Beyond the falls the country was more than ever, to the authorities of British Guiana, an unknown wilderness. There was no semblance either of settlement or of political control. On the other hand, in the western part of the district the Spanish settlements continued to flourish, until their development was for a time interrupted by the Venezuelan revolution.

In 1816 the number of inhabitants of the Spanish missions was officially reported as 21,246, divided among 29 settlements which had been founded at various dates between 1724 and 1788 (B. C., VI, 6).

During the next four years the interruptions caused by the revolution took place, in which, owing to the fact that the missions remained loyal to Spain, they became seriously involved in the revolutionary war. Many of the missionary priests were put to death during this period. By 1820, however, the Venezuelan Government was firmly established at Angostura, and the Congress of Angostura, representing the Government in the Province of Guiana, on January 27, 1820, took measures for the organization of the mission settlements into districts, enumerating 30 villages (B. C. VI., 17).

Blanco governed the settlements for the whole of the year 1820; that when he took charge of them the population was much reduced. He mentions several of the southern villages, namely Puedpa, Ayma, and Divina Pastora, as being exceptions to the prevailing tendency (B. C. VI, 40).

Blanco's administration put an end to the retrograde movement at the settlements in the mission valley, and from that time on, they recovered steadily, though probably not rapidly. The evidence fortunately gives a graphic statement of their condition in 1850, from an unquestionable authority.

Mr. Kenneth Mathison, British Vice-Consul at Angostura, in a report of June 14, 1850, to Mr. Wilson, the British Minister at Caracas, referring to the fact that gold had just been discovered

at Tupuquen, makes the following observations upon the condition of that country as to settlement (B. C. VI, 182):

"From Upata, at the distance of 10 miles to the east, the road abruptly descends about 400 feet into the vast valley of the Missions. The distance from Upata to the Missions or village of Tupuquen is 140 miles over extensive tracts of undulating open pasture-lands, through occasional large patches of woods, and narrow but deep streams. There are no regular roads in this part of the country, and it requires great attention on the part of a stranger to find his way without a guide, from the numerous cattlepaths that intersect the whole distance.

"The direction of the road from Las Tablas to Upata goes south and by east, and from the latter village to Tupuquen east-south-east. The journey from Las Tablas to Tupuquen is generally performed in four days on horseback in the dry season, and on the whole route there are cattle estates at moderate stages from each other that serve as places of shelter and rest for man and beast.

"The village of Tupuquen is composed of about thirty houses, covered with tiles; in its vicinity and along the borders of the whole Yuruary there are plenty of materials quite at hand for building huts, with abundance of cattle, at a low rate, and wild game can be obtained at all times and scasons. Indian corn, pease, rice, yuca for making cassava, and good tobacco, can be procured at a moderate price in the surrounding villages."

He adds:

"In December it is the Governor's intention to station a party of soldiers at Tupuquen."

4. COAST TERRITORY.

As to the Coast Territory, during the period referred to, the British made no attempt at settlement. Except for the isolated and unimportant fact that one Sutton lived for a few months, in 1843, on the shell-bank at the Waini (B. C. VI, 128), no allusion is made to a settler in that district.

This isolated act, of course, has no bearing upon the question of settlement.

The report of Crichton, Superintendent of Rivers and Creeks in 1839, who traveled through the coast territory at that time,

and who was an ardent advocate of the British policy of territorial extension, testified that there were no settlements. He said (B. C. VI, 76):

"Your reporter had communication with the Indian Captains of the various nations inhabiting that portion of the country, who all concurred in declaring that there were no persons except Indians resident in either of these rivers or any of the creeks their tributaries, and as he found no deviation in their statements, he feels perfectly convinced of their truth.

"The district in question contains a numerous population of Indians, viz., Warrows, Accaways, Carribesee, and Arrawaks, the former the most numerous, and in the humble opinion of your reporter, it would be good policy to secure the absolute possession of it to this Colony."

Great Britain certainly cannot claim that at the date of this report (1839) she was in possession, adverse or otherwise, of Barima.

Nor was there any post in the district.

Mr. Singleton, Postholder, writing from what he significantly calls the "Indian Post of Pomeroon," August 15, 1836, states:

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Thirdly, there are no Posts to the westward of this Post, and the nearest to the eastward is the Essequibo Post." (B. C. VI, 61).

