ENVOI. 



The last chapter on general subjects being finish- 

 ed it behoves me to say a few words before closing 

 the book and to apologise for its many defects. Hav- 

 ing carefully read over what I have written, I have 

 come to the conclusion that some of the chapters 

 or sketches are much longer than they ought to have 

 been, thereby shutting out more interesting matter 

 which it was my intention to have included but which 

 I have been reluctantly compelled to omit. Prolixity 

 is, I believe, the fault of all beginners and I am 

 afraid I have grievously erred in this direction. 



In the introductory chapter I gave a list of the 

 books I had consulted and taken copious extracts 

 from. By an unpardonable oversight, which I can 

 only account for in one way, I omitted to include Sir 

 Louis de Verteuil's able work on Trinidad of which 

 Canon Kingsley wrote, " It is one of the most com- 

 plete monographs of a colony which I have yet seen." 

 I was always under the impression that this valuable 

 work was written in French. Why, I know not, ex- 

 cept that I confused it with Mr. Borde's " History of 

 Trinidad " which was written in French. I am glad 

 however, to be able before concluding, in a small de- 

 gree to remedy it ; accident helped what I had for so 

 many years missed and has thus enabled me to quote 



