CHAPTER XXI. 



CARNIVAL. 

 Familiarly known as "Masquerade." 



Were it not that I am limited by my contract for 

 the printing of this book to a certain number of pages 

 and that they are fast drawing to a close I would 

 write at least three chapters on the festival known in 

 Trinidad by the name of " Carnival "or " Masque- 

 rade." Carnival, to give it its proper meaning, 

 would indicate a religious festival but, to give it its 

 literal meaning here, means a time of debauchery and 

 lewd revel, the real characteristics of which few peo- 

 ple in Trinidad know better than I do. How long, 

 those who are supposed to be a christian people, will 

 put up with its open, and, what is much worse, dts hid- 

 den obsecnities, is a matter for this people to decide ; 

 theirs is the duty and theirs is the power. I am glad 

 to see that a member of the Legislative Council in- 

 tends to call attention to it ; I hope he will do so in 

 no half-hearted way and that he will be supported by 

 the voice of all the clergy in the community irrespec- 

 tive of their denomination. 



The history of the Carnival in Trinidad is some- 

 what obscure, but that it was in existence at the time 

 Trinidad became a British colony is, I think, pretty 



