54 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



scarcely anywhere met except in gardens and in the small negro holdings. Next 

 to sugar the chief product of British Guiana at present is lumber, which is cut by 

 the Partamona and Câlina tribes on the banks of the Essequibo above Bartica and 

 in other fluvial valleys south of the plantations. These Indians are closely related 

 to the Galibi who dwell on the banks of the Maroni about the Franco-Dutch 

 frontiers. 



In late years the trade in fruits, cocoanuts, and bananas has acquired some 

 importance, and, despite the distance, might compete with the fruit trade that 

 has sprung up between Central America and the United States. The Guiana 

 fruits, especially the bananas, have a delicate flavour fully equal to those of the 

 West Indies, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. 



TkADE — APMINISTRATION. 



Altogether British Guiana has a mean annual export trade of about £8,000,000 

 in sugar and other products of cane, timber, cabinet woods, and fruits, to which 

 in late years have been added gold dust and small diamonds collected on the banks 

 of the Barima and Cuyuni rivers and in the alluvia of the coast streams in the 

 north-western district. " In 1884 the gold exported was only 250 ounces from 

 the whole colony, and this had increased in steady and natural ratio in 1891 to 

 101,297 ounces. From the Morawhanna river, from which the first gold — 129 

 ounces — was obtained only in November, 1889, 2,836 ounces were obtained in 

 March, 1892, It should be added that though the metal as yet obtained has been 

 got by means of such primitive instruments as the battel, the tom, and the sluice 

 from the alluvial mud, there are already signs that the more serious enterprise of 

 quartz-crushing will soon be entered on." * 



British Guiana imports provi>ion8, machinery of all kinds, textile fabrics, and 

 other manufactured wares chiefly from England, and to some extent from the 

 United States. Georgetown is now connected by regular lines of steamers with 

 Great Britain, the West Indies, and Canada. 



Till the year 1831 Demerara and Berbice constituted two distinct colonial 

 governments, as they had under the Dutch rule. Most of the laws and local 

 regulations had been maintained, and numerous traces still survive of this system. 

 The political power is almost exclusively in the hands of the governor as repre- 

 sentative of the Queen. He is assisted in his administration by a " Court of 

 Policy " composed of the five chief colonial officers, and of five members chosen by 

 the Court and the two presented by the notables, who form electoral bodies num- 

 bering altogether 2,046 in 1893. 



To the Governor and Court of Policy are also entrusted the legislative and 

 executive functions. But in determining the rate of taxes the Governor has to 

 consult six financial representatives, who form, with the other Government officials, 

 a " Combined Court." The colony is still administered under the Dutch civil law, 

 modified by various decrees and ordinances ; but the criminal law has been con- 

 formed to that of England, though the jury system has not yet been adopted. 

 * Im Thum, Froc. R. Geo. Soc, October, 1892. 



