village settlers are all that remain to tell of once flourishing
estates, it is not to be wondered at that the most ordinary marks of
civilization are rapidly disappearing, and that in many districts of
the colony all travelling communication by land will soon become
utterly impracticable.'

"Of the Abary district--

"'Your Commissioners 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 farther 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.