THE GAOL.
237
fair hands of the Antiguan ladies were to be found there, but what pleased some part of the company much better, a well-filled lunch-table was spread, when pullets and guineabirds, turkeys and ham, were joined to a whole army of tarts and puffs, fruits and confections. It was a motley group that frequented the court house that day : Iris would have found herself outvied in colours, and Fancy might have taken a new lesson. In one part of the room might be seen a member of the council, with his lady hanging upon his arm, and next to him a black labourer with his lady, in the same position ; the latter couple making, in many instances, a far greater show than their aristocratic neighbours.* The military band was stationed in the lower apartment, and played during the day the most fashionable and favourite airs. The profits arising from this sale were appropriated to the purposes of assisting to defray the expenses of the new public cistern lately erected. Opposite the north side of the court house is the arsenal, erected in 1757 or 1758. It is, as might be supposed, a strong building, and stands in a court yard, enclosed with iron railings. To the east of the arsenal is the old guard-house, erected in 1754, during the administration of Sir George Thomas. It is a plain building, with two projecting wings; but it is now very much out of repair, not being used for any purpose. Adjoining the guard-house is a long stone building, with its grated windows, formerly used as the gaol of the island, but within these last few years turned into the police office,—the goal being removed to the suburbs of St. John's. This is a very great improvement ; for this building, standing in one of the greatest thoroughfares of this populous town, and directly facing the market, the culprits who were immured for petty crimes, and kept in that part of the gaol, could look through their grated windows, hold converse with the passers-by, and thus disseminate their evil * This social assemblage of " white" and "black" is one of the good effects of emancipation. Some years ago this dark-skinned race would have been kept from within the precincts of the walls by the point of a bayonet, as it was the custom on similar occasions to have a guard.