102 



TRINIDAD I THEN AND NOW. 



the top of the square flat pieces of iron on the top of 

 the wood, until she should confess her guilt or other- 

 wise. Such was the mode of applying the 4 c question ' 9 

 as provided for by law. 



It is no more a part of my duty to defend this 

 cruel practise, than it would be to defend the brutal 

 practise, were it now the law, of flogging a man con- 

 demned to be hanged before executing him ; but if it 

 were the law — no matter how repugnant — it would 

 have to be sanctioned by the governor of the colony, 

 or by the Secretary of State, and carried into effect 

 by the proper officer entrusted with the duty. To 

 say that such a thing would not now be tolerated 

 may be true, but it is beside the question. Then was 

 not Now, and many cruel things were done Then that 

 would not be tolerated Now. 1 c Applying the ques- 

 tion 99 in all such cases was the law, and that Picton 

 was so advised by his responsible legal adviser, is 

 beyond doubt ; if he had hesitated to apply it on 

 account of the sex of Luisa Calderon other improper 

 motives might, and no doubt would, have been 

 alleged against him. 



It was alleged that the torture on Luisa Calderon 

 was inflicted with great severity ; that she fell down 

 unconscious ; that no doctor was present to revive 

 her ; yet the truth was, that but little pain was inflic- 

 ted, the confession was almost immediate, that the 

 girl was so little affected that she walked with a 

 cigar in her mouth, from the gaol, more than half a 

 mile, to the scene of the robbery, where she pointed 

 out the manner in which it had been effected. There 



