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Show 250 LIBERTY AND SLAVERY. district, unless something be done yery shortly, travelling by land will entirely cease. In such • state of things it cannot be wondered at that tho herdsman has a formidable enemy to encounter in the jaguar and other beasts of prey, and that the keeping of cattle is attended with considerable loss from the depredations committed by these animals.' "It may be worth noticing," continues Lord Stanley, "that this district-now overmn with wilcl beasts of the forest-was formerly the very garden of the colony. The estates touched one another along the whole line of the road, leaving no interval of uncleared land. "The east coast, which is next mentioned by the commissioners, is better off. Properties, once of immense value, had there been bought at nominal prices; and the one railroad of Guiana passing through that tract, a comparatively industrious population-composed of former laborers on the line-enabled the planters still to work these to some profit. Even of this favored spot, however, they report that it 'feels most severely the want of continuous labor.' "The commissioners next visit the east bank of the Demerara River, thus described:- ,' 'Proceeding up the east bank of the river ARGUMENT FROM Tll.E PUBLIC GOOD. 251 Demerara, the generally prevailing featm·es of ruin and clistress are everywhc•·c perceptible. Roads and bridges almost impassable are fearfully significant e>--ponents of the condition of the plantations which they traverse; and Canal No. 3, once covered with plantains and coff'ee, presents now a scene of almost total desolation.' "Crossing to the west side, they fincl prospects so mew hat brighter: 'A few estates' are still 'keeping up a cultivation worthy of better times.' But this prosperous neighborhood is not extensive, and the next picture presented to our notice is less agreeable:- " 'Ascending the river still higher, your commissioners learn that the district between IIobaboe Creek and " Stricken IIeuvel" contained, in 1829, eight sugar and five coftee and plantain estates, and now there remain bnt three in sugar, and four partially cultivated with plantains, by petty settlers; while the roads, with one or two exceptions, are in a state of utter abandonment. IIere, as on the opposite bank of the river, hordes of squatters have located themselves, who avoid all communication with Europeans, and have seemingly given themselves np altogether to the rucle plea~ures of a completely savage life.' |