ent. The men stood by themselves; the women by
themselves; the children grouped in front; and a merrier, healthier,
shrewder looking party I have seldom seen. Complaints there were
none. All seemed to look on the Squire as a father, and each face
brightened when he spoke to them by name. But the great ceremony
was the distributing by the Governor of red and yellow sweetmeats to
the children out of a huge dish held up by the Hindoo butler, while
Franky, in a long night-shirt of crimson cotton velvet, acted as
aide-de-camp, and took his perquisites freely. Each of the little
brown darlings got its share, the boys putting them into the flap of
their waistcloths, the girls into the front of their veils; and some
of the married women seemed ready enough to follow the children's
example; some of them, indeed, were little more than children
themselves. The pleasure of the men at the whole ceremony was very
noticeable, and very pleasant. Well fed, well cared for, well
taught (when they will allow themselves to be so), and with a local
medical man appointed for their special benefit, Coolies under such
a master ought to be, and are, prosperous and happy. Exceptions
there are, and must be. Are there none among the workmen of English
manufacturers and farmers? Abuses may spring up, and do. Do none
spring up in London and elsewhere? But the Government has the power
to interfere, and uses that power. These poor people are
sufficiently protected by law from their white employers; what they
need most is protection for the newcomers against the usury, or
swindling, by people of their own race, especially Hindoos of the
middle class, who are covetous and ill-disposed, and who use their
experience of the island for their own selfish advantage. But that
evil also Government is doing its best to put down. Already the
Coolies have a far larger amount of money in the savings' banks of
the island than the Negroes; and their prosperity can be safely
trusted to wise and benevolent laws, enforced by men who can afford
to stand above public opinion, as well as above private interest. I
speak, of course, only of Trinidad, because only Trinidad I have
seen. But what I say I know intimately to be true.

The parade over--and a pleasant sight it was, and one not easily to
be forgotten--we were away to see the Salse, or 'mud-volcano,' near
Monkey Town, in the forest to the south-east. The cross-roads