TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



151 



might have been compared to the rose of Sharon, 

 others to the graceful lily of the valley. 



I have mentioned in one of the chapters preced- 

 ing this that when I determined to write these 

 sketches I resolved to consult every book I could lay 

 hands on that would give me some information of 

 the Trinidad of the past, and in order to procure 

 them I did everything except steal. In this search I 

 came across an old book which had been rescued 

 from destruction, worm eaten, the cover torn off, and 

 some of its pages missing ; amongst the missing ones 

 the title page and the name of the author ; but on 

 reading it I was able to find the title and the year of 

 publication. From it I give an extract of a letter 

 written in Trinidad 85 years ago. The title of the 

 book is ' ' Four years' residence in the West Indies,'' 

 the letter is evidently from the pen of a military man 

 and although written in a humorous strain, truth- 

 fully, I think sets out the feelings of the writer ; it 

 reads as follows : — 



Letter op Major W 



" Trinidad, 4th May, 1827. 



Dear Bayley, 



I am about to keep my promise, in telling you 



something of Trinidad When I describe a 



beautiful place, I always begin with the most beauti- 

 ful things in it. These you will easily guess are the 

 women : and of a truth the women of Trinidad are 



most superb creatures I have been charmed 



with the fair Parisians, over head and ears in love 



