TKINIDAD : THEN AND NOW, 



69 



or suppose they inherit, from their forefathers, to a 

 set of men whom they conceive are interlopers in the 

 country. 



6 ' Again, in order to protect the aborigines, the 

 crown of Spain used to grant to particular families 

 whole districts, in order that they might govern 

 the poor Indians of those districts. The aborigines 

 were fast verging on extinction, and the Spanish 

 families claimed those lands. 



' 1 With the want of surveyors, of records of the 

 extent of land bought, or granted by the crown, 

 whole provinces given for the benefit of the grantees 

 to protect the aborigines, Governor Chacon found the 

 few Spaniards so far in possession of the territory of 

 Trinidad, that he scarcely had any lands to concede 

 to enterprising new settlers which the Cedula invited 

 to the shores of the island. This matter was produc- 

 tive of great inconvenience and some vexatious law- 

 suits. In many instances the old colonists demanded 

 high prices for their right to the lands, which they 

 alleged with some truth, they enjoyed time out of 

 mind. To remedy this evil, the governor issued a 

 proclamation bearing date the 27th of July, 1785. 



" The preamble of this proclamation, which is 

 rather long, recites all the evils which resulted from 

 the irregular occupancy of crown lands by the 1 an- 

 cient Spaniards, who, without previous form, conces- 

 sion, admeasurement, or demarkation of boundaries, 

 as had been wisely provided for by the fundamental 

 laws of all nations. 9 It speaks of the poverty and 

 indolence of 1 those same Spaniards ' as ineapacita- 



