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every occasion to establish a regular steam-boat service between Wakenaam, and Massaruni, in connection with the service already established between Wakenaam and Georgetown. There will thus be a through mail from this city to Massaruni, and from Massaruui to this city, three times a-week, by which passengers and letters may pass.
8. If I can effect this arrangement all difficulty of access to the convict settlement will be removed, and it will be able to be visited with as much facility as Berbice or Esse- quibo. Visits of inspection may be made when necessary at the shortest possible intervals, and the friends of prisoners may pay them such visits as are permitted by the rules. (See inclosure).
9. The establishment of a steamer running regularly three times a week up and down the river would, I think, have another effect in reducing the sense of isolation. With regular communication with Georgetown it is probable that the wood-cutting and quarry. ing settlements along the river would increase. During my own visit to Massaruni on Wednesday and Thursday last I noticed four large merchant vessels in the river loading timber for Europe, three of these were within sight of the settlement, and I found in the infirmary at the settlement four seamen from the vessels suffering from fever. At the village of Bartica, immediatiately opposite the settlement, there were, in 1871, 220 people, and in the other settlements on the Essequebo 1,130. I have no doubt that these scattered settlements will increase in population. There is endless employment for them in wood-cutting and quarrying granite, and the village of Bartica, from its central posi- tion at the point of the confluence of the Essequebo with the united stream of the Massaruni and Cuy-Uni, will probably become the chief place in these regions. The establishment of regular steam communication will powerfully contribute to the coloniza- tion of the Essequebo.
10. I inclose for convenience of reference a printed copy of the contract now in force for carrying on steam communication with Berbice and Essequebo, including in the latter route Wakenaam. I have written to Mr. Stubbs, the agent of the contractor (Mr. Sproston being in England) requesting him to ascertain and state whether the contractor would be willing to undertake this additional service for the ten years for which his other contract has yet to run, and what sum he would charge. If the contractor be unwilling to undertake the service for a moderate sum it may be undertaken by the Government, who can themselves make use of the established communication as far as Wakenaam.
16. On my visit to Massaruni on the 14th and 15th instant, I minutely inspected every part of the prison, including the hospitals, kitchens, dispensary, and chapel. My visit was practically one of surprise, for the boat by which I sent information that I was coming was delayed by calms, and did not arrive until after my own arrival. I visited cach prisoner under punishment, and heard what he had to say. I also attended at a parade of all the prisoners who wished to apply to me. Out of 42 prisoners who appeared on this parade, 39 asked only for a remission of their sentence, one for boots (which are only issued on the order of the surgeon, the universal practice of the labouring class being to go barefooted), one complained of the ration of bread and asked for rice instead, and one that his ticket of leave had fallen due but had not been given to him.
17. Although this is the wet season, I was glad to find only 15 prisoners out of a total of 228 in the hospital. Several of these were chronic cases, and the patients earnestly entreated me to allow them to be removed to the hospital in Georgetown, a change which would scarcely be for their benefit, for the air at Massaruni is certainly purer than the air in Georgetown. The prison is built on a platform of solid granite rock, the surface of which is 50 feet above the river at high water. The patients in the hospital are supplied with fresh meat (beef and mutton), poultry, milk, and vegetables from the farm and provision grounds attached to the prison, a full account of which will be found in the report of the Superintendent inclosed. All the prisoners have fresh meat, in soup, once a week. The sanitary arrangemants of the prison are satisfactory, the drainage is, from the elevation of the site, perfect. The dry-earth system is in use throughout the prison.
18. I visited the cowsheds, pigsties, and fowl-yards, which are called the farm. It is necessary for the use of the sick to keep a supply of fresh ment, &c., on hand. The care of the stock offers employment for weakly prisoners who are not equal to hard labour in the quarrie and it is of advantage that the officers of the prison should have the opportunity of purchasing fresh meat occasionally for themselves and their families. I would gladly see this part of the establishment increased.
19. While I was engaged in hearing the complaints of the prisoners, Mr. Austin, the Acting Government Secretary, who accompanied me on my visit, examined the journals of the Acting Superintendent, the Acting Chaplain, and the Surgeon. I may here remark that the Rev. Mr. Walshe, whom I appointed to act as Chaplain during the absence on leave of
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