Venezuelan International Law. 8i 



in his very *' remarkable note about limits." On the 4th 

 of March, 1841, the Governor of British Guiana, Sir 

 Henry Light, thus addressed the Legislature of that 

 Colony : — " I have to draw your attention to the fa6l, 

 " that several criminal cases were brought before the 

 " Supreme Court during the last Session, all of which 

 " were quashed from the gross state of ignorance and 

 " behaviour of the witnesses. 



" These witnesses were Indians of the Morocco and 

 " Pomeroon Rivers. 



" The most serious criminal case in question, was that 

 " of a negro boatman, belonging to one of the wood- 

 " cutting establishments, who, having seduced or forced 

 " an Indian to enter his boat, is said to have fired at him, 

 *' after he had jumped overboard to escape to the shore. 

 " I am willing to believe that the person who fired the 

 *' gun, had no other intention than that of frightening 

 " the Indian, for it is said he was an excellent marksman, 

 " and also of good chara6ler, but it was the duty of the 

 " Superintendent of Rivers and Creeks to take the offen- 

 *' der to trial. The witnesses to the fa6l were brought 

 " forward. When questioned as to belief in a God, 

 " a great Spirit, or a future state, they had no reply 

 " to make but in the negative. They had no idea 

 " of God, or Spirit, or Future State — their testimony 

 " could not be taken — the accusation fell to the ground. 

 " The other cases were for assaulting Indians — these 

 " cases also fell from the same causes." [Royal Gazette^ 

 4th March, 1841]. 



In the result, a Law was passed, as Ordinance 19 of 

 1 84 1, allowing the unsworn statements of the Aborigi- 

 nals to be received in evidence in the Courts of Justice, 



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