66 



TRINIDAD I THEN AND NOW. 



present day has led many people to the erroneous 

 idea that it had at one time been a French possession. 



This method of inviting a population to Trinidad 

 had the effect of bringing to its shores a large sprink- 

 ling of the disgraceful characters of the West Indies, 

 including many old buccaneers and free-booters, 

 alluded to, who having lost the power of their former 

 wide-spread depredations on the sea, confined them- 

 selves to their raids upon the neighbouring islands, 

 and particularly on Grenada, which led that colony 

 to enact a law as follows : — 



" And whereas some persons have come from 

 Trinidad, and lurked in these islands for the purpose 

 of seducing and carrying off slaves ; and other per- 

 sons residing in Trinidad have sent artful negro or 

 mulatto slaves for the like purpose ; and it is but 

 just and reasonable to proceed against those who 

 reside on the very spot which holds out a retreat for 

 fraudulent debtors and stealers of slaves, and where 

 no redress or justice can be had." It is therefore 



enacted " That all persons coming from 



Trinidad shall give bond on their arrival in one thou- 

 sand pounds sterling, to be of good behaviour ; and if 

 such bond is not given, such person to be declared a 

 vagabond, and, without any other proof than that of 

 usual or frequent residence in Trinidad, to be com- 

 mitted to gaol."* 



The misconduct of the residents of Trinidad was 

 one of the reasons for its capture by Sir Ralph Aber- 



* Eobinson's Life of Picton p. 57 and Vol. III. Laws of Grenada, 

 clause 8, p. 232. 



