y district:--'Your commission find that the line of road is
nearly impassable, and that a long succession of formerly cultivated
estates presents now a series of pestilent swamps, overrun with bush,
and productive of malignant fevers.'

"Nor are matters," says Lord Stanley, "much better further south.

"'Proceeding still lower down, your commissioners find that the public
roads and bridges are in such a condition that the few estates still
remaining on the upper west bank of Mahaica Creek are completely cut
off, save in the very dry season; and that with regard to the whole
district, unless something be done very shortly, travelling by land will
entirely cease. In such a state of things it cannot be wondered at that
the 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 overrun with wild 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 Demerara, the generally
prevailing features of ruin and distress are everywhere perceptible.
Roads and bridges almost impassable are fearfully significant exponents
of the condition of the plantations which they traverse; and Canal No.
3, once covered with plantains and coffee, presents now a scene of
almost total desolation.'

"Crossing to the west side, they find prospects somewhat 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
dis