[1] Gage published in 1648 in London an account of his residence and
voyages; I have only a French version of his work at hand, printed in
Amsterdam, in 1721. The passages cited are re-translated from that language
and, therefore, will not agree word for word with the original text.
[2] Gage's "Voyages," Part 3, Chapter II.
[3] It seems proper to add here, that three years after Guatemala had
declared her independence of Spain, she abrogated slavery by decree of
April 17, 1824. Thereby she got, by the way, into difficulties with Great
Britain, which as late as in 1840 demanded the extradition of slaves run
away from the adjacent British territory of Balize. Guatemala was by
men-of-war sent to her coast forced to do so, though that was contrary to
her constitution.
[4] Within the last decades, some Negroes have been brought over, from the
United States, to the banana plantations of United Fruit Co., near the
Atlantic coast, and occasionally, though very seldom, one meets with a
black newcomer from Jamaica, Barbadoes, or other West Indian islands.