s are of many races, and of many hues of black and
brown. The half-breeds from the neighbouring coast of Venezuela, a
mixture, probably, of Spanish, Negro, and Indian, are among the most
industrious; and their cacao plantations, in some cases, hold 8000
to 10,000 trees. The south-west corner of Montserrat {204} is
almost entirely settled by Africans of various tribes--Mandingos,
Foulahs, Homas, Yarribas, Ashantees, and Congos. The last occupy
the lowest position in the social scale. They lead, for the most
part, a semi-barbarous life, dwelling in miserable huts, and
subsisting on the produce of an acre or two of badly cultivated
land, eked out with the pay of an occasional day's labour on some
neighbouring estate. The social position of some of the Yarribas
forms a marked contrast to that of the Congos. They inhabit houses
of cedar, or other substantial materials. Their gardens are, for
the most part, well stocked and kept. They raise crops of yam,
cassava, Indian corn, etc.; and some of them subscribe to a fund on
which they may draw in case of illness or misfortune. They are,
however (as is to be expected from superior intellect while still
uncivilised), more difficult to manage than the Congos, and highly
impatient of control.

These Africans, Mr. Mitchell says, all belong nominally to some
denomination of Christianity; but their lives are more influenced by
their belief in Obeah. While the precepts of religion are little
regarded, they stand in mortal dread of those who practise this
mischievous imposture. Well might the Commissioner say, in 1867,
that several years must elapse before the chaos which reigned could
be reduced to order. The wonder is, that in three years so much has
been done. It was very difficult, at first, even to find the
whereabouts of many of the squatters. The Commissioner had to work
by compass through the pathless forest. Getting little or no food
but cassava cakes and 'guango' of maize, and now and then a little
coffee and salt fish, without time to hunt the game which passed
him, and continually wet through, he stumbled in suddenly on one
squatting after another, to the astonishment of its owner, who could
not conceive how he had been found out, and had never before seen a
white man alone in the forest. Sometimes he was in considerable
danger of a rough reception from people who could not at first
understand what they had to gain by getti