In the coast region between the main mouth of the Assertion of Spanish authority Orinoco and the Essequibo the Spanish assertion of in coast region. authority was not less clear. In 1732 the Swedes conceived a project of settling in the Barima. This being reported by the colonial authorities to Spain, a royal order enjoined prompt and thorough resistence. Careful investigation was made, and a force of soldiers was gathered for the purpose of expelling the intruders. All this was communicated by the Spanish governor to the governor of Essequibo, who not only made no protest, but furnished supplies to the Spaniards; and the Dutch West India Company, to whom the matter was reported with a request for instructions, did not so much as deign to reply.*

In 1755 the Spanish Prefect of the Capuchin missions, in whose province this district lay, demanded of the Dutch postholder of Moruca some Indians who had for "already over ten years been dwelling under the Post; adding that, in case of reluctance, he would come

behaviour on the part of our neighbours and allies? [Appendix to Case, ii, 177-178.]

Meanwhile our fisheries are ruined, and we have lost all our runaway slaves. [Appendix to Case ii, 213.]

The fishery in Orinocque still being closed, I am compelled to buy cod for the plantations and for the rations of the slaves." [Appendix to Case, i, 216.]

* On his return he reported that he had put to sea by the principal river of the Orinoco, and entered the creek called Barima, where, according to the Caribs, the Swedes were established. Having considered this matter in my Council of the Indies, and taken the advice of my Attorney-General, and deliberated thereupon, seeing that the information sent by the aforesaid Alcaldes, though not to be despised, is not full enough to warrant my making any order in the matter, I have resolved to command, and hereby do command, that soon as you receive these despatches you do forthwith verify the facts of the matter, and, in case any orders should be necessary, you do forthwith make such orders as you think advisable, giving me an account of your proceedings in this matter with all dispatch, remembering that I have also instructed the Governors of Caracas and Margarita by despatches sent this day. [Ap. pendix to Case, ii, 283. See also same, ii, 257-266; also Blue Book 1, 64-65; 3, 84-85, 224-226.]

Assertion of with sufficient force to fetch them, and take them away Spanish authority in coast region. in chains."*

Barima ordered to be cleared of

Two years later, in 1757, there came to the Spanish general commanding in the Orinoco tidings that the Dutch were building a new fort on the Moruca. He at once ordered a reconnoissance to be made. The new fort proved to be only a watch-house at the mouth of the river to prevent the escape of slaves, and it was not interfered with. But the occurrence gave occasion for vigorous protest to the governor of Guayana against the toleration of the Dutch in this quarter, lest, being suffered to stay in the Moruca, they pass on to the Barima, and even to the Aguire.+

In 1760 the Spanish Governor ordered the arrest of Dutch slave trad- certain Dutch slave traders whom he learned were lurk

ers.

ing in the Barima.g

*After the despatch of my last, the Postholder of Marocco has come, and has brought me a letter from a missionary Father written to him from Oronoque, wherein he has requested him to deliver up and send to him some Indians of the Chiama nation, by us called Shiamacotte, and who have already (over ten years) been dwelling under the Post, adding that, in case of reluctance, he would come with sufficient force to fetch them, and take them away in chains. [Appendix to Case, ii, 119; see also Blue Book, 3, 105.]

+I inform Y. H. that I have performed the duty entrusted to me to reconnoitre the waters of the Moroca channel, and the fortification you were informed of, from which reconnoissance it results that the information is incorrect, for on the whole of that channel and the other channels communicating therewith there is no fortification to be found, and all there is is the news that the Dutch of the Esquivo Colony intend to move the guard which, under the name of post, they maintain on the Moroca channel, taking it down to the mouth thereof, emptying into the ocean, which will be about a distance of six leagues, for which purpose they have cut down trees and made many clearings for sowing that site, and built the houses necessary for the Aruaca Indians and the Dutch, which news I have been unable to verify with certainty, and I have only heard it said that the purpose is to prevent the negro slaves of the Company and residents of the said Colony from running away so easily to these Dominions, for the said guard being at the mouth of the Moroca, it can watch the boats that, without entering it, may pass by the coast to take the main mouth of this river. [Apppendix to Case, ii, 301-302.]

