On Disputed Titles to, and Squatters on, Grown 
Lands, Essequebo River. 
By Michael McTurk. 
[HE importance of finally and definitely settling 
the claims of persons to lands in the colonies 
is becoming daily of greater importance, and 
there are not wanting instances where serious conse- 
quences have been the ultimate result of delaying the 
matter — the most recent instance that I am aware of, being 
the rising of the half-breeds under Louis RlEL in North- 
western Canada. I am aware that there are many who will 
entirely disagree with me in my views and who may be 
thought to have an equal, if not greater, experience of the 
places and class of persons to whom I shall particularly 
refer; and others again, who, although they may never have 
seen either the places or people referred to 3 and are almost 
unacquainted with the conditions connected with the first, 
and entirely ignorant, except from hearsay, of the nature 
and dispositions of the latter, yet may with a ready pen and 
fluent expressions make out very fair reasons to support 
their assertions. I must request my readers to bear in 
mind, however, that theory and pra6lice do not always 
agree ; and I base my statements on no theoretical sup- 
positions, but on fa6ls confirmed by experience, and I do 
not fear to call on the unbiassed opinion of those who, 
like myself, have had the opportunity of a long continued 
residence among, and an intimate acquaintance with, the 
persons and localities referred to, to confirm my state- 
ments. 
