emancipation, how- 

 ever, a large number of the emancipated labourers abandoned 

 the cane-fields for other pursuits, the planters being thereby com- 

 pelled to make the most urgent sacrifices to procure immigrants. 

 But the difficulties of communication with Port-of- Spain, and 

 the high freight paid for the carriage of produce thither, as well 

 as for articles of food therefrom, influenced, or rather necessitated, 

 the labourers to retire from the quarter ; in fact, they were some- 

 times left without salt provisions, or even flour, for weeks. The 

 remoteness of Mayaro from a proper market, therefore, was the 

 chief cause of its utter ruin, all the sugar estates having in 

 succession gone out of cultivation. The plantation of coco- 

 palms, however, has extended, and is still extending, to the 

 advantage of the proprietors and the prosperity of the ward. 

 The quarter of Guayaguayare has progressed in the same ratio, 

 and the number of coco-nut trees may be estimated at 60,000. 



During the time of slavery, cotton only and provisions were 

 cultivated at Guayaguayare. The soil is of excellent quality, 

 being a light loam ; and it may be said that no part of the 

 island has been found better adapted to the growth of corn, 

 plantains, and other articles of food, than this quarter. Guaya- 

 guayare, moreover, is well watered, an advantage of which 

 Mayaro, Nariva, and Manzanilla are deprived. When Guaya- 

 guayare becomes a productive district, there will be no difficulty 

 in taking whatever it produces to Port-of-Spain by droghers; 

 for the anchorage under the lee side of Point Galeota is safe 

 enough. It is much to be regretted that the name of Point 

 Galeota has been substituted for that of Point Galera, as deno- 

 minated by Columbus when he discovered the island, as this 

 change may induce people to believe that Columbus first sighted 

 the N.E. point of Trinidad, whilst it was the S.E. point. It 

 cannot be easily explained how this change of designation was 

 accomplished. I fear, however, that there is no remedy, since 

 in all the maps of Trinidad the N.E. cape is marked Galera, and 

 the S.E. cape Galeota. 



I have already mentioned the two rivers which discharge 

 their waters into the bay of Guayaguayare, viz., Lizard and 

 Pilot rivers; they are tidal creeks, with mangroves at their 

 outlets. A few diminutive brooks course through the undulating 



