COUNTY OF ST. DAVID. 303 



portance as a cacao and pro vision -growing district. There is a 

 land communication between Toco and town, along the sea-shore 

 and across Matura and Oropuche to Arima ; but it is a mere 

 track, and scarcely fit for mule-traverse. The ward of Toco 

 abounds in excellent timber, and cedar-boards are a regular 

 trading commodity. 



The ward of Turure in the southern district is partly hilly, 

 partly level : the settlements of Cuare, Turure, and la Ceyba, 

 with a few plantations situate along the banks of the Oropuche 

 arid Matura, are the only inhabited parts of this ward. The hilly 

 parts are imperfectly known; the soil near Oropuche and Ma- 

 tura is excellent, but nothing can be worse than the tract 

 between Aripo and la Ceyba. The settlements of Cuare, Turure, 

 and la Ceyba were formed, in the year 1816, of disbanded 

 soldiers from the first West India regiment. These settlements, 

 or villages, ranged along the banks of the rivers bearing their 

 respective names, and the soldiers were located thereon, with a 

 grant of sixteen acres of land to each man. They were placed, 

 to a certain extent, under the supervision of their serjeant, who 

 was allowed a larger and more convenient dwelling, on condition 

 of admitting travellers to a temporary lodging, when requested so 

 to do. Some of the locations also bordered along the road leading 

 to the eastern coast, with a view, it seems, to keep that line in 

 good repair, as well as to place labour within the reach of the 

 neighbouring proprietors of estates ; but the experiment proved 

 a complete failure the King's men (as they called themselves) 

 being too proud to become day-labourers. In the year 1849, 

 after the passing of the Territorial Ordinance, the lands of these 

 and other settlers were surveyed, and fifteen acres granted, free, 

 to each settler or his descendants ; but the lands of Cuare, la 

 Ceyba, and Turure being of the very worst description, the 

 occupants will be soon compelled to give up their property par- 

 ticularly as the tax is levied on the land, irrespective of its quality. 



Cacao, a little coffee, and provisions are the only productions. 

 The cacao plantations are along the rivers Oropuche and Matura, 

 and the article is brought to Arima on mules. The Oropuche is 

 a fine stream, but is not accessible to craft, in consequence of the 

 heavy surf which breaks all along the Matura shore, and of the 

 bar at its mouth : this river is also noted for the quantity of 

 huillias, or water-boas, it contains. 



