90 



TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



With regard to these rewards he wrote a charac- 

 teristic letter to each ; but as they are so much alike, 

 I will only reproduce one : — 



" Port-of -Spain, 



" 25th January, 1799. 



" Sir, 



' ' I understand your excellency has done me the 

 honour of valuing my head at twenty thousand 

 dollars. I am sorry it is not in my power to return 

 the compliment. Modesty obliges me to remark 

 that your excellency has far over-rated the trifle ; 

 but, as it has found means to recommend itself to 

 your excellency's attention, if you will give yourself 

 the trouble of coming to take it, it will be much at 

 your service. 



" Your excellency's very devoted 



' 1 humble servant, 



" THOMAS PICTON. 



16 The Governor of Guayana." 



Picton's personal strength and courage were too 

 well-known : even this tempting offer was not suffi- 

 cient to induce any of the bad characters, who at the 

 time infested the island, to undertake the desperate 

 task of gaining possession of his head. This offer 

 was probably induced by the fact becoming known to 

 the governors of each of those provinces of his having 

 recommended the capture of a portion of Venezuela. 



He remained governor of Trinidad from Febru- 

 ary 1797 to the latter part of 1802, when, in conse- 



