30 



TRINIDAD I THEN AND NOW. 



the year 1677 the Marquis de Maintenon, Commander 

 of the French frigate La Sorciere, aided by some 

 French filibusters from Tortuga ravaged the islands 

 of Margarita and Trinidad.* 



A nice little rendezvous for buccaneers, free- 

 booters, corsairs, or pirates — call them what you will 

 — was at one time established in a small bay on 

 the south side of Gaspar-Grande, t for the purpose 

 of intercepting the small trade between Port-of- 

 Spain and the Venezuelan coast. It was so hidden 

 that it could not be seen by approaching vessels till it 

 was too late to protect themselves from attack. A 

 lookout man was placed on the top of the hill over- 

 looking the bay, and on the approach of an incoming 

 or outgoing ship he at once gave the signal, when 

 at the opportune moment the pirates made their 

 attack. This little bay still exists, but is not so 

 deep as in the days alluded to. It has frequently 

 been pointed out to me by members of the Tardieu 

 family, who at one time carried on a large and lucra- 

 tive business in fishing ; they were the owners of 

 several whale-fishing depots, and the tanks in which 

 the whale oil was stored can still be seen on the 

 western point of Gasparee. This little " pirates' 

 bay" now looks peaceful and innocent, yet few would 

 think that it was, in bye-gone days, the resort of 

 desperadoes. 



There are two statements relative to Columbus 9 

 first visit to Trinidad with which I do not agree. 



* Haring, p. 222. 

 i Gasparee. 



