Chap. V.— B. S.J PRISON SOCIETY. 77 
did everything in their power to make us comfort¬ 
able. The house was situated in one of the best 
parts of the town, and in the large square close to 
the cahildo, or townhall, and military barracks, and 
prison. In the latter, a man was confined who was 
going to he shot on Colonel Gross’s return. He had 
been hired for eight dollars to kill another, and the 
villain who hired him, a man of some property, lived 
undisturbed at Chinandega. The widow of the mur¬ 
dered man had spent 2000 dollars to bring the as¬ 
sassin to justice, who, it appears, had escaped to Hon¬ 
duras, and resided there for some years. There was 
also a young gentleman confined in prison for at¬ 
tempting the life of and maiming a rival in a love 
affair. His term had nearly expired, and he was 
allowed to go unfettered into the veranda; for in 
this country—what an improvement upon our old- 
fashioned plan!—prisons have verandas: he hav¬ 
ing given his a word of honour” not to effect his 
escape. He was a tall, gracefully-built mulatto, 
who seemed to make a point of dressing well, or 
rather overdressing, and thus, with very had taste, 
rendering himself unduly conspicuous. Cleto, our own 
servant, also recognized a townsman of his amongst 
the u chain-gang,” to whom he was quite affectionate, 
and who, he assured us, was in that position quite 
undeservedly; he added that they seemed to be 
mighty particular in this place, and that in Leon 
his friend might have done the thing he was in for 
(whatever that might be) over and over again, with¬ 
out being locked up. 
