8 JAMAICA, 



below confirts of a great number of mahogany chairs and fettees, 

 fufficient to accommodate a large company ; this room being chiefly 

 ufed for public audiences, entertainments, balls, and the hearings 

 of chancery and ordinary. At the South end are three folding- 

 doors, opening into a fpacious apartment, in which, by the gover- 

 nor's permiilion, the council ufually meet; whence it has received 

 the name of tlie council-chamber. At this end it was defigned to 

 place full-length portraits of their prefent majefties, and likewife of 

 the prince of Wales and his late majefty, between the pilafters ; but 

 I am informed they have not yet been obtained. Above the coun- 

 cil-chamber is a banqueting-room, or drawing-room, of the fame 

 fize, hung with paper, and neatly furniflied. This room commu- 

 nicates with the upper gallery and a back flair-cafe, and enjoys a 

 view of the faloon through fome windows ranging with thofe of 

 the Attic flory : it is leldom ufed, except on public days, and is per- 

 fedly well-calculated for the purpofe. Thefe different apartments 

 take up about one-half of the whole building. The room over 

 the lobby, being fomewhat darkened by the pediment of the por- 

 tico, was converted by governor Lyttelton into a chapel, for pri- 

 vate devotions. It is neatly fitted up, and with great propriety 

 adapted to this ufe. The Northern dlvifion of the houfe confifts 

 of three large rooms below, communicating with each other, and 

 with a long gallery ; all of which are handfomely furniflied and 

 well-lighted : this gallery has commonly been ufed either for public 

 fuppcrs, when balls were given in the hall, or as a fheltered and re- 

 tired walk in wet weather. The upper ftory is difpofed in a fuite 

 of chambers, divided by a long narrow gallery from a range of 

 fmaller apartments or clofets, intended for lodging the governor 

 and part of his houfliold. The two Northernmoft rooms above 

 and below are provided with a chimney, and all the neceflary ap- 

 paratus for a good fire ; which in the rainy feafons is healthy and 

 not difagrecable. In this new building are three ftair-cafes, all of 

 which are private ; a circuraftance, perhaps, overlooked when the 

 plan was drawn, and not more attended to when it came to be ex- 

 ecuted : yet there is fufficient fpace in the lobby for carrying up a 

 very magnificent central one, anfwerable to the other parts of fo 

 capital a llrufture; and this no doubt will, fome time or other, be 



added 



