212 



TRINIDAD: THEN AND NOW 



found on page 154 of the copy of the 1 ' Life and Ad- 

 ventures of Robinson Crusoe ' ' in the Trinidad Public 



Library. 



' 6 I have told this passage because it introduces 

 what follows ; that after this discourse I had with 

 him, I asked him how far it was from our dsland to 

 the opposite shore, and whether the canoes were often 

 lost. He told me there was no danger, no canoes 

 ever lost ; but that after a little way out to sea, there 

 was a current and wind, always one way in the morn- 

 ing, the other in the afternoon. This I understood to 

 be more than the sets of the tide as going out or 

 coming in ; but I afterwards understood it was occa- 

 sioned by the great draft and reflux of the mighty 

 river Orinoco, near the mouth of which river as I 

 found afterwards, our island lay ; and that this land 

 which I perceived to the W. and N. W. was the great 

 Island of Trinidad lying to the North of the mouth of 

 the river." (The Orinoco.) 



Whether there ever was such a personage as 

 Robinson Crusoe has nothing to do with our assertion, 

 but if there was then the island of Tobago is the place 

 intended to serve as a record of his exile, and to any- 

 one studying all its surroundings from the place it- 

 self there cannot be the slightest doubt that in 

 Tobago lies the scene of Defoe's thrilling story. 



We will now continue our way down the gradua- 

 ted bridle road leading to and through Maracas Cocoa 

 Estate, where the genial manager will place at our 

 disposal a place to rest and partake of a well earned 

 luncheon • those of you who wish to do so may take a 