‡U. S. Commission Report, viii (3), 175.

Whereas, on account of a report received from the Most Reverend Prefect of the Missions of this Province, I have become aware of the information received by him from four fugitive Poyto Indians about the tyrannic power of the Hollanders inhabiting the neighboring Colonies of Esquivo and

As a result of this two launches and two Indian boats were captured.*

The officer in charge of the expedition also reported that near the point between Waini mouth and Barima,

Surinam, at the mouth of the Barima creek, coming out from this river, where five Hollanders from said colony are staying and carrying out the inhuman and lucrative commerce they maintain with the wild Indian tribes who trade in the Orinoco, buying from them the infidels taken in their wars, making them prisoners and trading them for iron utensils, clothing, and munitions of war; and as said Hollanders are awaiting for a party of Indians, they have sent Carib agents to purchase said Indians and bring them to their Colony.

Such an illicit traffic in human beings is already going on. The four Indians who escaped were included as victims and came in quest of protection to the said Missions. As the service of our Lord and of His Catholic Majesty requires the stopping of this illicit trade, and the punishment of the Hollanders of the above mentioned Colony, who possessed them in their own country, (if they had any right for this kind of possession), [a better translation would be: to keep the Dutch of the said colonies by chastisement within their own possessions (if so be that they can hold them lawfully)], they ought not to be allowed to communicate through the rivers and dominions of the King. Therefore, in virtue of the powers granted to me, I order and command that the Lieutenant of Infantry and second officer of this place, Don Juan de Dios Gonzales de Flores, without any delay whatever, depart on board the Royal vessel that he will find in Port Royal with a crew of ten men and manned in the ordinary way, armed with two light guns, and the necessary stores for twenty days. He will take Spanish river pilots and the fugitive Indians, and go to the place where said Hollanders are staying. He will proceed straightway, navigating night and day, and as soon as he reaches the place, he will attack the ranch, after having surrounded it. He will imprison the Hollanders, French and Spaniards found there, at the words, "Long live the King!" and will employ his arms in punishing and apprehending the same persons, as well as the Caribs that he may find in their company, carrying out this inhuman trade. He will likewise seize every vessel he may meet, going up or down the river, and the foreigners as well as Spaniards unprovided with the lawful and proper papers of navigation. The masters and crews of the same will be brought along to this place, well secured. The full cargoes as well, without allowing the least fraud or disorder by the troops of his command. [Appendix to Case, ii, 327-328.]

*As a consequence, said Lieutenant Don Juan de Flores has seized and brought along with him a schooner and two launches which were anchored under the artillery of the Castle of San Francisco de Asis, which is the chief port of this city. [Appendix to Case, ii, 328.]

Inventory of Seizures.-In the first place, there was a schooner with her main and foremast, and rigging without sails.

One small anchor, with its corresponding rope.

Five barrels of salt fish.

One launch, with a mast, canvas shrouds and a round sail of coarse cloth.
Four barrels of powdered salt.

One curiara (a small Indian boat) for the service of the launch, with wash boards. Six hatchets, ten short coarse Indian drawers, eight knives, six bundles of beads and an old case.

Barima ordered to be cleared of Dutch slave trad

ers.

Dutch traders.

Barima cleared of he had captured one vessel with ten Arawak Indians from Essequibo colony on their way to fish in the Orinoco.*

In 1761 the Spaniards cleared the Barima of Surinam traders. +

In this same year, 1768, the Spanish marine police cleared out, by order of the Spanish authorities, certain Dutch plantations which, without the knowledge of the Dutch Government of Essequibo, had just been estab lished in the Barima. Their occupants escaped by flight; but the property was confiscated and sold at auction by the Spanish officials.

Another launch, with its mast, canvas shroud and a round sail.
A small anchor with its corresponding hemp rope.

