134 



TRINIDAD I THEN AND NOW. 



like the chief points of a mariner's compass. To this 

 extent has this open-space been greatly improved of 

 recent years. 



Here many trees were planted, the greater part 

 of which I think were mahogany ; these in course of 

 time attained fine dimensions, but unfortunately, 

 like the insurance companies doing business in Port- 

 of-Spain, they have, from time to time, suffered much 

 from a series of serious fires. Marine Square, like 

 the other open-spaces was also at one time the graz- 

 ing ground for goats, and a dumping ground for the 

 rotten onions and potatoes of merchants doing busi- 

 ness on the south side, as well as of those who traded 

 in the streets running off it, particularly what was 

 then known as Almond Walk. These merchants, 

 with that generosity for which they are proverbial, 

 not wishing to exclusively inhale and derive the sole 

 benefit from the highly aromatic scent rising from 

 this source were often so unselfish as to share it 

 with the general public. To such an extent was 

 this at one time carried on, that many letters written 

 against the practice appeared in the local papers, 

 one of which I remember, purported to be written 

 by a Chinaman — who had the bad taste not to appre- 

 ciate the scent and signed himself " A. Kow" ; but, by 

 whoever written, the letter was so sarcastic that the 

 Borough Council was moved to take steps to remedy 

 the evil, by passing a set of bye-laws — many of which 

 were ultra vires — but which had the desired effect ; 

 and goats, rubbish, rotten onions and potatoes dis- 

 appeared and " Marine Square ,? was put into a 



