The Indian Policy of the Dutch. 25 



Indians, which however was not so conspicuous as long 

 as the presents were regularly distributed. Captain 

 Alexander, writing in 1833*, and probably inspired by 

 Mr. HiLHOUSE, who had an ill-feeling against the 

 Government, said that it was a very painful refle6lion that, 

 although the colony paid for presents, provisions, post- 

 holders' salaries, &c., about ;^3,ooo per annum, in order to 

 induce the Indians to remain in British Guiana, yet the 

 office of postholder had been so shamefully abused that 

 they were rapidly decreasing in numbers every year. In 

 the rebellion of 1795, eight hundred Caribs took to the 

 field ; scarcely fifty could then be found in Demerara ; 

 nine-tenths of the Arawaks that then lived in the colony 

 existed no more, and half the Acawoios and Warrows 

 had disappeared. 



Captain ALEXANDER thought the system should imme- 

 diately be changed : — " First, on the score of humanity ; 

 at present the Indians near the Coast imitate the vices 

 of the European and contra6l their diseases, and no arm 

 is stretched forth to save them from the utter destruction, 

 bodily and mental, which is about to overwhelm them. — 

 Secondly, on the score of interest ; if the colony is 

 again attacked by a foreign foe, the negroes would 

 probably rise in rebellion, if there are no Indians to 

 keep them in check; the regular militia will be obliged 

 to succumb to the invader; the hoiour of the British 

 arms will be tarnished, and the rich South American 

 colonies lost." How curious this reads to one who 

 knows the Indians of to-day ! Yet, there is no doubt 

 that these people were of great use under the social 

 conditions of slavery. 



* Transatlantic Sketches. 