One curiara, answering as a boat. [Appendix to Case, ii, 329.]
*Lieutenant Don Juan de Dios Flores testified, that having left this
port, under orders of the Commander, to proceed to the Barima creek,
and having reached and tacked about the mouth of it, on the eleventh
instant [Sept., 1760] at about four o'clock in the afternoon, he descried
a sail towards the point of Guani, that was coming in the direction
of the mouth of the Orinoco, and he went after it and having met
her and fired a small gun, she stopped immediately, and having boarded
her he found ten Aruaca Indians who came from the Esquivo Colony to
fish in the river, three of whom ran away, throwing themselves into the
river, and on the following day he continued his journey and went
through the mouth of Barima, going up the creek for about three
leagues, when he descried a vessel that was left aground by the low
tide, at a long distance, finding no means to reach on board the
same, until it was full tide, when he could draw near. The people
and the crew on board, as they had seen and recognized his vessel,
had left theirs, carrying away their sails and cutting the best part
of the rigging. Although he tried his best to reach them, he could
not succeed. Through the Aruaca Indians who had been seized he
was informed that that schooner belonged to the Esquivo Colony,
and came there for the purpose of fishing; that finding himself with
these two vessels without any crew, he had only four men in their
charge, two men in each one; that he had only six men left, and being
informed that five days at least were necessary to reach the place where
the traders in Poytos were reported to be, it was natural to suppose
they had been warned of his visit by those who had left the vessel; that
he found [it] necessary to return at once, as he did, finding that his order
was only to reach the same mouth (Barima). [Appendix to Case, ii, 330-
331.]

I am also informed on very good authority that the canoes were taken by an armed boat, cominanded by Captain D. Flores, who was sent out expressly to catch the Surinama traders in Barima, and who captured everything that came in his way. [Appendix to Case, ii, 121.]

That the Commandant-General there present having received information that in the Creek called the Creek of Barima, which is close to the great

In the following year, 1769, the Spanish did more than merely visit the neighborhood of Essequibo. It was an eventful year along the coast. In March, the Spaniards, with two Capuchin fathers, a detachment of soldiers, and a large party of armed Indians, were capturing and taking prisoners all the free Indians between the Barima and Pomeroon. They next overpowered the Moruca post.*

In that same month (March) Gravesande wrote that "they (the Spaniards) have the audacity to go to work as if they were sovereigns of this whole coast.Ӡ Again he wrote:

"They have captured and taken away all our people that were on the sea coast. The salter of Luyxbergen has luckily escaped

mouth of the River Orinoco and falls into it, sundry Dutch families were established, dispatched him with instructions to warn them once, twice and thrice to quit the whole of that territory because it belonged to the said Province, in virtue whereof the Declarant went in his vessel, with another accompanying him, in search of the said Creek, and having arrived at the mouth he saw several Indians of the Carib nation, and these, before the Declarant could reach the establishments and farms of the said foreigners, gave them intelligence, and thereupon they took to flight without giving an opportunity for the notification; and they only found the deserted houses and the effects, implements and utensils contained in the inventory, which they put on board the two vessels and then set fire to the said houses, in order that they should not form settlements in future, and destroyed the farms as far as they possibly could. [Appendix to Case ii, 361; see, also, same, p. 396; also U. S. Commission Report, viii, (3) 232; also, and especially, as to this, U. S. Commission Report, i, 285, 286.]

*The 10th March I received two consecutive letters from Councillor M. Buisson, which gave me information that an Indian named Adahouva, from Pomaroon, had come to his house and related to him that the Spaniards, with two Capuchin Fathers, a detachment of soldiers, and a large party of armed Waykiers, were capturing and taking away as prisoners all the free Indians between Barima and Pamaroon, and that they had actually overpowered the Company's trading place, Marocco, and that they were now there, but that he had as yet no further knowledge of the circumstances. On the 11th came the assistant from Marocco with a letter from the Postholder. From his written Report, copy whereof is here annexed, your Honours will per ceive to what pitch the insolence of our neighbors goes. [Appendix to Case, ii, 183-184.]

But I should as soon have expected heaven to fall, as that they, in so high-handed a manner, openly (as if in open warfare), in breach of the right of nations, in breach of all Treaties of Alliance with his Catholic Majesty, should attack us from another side, and have the audacity to go to work as if they were sovereigns of this whole coast. [Appendix to Case, ii, 183.]

Spanish control of coast regions.