to the Printer of that Paper, by Joseph Marryat, Esq. of London, threatening him with a prosecution, which gave occasion to the following reply, which I inserted in the above-mentioned Paper, under date of the 12th December, 1804.

To JOSEPH MARRYAT, Esq. New Bridge Street,

London.

SIR,

I HAVE been favored with a sight of your letter of the 6th Instant to the Printer of this Paper: and as it wholly relates to my Travels in Trinidad, I shall make no apology for addressing you in this public manner.

The uncommon interest you appear to take in every thing which affects Colonel Picton, reflects great honor on the nature of your friendship for that officer. As the Champion of a man who labours under some of the heaviest charges which the laws of England have power to punish, I cannot observe your active zeal without lamenting that such generous exertions are likely to be so unavailing, or that for the sake of the character of your discretion, you had not employed them in a more popular cause. But, is it not enough that you have become surety for Colonel Picton in the sum of 10,0001. that he shall appear to answer any bill or bills of indictment which may be found against him for murder or

sistibly drawn from yourself to the Colonel, as if you were a cypher in the great account, and of no value, but from the relative situation in which you are placed-as if you were a mere machine, with no impulse of your own-an automaton, acted upon and moved by the archjuggler behind the curtain-you must, therefore, pardon this apparent neglect, and permit me to subscribe myself,

SIR,

Your very humble Servant,

December 11, 1804.

P. F. M'CALLUM,

That these LETTERS will be perused by my countrymen with some degree of interest, I think I may conclude without presumption. Happy shall I esteem myself, if this plain unvarnished tale, this naked exposition of facts of which I have been an eye and ear witness, shall awaken the attention of those whose department it is to watch over the interests of my country, to avenge the wrongs of her children and relieve them from the oppressors scourge, and if it shall be the means, in the remotest degree, of introducing a more mild and equitable Administration of Government into THE ISLAND OF TRINIDAD.

Liverpool, 31st August, 1805.

CONTENTS.

LETTER I.

AUTHOR'S departure from America-Cursory Observations on

his unfortunate Friend, General Toussaint-New Englandmen-

Barbadoes-Character of Lord Seaforth-Description of the

Island-Kindness of Mr. Knight-Biographical Sketch of the

Author's Fellow-passengers-Tobago-Short Description of it-

Bocases-Gulf of Paria-Approaching View sublime-Author's

arrival in Trinidad-His tedious Introduction to delegated Majes-

ty-His attention excited ad interim, by the strange sight of a

lusus natura-First glance at General Picton, and the Author's

opinion of that Personage
Page 9.

LETTER II.

DESCRIPTION of Port of Spain-Its Situation and Inhabitants-

Picton's predilection for Foreigners, and hatred to the British-

Bay of Paria-Abercromby Tower-Black Troops-The System

of arming them condemned-A White Population recommended,

to consist of Highlanders—Anecdote of a Scotch Bashaw-The

Island partly described-Its discovery-Aborigines-Visit to them

at Arima, and Reverie under a Linden Tree.

LETTER III.

Page 22.

REVERIE Continued-The present State of the Indians of Arima-

Census of the Colony in 1797-Natural History of the Orange and

Tamarind Trees-Of the Grape, Indian Corn, and Cocoa-An-

cient and Modern Method of making Chocolate, together with its

medicinal Virtues.

Page 35.

dency-Her peculative and plundering Excesses-Resistance dan-

gerous-The Governor sunk in the Lap of Ease-Rosetta takes

the Reins of Government into her own Hands-Her first Act of

Cruelty directed towards Mrs. Griffiths and her Daughters-The

Governor remonstrated with on this occasion-His romantic

Reply-The illegal Execution of a Serjeant of the Royal Artillery,

and a French Planter-Slaves clandestinely carried away, and the

Planters plundered-General Reflections, &c.

Page 138.

LETTER XI.

REFLECTIONS on the Conduct of Governor Picton, and the Inha-

bitants of Trinidad, at the close of the War-Their Hopes of a

Change in their political Situation-Opposition of the Governor,

and an Inquiry into the Causes of it-Detail of the Circumstances

respecting an Address to his Majesty on the Event of the Peace-

Address prepared and signed unanimously at a Public Meeting--

A considerable Number of British Inhabitants agree to celebrate

the cessation of Hostilities by a Public Dinner, on the 11th of

December, 1801, but are prevented by order of the Governor--

Messrs. Higham, Shaw, and others, pcrsecuted in consequence of

the Address to the King-The former arrested, and thrown into

Prison-Released without any Charge or Trial-Reflections on

that Transaction-Conversation between Governor Picton and

Mr. Higham -The Manner in which the Governor intimidated the

Inhabitants, by boasting of his Influence at Home-Hints respect-

ing the Execution of an Artillery-Man-And an Anecdote, in

which the Governor asserts that his Majesty's Ministers warranted

and approved of that Transaction-Reflections on so strange a

Declaration-Events in December 1801, resumed, and con-

Page 156,

cluded

LETTER XII.

PICTON's aversion to Lawyers and Literary Men-The Banishment

of Russel Minchin, Esq. a Barrister, the supposed Author of a

Placard, reflecting on Picton's Cruelties-The Placard answered

by a sanguinary Proclamation-The Author narrowly watched-

Reflections on his perilous Situation-A Specimen of Genera Pic

ton's Billingsgate Elocution, particularly in the Case of Judge

Nihel-Mr. Nihel abused, and dismissed from his Office-John

Black promoted-Picton's congratulatory Address to Black-An

Introduction to Black's Character-The ultimate Cause of Judge

Nihel's Suspension elucidated-The oppressive Case of J. B. D.

Savignon displayed—A Summary of a few of the Sports attributed

to Picton, &c. &c.

Page 172.

LETTER XIII.

CASE of Hugh Gallagher, executed by order of Governor Picton,

in May, 1797, reconsidered-An Account of Jean Baptiste Rich-

ard, a free Mulatto man, executed without Trial, by order of Go-

vernor Picton, in the year 1797-Fourteen Privates of the 60th

Regiment, and of Hompesch Corps, executed in 1797, by order

of Governor Picton, without any Form of Trial-Detail of the Case

of John Baptiste Alarcon, a Spanish Sailor, executed in the month

of April, 1797, by order of Governor Picton, without any Form of

Trial, for a Crime commmitted on the High Seas-A Guiacaree

Indian, the Sailing Captain, or Patron of a Schooner, Tortured and

Shot by order of Governor Picton, without any form of Trial, in

1800-The Case of Pierre Francois, executed, December, 1801,

by order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery, Divination, Knowledge

of the Black Art, Poisoning by means of Charms, &c.—Bouqui,

executed December, 1801, by order of Governor Picton, for Sor-

cery, Divination, Knowledge of the Black Art, Poisoning by

means of Charms, &c.-La Fortune, executed February, 1802, by

order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery Divination, Knowledge of

the Black Art, Poisoning by means of Charms, &c.-Thisbe, a

Negress, Tortured and afterwards Hanged, in February, 1802, by

order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery, Divination, Knowledge of

the Black Art, holding Converse with the Devil, Poisoining by

means of Charms, &c.-Michael Gradon, executed March, 1802,

by order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery, Divination, Knowledge

of the Black Art, Poisoning by means of Charms, &c.-Aubinot,

executed April 1802, by order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery,

Divination, Knowledge of the Black Art, Poisoning by means of

Charms, &c.-Prefent, a Negress, Hanged without Trial, by or-

der of Governor Picton-Circumstance relating to Coliah, a Ne-