TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



7 



wise than from my personal observation will be found 

 to be equally reliable. 



"Where is Trinidad?" 



During the only occasion of visiting the land of 

 my birth, after a residence of 34 years in Trinidad, I 

 was travelling from Holyhead to London when the 

 question which forms the above heading was put 

 to me by a fellow traveller. I had with me a small 

 hand-bag — better known as a " handy-bag " — in 

 which my papers, magazines, etc., were stored. On 

 the bag were conspicuous the letters 



J. N. B. 



TRINIDAD. 



" I see," said my travelling companion, " that you 

 hail from Trinidad ! Where is Trinidad ? " 



You see, my worthy fellow colonists, that we are 

 not such important people as we think ; nor is our 



" Nice little, tight little Island " 



such a well-known place as you and I believe it to be. 



" Where is Trinidad ? " I replied with feigned 

 surprise ; " surely you know where Trinidad is ! 

 Have you never heard of its discovery by Cristobal 

 Colon, more generally known by the less soft-sound- 

 ing name of Christopher Columbus, on the 31st July, 

 1498 ; or of the two romantic sayings relative to that 

 event ? One that he made a vow to heaven that he 

 would call after the Trinity whatever land he first 



