Dutch prevented from fishing in Orinoco. The Dutch effort to fish in the mouth of the Orinoco was more persistent; and was the cause of repeated arrests by the Spanish officials. In November, 1769, the Dutch Governor reported the ruin of their fisheries; and before 1770 the Essequibo Dutch finally abandoned them.* with the pirogue he commanded, one of the Orinoco corsair canoes from the aliens engaged in the clandestine extraction of mules, horses, cattle, and other products, through the Guarapiche and Theresen rivers, which empty in the interior of the Golpho Triste de la Paria. An English sloop named the Sevillana; a Spanish schooner, the Esperanza; two launches, also Spanish; an English boat with four lately-imported negroes, some animals, and different foreign articles, besides (in the same campaign and before returning to this city) a French schooner named Maria Louisa, with two newly-imported negroes; two barrels, one of claret and the other of Taphia rum, and ten arrobas (250 lbs.) of chinchorro thread; and, also, on the same occasion, in company with the cruiser armed at the Island of Trinidad, a French sloop and schooner with various goods and newly-imported negroes, of which, after deducting all expenses and the sixth part, which the officials retained, they delivered to him the half, which amounts to seventeen hundred and ninety-two pesos, twenty-four maravedis, which brought in this place two-thousand and eighty-five pesos, three reals, one and twofourths maravedis. Which seizures were declared to be legal and belonging to His Majesty on March 26th, April 30th, and July 29th of last year1768. [Appendix to Case, ii, 366–367.] * Appendix to Case, ii, 216. The principal fishery, my Lords, has always been in the mouth and between the islands of Orinoque, near the Warouws, to which we send salting markott twice every year. This has never been prevented until recently, to the inexpressible injury of the Company's plantations and Colony, because there now being a want of that fish, and the slaves being obliged to have their rations, salt cod has continually to be bought, which even in one year runs pretty high, and sometimes brings me into difficulties with the payment. Only this week I paid over 300 guilders to Captain Andrew; the twelve casks of meat which each plantation gets annually are of little use, and 1,000 lbs. of fish is soon gone. [Appendix to Case, ii, 176.] A report which I received after the closing of my letters compels me to add these few lines. A Spanish privateer from Orinocque cruising along our coast made an attempt to capture your lordships' salter before the River Wayni (indisputably the Company's territory) and fired very strongly upon him. The latter was cautious enough (not being able to escape otherwise) to run his boat high and dry upon the bank so that he could not be reached by the privateer who, having continued to fire upon him for some time, and seeing that he could do nothing, finally departed. They are not content with most unreasonably keeping our runaway slaves and with hindering us from carrying on the fishery in Orinocque, which we have always been free to do, but they now wish to prevent us from salting along our own coasts, and will in this manner end by closing our river and no boats will dare to go out any more. Is this proper Assertion of Spanish authority In the coast region between the main mouth of the 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 mis-sions, 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. [Appendix 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.§ *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. 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. t 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 established 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. 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 |