The Future Prosperity of the Colony. 367 



to try their fortunes on the ground as well as to serve as 

 guides to prospe6lors. 



As regards towns and settlements in the forests, these 

 may be gradually founded in the important distri6ls, if 

 the sale and purchase of gold and merchandise be per- 

 mitted in the distrifts, and as has been suggested 

 in evidence before the Commission already mentioned, 

 if the labourers are paid off in the localities where 

 they work. British Guiana is at present not a poor 

 man's gold mining country, chiefly on account of the 

 difficulties of travel, which necessitate the carriage of 

 large stores of provisions, the employment of many 

 boat hands, large boats and experienced captains and 

 bowmen. Much of this might be avoided were there a 

 resident gold mining population in the forest, surrounded 

 by cultivated fields and pasture land with cattle thereon, 

 and in a manner thoroughly self-maintaining and self- 

 dependent. The means of intercommunication must 

 clearly be the different rivers and smaller streams wher- 

 ever pra6licable ; and where communication must neces- 

 sarily be by land, bush roads must be made. Through- 

 out the vast territory of Venezuela it is safe to say there 

 are not many miles of macadamised road, and, almost all 

 the roads that traverse the country are bush roads or roads 

 through the savannahs fit for pack and draft animals 

 donkeys, horses and mules. In certain parts of Trinidad 

 these bush roads have long existed and proved of im- 

 mense service to the Island before the better and metalled 

 roads were made. In wet weather they often became 

 a6lual quagmires, but nevertheless traffic was maintained, 

 over them. Here the experience in the wallaba bush, 

 where shingles and posts are carried long distances 



3A2 



