The Indians of the North Western District. 335 
content with the Venezuelan labour conditions and especially with the 
absence of special restrictions on liquor over there, and their knowledge 
of Spanish, English. and Warrau makes them useful to their Veneatelan 
employers. They vary in individual character, but like the little girl 
they can be both very very good or quite horrid occasionally. Indeed 
like all Indians and half-breeds, they seem to have times w hen they are 
seized with an irresistible temptation to relapse into barbarisin. Any 
attempt to resist this on the part of others is practically useless, as it is 
inordinately resented and delays the return to sanity which’ usually 
follows, and the prodigal will return to his more regular pursuits like a 
respectable citizen from a holiday, and will expect bygones to be forgiven 
and forgotten as soon as possible. 
The swamp tribes generally seem to be advancing ; some have well- 
cultivated and drained farms like their neizhbours: and have already 
arrived at peasant proprietorship and the authorities are to be congratu- 
lated on their recognition of the general state of affairs and are 
co-operating with w isdom and forbearance. 
With regard to special laws, it must be remembered that the Indian 
cannot be restrained by imere legislation when temptation and opportunity 
are both at his door, and the power which alone makes laws eftective is 
far away. This is most evident in the freedom from restraint that exists 
on the sale of wine and malt liquors, and of a peculiar stout manufactured 
in the colony from imported stout and many and mysterious augmenta- 
tions. As new legislation with regard to alcohol are contemplated, it 
would be well to consider whether a general law, which would not seem 
to apply so directly to the Indian in particular, could not be devised. 
All retail trade in alcohol in country districts should be contined to 
specially licensed stores from which all other goods would be excluded 
and the proprietor of which would be held responsible for their com- 
pliance with regulations, which should include a total prohibition of 
trade with Indians, and agents acting for Indians should be sey erely 
dealt with. This would put a stop to back door trade as the loss of a 
licence would make such trade unprofitable, and the Indian could not 
excuse his presence at the front door by the purchase of a cake of soap 
or by other such like tricks. But. though the Indian has a right to his 
use of Crown lands and to other fav Wee enactments—as ia) original] 
lord of the soil.—and likewise to his share in just labour laws, it must be 
borne in mind that he is a practical and enthusiastic loy er of liberty, and 
rightly resents special laws of the “Thou shalt not” order made in 
restriction of his liberty where others are free, and he is quite right in 
his resentment. Being in possession of his liberty in the pathless forest, 
he cannot be expected to obey laws which it is physically impossible to 
enforce. The reform of the liquor laws is required not merely for the 
well-being of the Indian but for all the community, and for the labour 
law the Indian is the only ember of the community whose laws do not 
confessedly require amendment. 
