RACES. 



239 



67 ; while in the districts of the Vuelta de Abqjo, 

 where tobacco is grown, it is found to be as 62 : 

 24 : 14 ; and in the grazing districts even, as 66 : 

 20 : 14. From these calculations, it would seem 

 that where slavery exists, the proportion of free 

 persons diminishes as population and refinement 

 advance. 



[Note. — The relative proportions of class in the 

 several districts here cited by Baron Humboldt, are 

 stated as follows, in the censuses of 1841 and 1846 : 



1841. 1846. 



j A 



Western department,.. 39 : 10 : 51 46 : 12 : 42 



Sugar district, 39 : 6 : 55 34 : 5:61 



Tobacco district, 57 : 12 : 31 54 : 16 : 30 



Grazing do 59 : 15 : 26 57 : 18 : 25 



By this table, we perceive that the law of pro- 

 portion exhibits nearly the same relative numbers 

 stated by Baron Humboldt, and that the relative 

 proportions have slightly changed, with the increased 

 wealth of the island. We have elsewhere stated our 

 want of confidence in the returns of 1846, and the 

 above table indicates where they may err in their 

 stated decrease of the slave population. While this 

 has not decreased in the sugar, tobacco, or grazing 

 districts, the returns for the whole department show 



