GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 485 



into the country, immediately formed the pro- 

 ject of a regular contraband trade ; and as all 

 the officers of the government were, more or 

 less, to be bought, a certain share given them, 

 not only insured their silence, but secured 

 their assistance. Thus a regular smuggling 

 trade was instituted with Jamaica, as the chief 

 point on the Atlantic side, and with the Pacific, 

 by means of fast-sailing armed merchant-ves- 

 sels, fitted out for the " forced trade," as it 

 was very properly termed. At the same time 

 that valuable and useful commodities were in- 

 troduced, a knowledge of the Old World came, 

 and the natives began to compare the condi- 

 tion of other people with their own. Led thus 

 to reflection on their state, its degradation soon 

 became apparent and deeply felt. They roused 

 themselves from the subjugation, and by a 

 lengthened and desperate struggle threw off 

 the yoke for ever. 



Spain, by her heartless cruelty and despo- 

 tism, thus hastened a rebellion, which a 

 sounder system of government and milder 

 treatment would have averted ; and she would 

 have insured those vast and valuable districts 

 for a much longer period. But by grasping 



