as children obey their parents. The free competition of European
traders, however introduces two powerful inducements to exertion.
Spirits or opium is a temptation too strong for most savages to
resist, and to obtain these he will sell whatever he has, and
will work to get more. Another temptation he cannot resist, is
goods on credit. The trader offers him bay cloths, knives, gongs,
guns, and gunpowder, to be paid for by some crop perhaps not yet
planted, or some product yet in the forest. He has not sufficient
forethought to take only a moderate quantity, and not enough
energy to work early and late in order to get out of debt; and
the consequence is that he accumulates debt upon debt, and often
remains for years, or for life, a debtor and almost a slave. This
is a state of things which occurs very largely in every part of
the world in which men of a superior race freely trade with men
of a lower race. It extends trade no doubt for a time, but it
demoralizes the native, checks true civilization--and does not
lead to any permanent increase in the wealth of the country; so
that the European government of such a country must be carried on
at a loss.

The system introduced by the Dutch was to induce the people,
through their chiefs, to give a portion of their till, to the
cultivation of coffee, sugar, and other valuable products. A
fixed rate of wages--low indeed, but, about equal to that of all
places where European competition has not artificially raised it-
-was paid to the labourers engaged in clearing the ground and
forming the plantations under Government superintendence. The
produce is sold to the Government at a low, fixed price. Out of
the net profit a percentage goes to the chiefs, and the remainder
is divided among the workmen. This surplus in good years is