200 



TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



various periods Superintendents of Prisons. Here 

 too is a nice comfortable house used and honoured 

 by the presence of the higher gaol officials, their 

 families and friends, who have no hesitation in be- 

 coming temporary prisoners. Then Cronstadt, the 

 residence of the prison medical attendant, who is 

 also the District Medical Officer for a very large, and 

 in some places remote, district. This is a cool and 

 healthy island. Gaspar-Grande and Gaspar-Poco, 

 where Apadoca, the Spanish Admiral, burnt his fleet 

 rather than surrender it to the English ships when 

 they were intent on capturing Trinidad. At this 

 point it may be interesting to find out why these islets 

 were named Gaspar, " which means Jasper, " was it 

 a man's name or after the precious stone of that name 

 which is often of a red colour found in the veins em- 

 bedded in masses in many rocks and sometimes as a 

 rock of which whole hills are formed. Gaspar-Grande 

 is, as many people know, in places formed of red 

 rock, and this may have caused the name. Point out 

 the places (two) where the Spanish forts stood, one 

 on a high hill in Gaspar-Grande, and the other just 

 round the corner, near Goodwille's house, the remains 

 of which till recently, were still standing. The guns 

 from these forts were, without let or hindrance, dis- 

 mounted and shipped by an enterprising merchant to 

 England, and there sold as old iron or brass accord- 

 ing to their composition. Describe the many sea-side 

 residences distributed all round the shore, with the 

 historic one of " Boomshell Bay," so called from 

 the number of exploded bombs found there, which at 



