164 BELGIAN COLONY OF ST. THOMAS. Book I. 
to the unlucky fate of the settlement. But all agree that 
the climate had very little to do with it. The country is 
described by them as rich and beautiful, the climate as good ; 
but of the company who speculated in bringing the settlers 
out, and principally of the directors of the settlement 
itself, they spoke in terms of strong reprobation. By a 
foolish system of arrangement and an iniquitous exertion 
of arbitrary power, the colonists, placed in an absolute 
wilderness, where the existence of a well-prepared location 
with dwelling-houses, built in advance for each of them, 
had been promised by the company, were deprived of their 
individual liberty, and subjected to forced labour for the 
benefit of what was called " the community." And while 
thus reduced to a state little better than that of slaves they 
were allowed to perish from want of wholesome food, almost 
all the provisions sent out by the company being unfit for 
the sustenance of human life. Under these circumstances 
the greater number of the colonists either died or removed 
to some other locality. Some, however, principally Ger- 
mans, remained, and are said to be now well contented 
and in tolerably good circumstances. In consequence of 
the non-fulfilment of their contract by the company, the 
colony of St. Thomas has reverted to the sovereignty of 
Guatemala, and the remaining settlers are doing far better 
under the rule of Carrera than they did before under the 
direction of European speculators. Some of them culti- 
vate yams and other vegetables on a larger scale than is 
customary in this neighbourhood, and from time to time 
bring them to market on their own boats to Belize. 
The realization of the Honduras railway project would 
place them in a very advantageous situation, as even Omoa 
is obliged to procure many necessary articles of life from 
the Caribs. 
