CHAPTER VIIL 



INHABITANTS. 



One of the first tilings that a stranger arriving 

 in any foreign country will think of contemplating 

 is its inhabitants. This must be particularly so in a 

 West Indian colony where, if he has any knowledge 

 of history, he must not expect to find any of the de- 

 scendants of the ancient stock of aborigines, but in- 

 stead a people composed of many nationalities and 

 mixed races ; and in no place is this more so than in 

 Trinidad. This being so I was anxious to see and 

 study the people of various races with whom I was 

 likely to come in contact in this colony, designed 

 to be my future home. 



I think every European or American stranger 

 visiting Trinidad must be struck by the fine appear- 

 ance of its inhabitants, both male and female, no 

 matter of what nationality, race or colour, and there 

 ds a great variety of the three. This was one of the 

 first things to attract my attention, perhaps on 

 account of the marked contrast it offered to people 

 occupying similar positions and of similar education, 

 as those of the manufacturing town which I had just 

 left. 



There, and in Great Britain in general, you see, 

 especially in the winter season, either a set of cower- 



