edition of it from the author, as it appears to me a language deserving of much more attention than it has hitherto obtained. It is simple in its structure and yet elegant in its combinations; and of its primitive character I will give only one instance, in respect to its pronouns, that whereas in all other languages, these vary in the singular and plural, in the Mosquito an additional termination is affixed to the singular as in the case of common nouns, as if we, instead of saying We, Ye, They, should add the plural termination to the Singular and say. Is, Thous, Hes. The same remark may apply to the people, but too great censure cannot be passed on this account on the English Government and nation for having so long and so shamefully neglected them. For 200 years they have exhibited a singular affection to the English nation and proved it by a singular fidelity. They have been faithful though humble adherents in war, and zealous followers in the peaceful pursuits of commerce. They have ceded their lands to us, they have given us their services in peace, they have been at all times ready to receive instruction from us in the arts of life; but we have left them still to roam over their coasts all but naked as they did 200 years ago, without ever sending them, that I know of, a missionary or a schoolmaster to teach them the comforts of civilization or the blessings of Christianity. Mr. Henderson's acquaintance with them arose in the British possessions of Honduras where numbers of them come annually in search of work, which work they assiduously engage in until they have earned sufficient for their wants. It is then truly ridiculous to see them go off as I have seen them go to the stores at Belize, and supply themselves with a sort of slop shirt, and then a gun and ammunition with which they hurry off to their woods as happy as if they had all their desires gratified. The traders of course profit by them shamefully and usuriously in their bargains, still more so in the sale of liquors to which of course as uncivilized men they are generally lamentably addicted. Thus they may be acknowledged to be what they have been called, a degraded people, but their vices are sins for which the English Government and English nation are accountable, while their many virtues, their confiding kindness, their unshaken loyalty and general probity are entirely their own. It is vain for an unassisted individual like myself to endeavour to raise a cry on their behalf, when we know it to be only one of a hundred such cases of neglect on the part of the English Government, but I trust that even these few observations will not have fallen in vain.
