68 



TRINIDAD: THEN AND NOW 



Irish and English new settlers there were some Pro- 

 testants ; this Chacon knew, yet as far as he could 

 he protected and encouraged them. An English 

 clergyman of the established church was forced by 

 stress of weather to the island. The worthy gover- 

 nor sent for the gentleman, entertained him most hos- 

 pitably, caused the vessel to be repaired, and, in fact, 

 gave him every assistance he could. He often con- 

 versed with him on religious topics, but always in a 

 strain of charity and toleration. He told the clergy- 

 man that he had been captured by the English during 

 the last war and the honourable treatment he expe- 

 rienced from that nation caused him to feel gratitude 

 towards England. 



' ' Population now flocked into Trinidad in thou- 

 sands, and Chacon did all he could to contribute to 

 their comfort and prosperity. We now for the first 

 time read of Surveyors-General, Assessors (legal ad- 

 visors to the Governor) and Alguacil mayors, (officers 

 resembling high sheriffs in England.) 



" A difference now commenced between the 

 handful of old Spanish settlers and the numerous 

 new ones, which should be explained. Prom the 

 miserable state of the colony formerly, few or no 

 surveyors lived in the island ; hence when enormous 

 grants of land were made to the Spaniards they fixed 

 their own boundaries. To men who had neither the 

 means of cultivation nor of selling immense tracts of 

 woodlands, they were nearly uesless ; yet people 

 natrually do not like to part with what they inherit, 



