A PETITION FROM JOSEF da COSTA, A PORTUGUESE, TO THE GOVERNOR OF TRINIDAD, 1835

     1835.

     To the Lieutenant Governor of Trinidad.

      The humble Petition of Josef da Costa, free Portuguese by birth, but now an apprenticed labourer, states

      That he came to Trinidad on certain conditions and sailed from Fayal on 31st October 1834. He and 27 others were clandestinely landed on the north coast, 15 days after their arrival, were carried to Mr Graham's estate at Chaguanas. There they remained two months where they worked with the negroes in the fields. The consequence was that they all fell sick and many died.

      The Petitioner and his wife were, through the humanity of Mr Graham, removed to town and placed in Marie Ursula's hospital where his unhappy wife died.

      After this, his services were bought by one Mr Lock and he was sent down the coast where he was badly treated and, when unable to work as the negroes did, cruelly beaten.

      To escape from this misery, he left the estate on the 18th of the present month, and is now lying in town in the last stages of misery and starvation.

      He humbly implores that his case be inquired into;

      Josef da Costa.

      Witness; A. Shaw.

Source: Truths from the West Indies. By Captain Studholme Hodgson (19th Regiment of Foot). 1838.