472 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
against making any mental comparison with the 
plazas of old Spain, as for example the Plaza de 
Toros at Seville, and conjuring up the multitudes 
assembled to witness the combat, the shrieks of 
delight of gaily-dressed ladies when a wounded 
torero is carried out, and all that sort of thing — 
seeing that, in point of fact, the green in my 
native pueblo of Ganthorpe, whether considered in 
itself or with respect to the houses that environ it, 
far exceeds in magnificence the plaza of San Carlos. 
In the said plaza, then, and towards the southern 
side of it, standeth the casa real. ... As you 
have now a distinct perception of the casa real, 
I may venture to admit you to a view of its interior, 
and you will find that it is divided into two com- 
partments, both on the ground- floor — literally the 
ground floor, there being no other sort of floor in 
San Carlos — whereof one is appropriated to the 
administration of justice, and the other to the con- 
finement of those who are accused and the punish- 
ment of those who have been convicted. On 
entering the latter, one is struck by the sight of a 
ponderous machine of sinister aspect extending the 
whole length of the wall on one side, and looking at 
first glance something like a recumbent guillotine, 
but when more accurately examined proving to be 
nothing more than a monster " stocks," and called 
by the people of the land a sepo. This is per- 
forated with sundry round holes, serving for the con- 
finement of the ankles, and if necessary the wrists, 
of those whose fingers are too light, and wits so 
heavy as after committing a theft to allow them- 
selves to be found out and seized, in a country 
where concealment of crime and escape are so 