On July 5, 1845, Postholder McClintock writes to the authorities (B. C. VI, 138):

"A Postholder situated in Barima could not only furnish the estates with plenty of Indian labourers, but also induce others from the Orinoco to follow their example."

Down to the signing of the Agreement of 1850 no attention had been paid to McClintock's suggestion.

Nor is there anything in the evidence to show that during this period the coast territory was used in the slightest degree by the English colonists for purposes of trade. They did not find, any more than the Dutch, that trade in the Barima was a profitable occupation for their time or capital. An extensive trade was carried on with the Spaniards from Orinoco, but, as in the Dutch period and particularly in the latter half of the eighteenth cen

tury, the trade was now wholly carried on by the Spaniards. The Pomeroon or Moruca post preserved its character of a frontier post and custom-house. Numerous illustrations may be given of

the fact that the trade was entirely in the hands of the Spaniards and that the use of the post was that of a frontier custom-house.

Quartermaster-General Hilhouse, who was an excellent authority, in a report made in 1834, advocating the abolition of the posts, advised the retention of that of Pomeroon alone, on the ground that it was a frontier post, and therefore necessary. He said (B. C. VI, 52):

"I have further to remark that a Post definitory of the jurisdiction westward is indispensable, and that the Post of Pomeroon ought to be maintained on a most respectable footing, for weighty moral and political reasons."

In a report dated April 20, 1839, Superintendent Crichton opposed a projected removal of the Pomeroon post to Ara Piakka Creek,

"because placed at the mouth of the Ara Piakka it could only be useful in observing those who pass and repass by the Tapacooma Lock, whereas in its present situation all travellers from the Morocco, Wyena, and Barima, whether proceeding through the Tapacooma Lock or by the sea-coast, must pass it in either going or coming, and the most efficient site, in the opinion of your reporter, if removal at present be deemed necessary, would be the mouth of the Morocco Creek" (B. C. VI, p. 76).

The Superintendent opposed the removal backwards towards Essequibo, because the post would lose its character and efficiency as a frontier post, by reason of the fact that vessels coming from Barima would not necessarily pass it. Crichton, who was a decided advocate of territorial extension, proposed instead a site on the Moruca, which even he considered as being the extreme point at which such a frontier post and custom-house should be placed.

This character of the post as a custom-house at a port of entry is more fully shown by the next extracts.

In a report of Sept. 30, 1841, Mr. King, Superintendent of

Rivers and Creeks, referring to the fact that an Orinoco trader had left one of his crew at Moruca, who had died of the smallpox, says (B. C. VI, 114):

"As for the Oronoko traders, your reporter respectfully would suggest that a Custom-house officer or aid waiter ought to be sent down to this district, as these traders bring many articles into the country which are liable to pay duty, but which they dispose of read ly in the Pomeroon and Essequibo coast. If such an officer was appointed down there, such an occurrence as these traders leaving any of their crew behind could not happen, as they would be obliged to give security to take back their crew, and observe all the colonial laws, as merchant-vessels are compelled to do in Georgetown."

Postholder McClintock called attention, in 1843, to the importance of the post being just at the entrance of the Pomeroon. He says that the Spanish Indians of Moruca, passing on the way to the Arabian Coast and upper districts of Pomeroon and "the Spanish traders from the Oronoco, who come through the creeks and savannas of the interior, arriving at the sea by the Morocco Creek, cannot pass to town, or to the Arabian coast, without being also seen." (B. C. VI., p. 126.)

In his report of September, 1843 (B. C. VI, 127-8), Postholder McClintock refers to the fact that the post is a custom-house.

says:

He

"Your reporter begs to observe that on the 8th August, two traders from the Oronoko arrived at the post. Their cargoes consisted of salted fish, cigars, and cheese. Neither party being prepared to pay duty in money, your reporter (sooner than allow them to pass without arranging) was obliged to take it out in the articles they had with them.

"10th. Another Oronoko trader arrived; cargo, blackeye peas and cigars, duty paid in money. 10th, went to Morocco Creek to overhaul a sloop from the Oronoko; cargo, forty 150 lb. bags blackeye peas, ten full-grown hogs, and ten young ditto. The owner of the vessel, who was on board, not having money to pay the duties, produced documents which proved that he was regularly cleared out at Angostura for Demerara, consequently allowed him to pass.

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"Your reporter, on the 20th September, was visited by Jose Rodinze, Postholder of Corioppo [Kuriapo], a village in Rio Oronoko. The gentleman