The "Peacock" and the "Hornet." 93 



One would have thought, here, indeed, was the border- 

 land of the colony's Golden Age, but this was not so. 

 The Good Old Times must be looked for at a somewhat 

 earlier period. Writing on the 20th of February, 1813, 

 the cheery Editor of the Royal Gazette anticipates in 

 his own way the good news by the next packet, tidings 

 having reached Demerara of that vessel's arrival at 

 Surinam, which place was then also in possession of 

 Great Britain. The worthy old colonist seems himself 

 to have known better days than those of which he writes 

 so feelingly in the following strain : — 



" The planter and merchant, we hope to gratify 

 with a price current of colonial produce, rapidly 

 advancing towards what was prevalent in Demerara's 

 good old days — when duns were as scarce as cash at 

 present; and the greatest curiosity that could be exhi- 

 bited, was a citation."* 



Without steam boats and the telegraph to aid in the 

 distribution of news, the old time colonists were yet 

 kept alive to what was going on in other parts of the 

 world, by the king's packet ships, and by the numerous 

 other sailing vessels coining to the colony. Sometimes 

 the news came by way of Barbados or some other 

 neighbouring colony ; sometimes by a ship which had 

 spoken another ship at sea. WELLINGTON'S victorious 

 progress in the Peninsula makes many a page to glow, 



* Was there a revival of the good old times in the year following? 

 In January, 1814, in his issue of the 24th, the Editor of the Royal 

 Gazette became quite enthusiastic over the cheering state of the produce 

 markets. " Sugar, for ever !" he exclaims, and adds : — " We congratu- 

 late the planter of this species of produce, that it is said, by the latest 

 communication from London, the lowest sum for any kind is 99s. We 

 have seen a Glasgow price current in which fine was 100s." 



