The whole police force for this district is composed of seventeen horsemen, four footmen, a sergeant, and the keeper.  It was formerly greater but has been reduced within the past year.

The keeper informed us that he found the apprentices, placed under his care, very easily controlled.  They sometimes attempt to escape; but there has been no instance of revolt or insubordination.  The island, he said, was peaceable, and were it not for the petty complaints of the overseers, nearly the whole police force might be disbanded.  As for insurrection, he laughed at the idea of it.  It was feared before abolition, but now no one thought of it.  All but two or three of the policemen at this station are black and colored men.

STATION-HOUSE AT DISTRICT A.

Being disappointed in our expectations of witnessing some trials at the station-house in Captain Hamilton’s district (B,) we visited the court in district A, where Major Colthurst presides.  Major C. was in the midst of a trial when we entered, and we did not learn fully the nature of the case then pending.  We were immediately invited within the bar, whence we had a fair view of all that passed.

There were several complaints made and tried, during our stay.  We give a brief account of them, as they will serve as specimens of the cases usually brought before the special magistrates.

I. The first was a complaint made by a colored lady, apparently not more than twenty, against a colored girl—­her domestic apprentice.  The charge was insolence, and disobedience of orders.  The complainant said that the girl was exceedingly insolent—­no one could imagine how insolent she had been—­it was beyond endurance.  She seemed wholly unable to find words enough to express the superlative insolence of her servant.  The justice requested her to particularize.  Upon this, she brought out several specific charges such as, first, That the girl brought a candle to her one evening, and wiped her greasy fingers on her (the girl’s) gown:  second, That one morning she refused to bring some warm water, as commanded, to pour on a piece of flannel, until she had finished some other work that she was doing at the time; third, That the same morning she delayed coming into her chamber as usual to dress her, and when she did come, she sung, and on being told to shut her mouth, she replied that her mouth was her own, and that she would sing when she pleased; and fourth, That she had said in her mistress’s hearing that she would be glad when she was freed.  These several charges being sworn to, the girl was sentenced to four days’ solitary confinement, but at the request of her mistress, she was discharged on promise of amendment.

II.  The second complaint was against an apprentice-man by his master, for absence from work.  He had leave to go to the funeral of his mother, and he did not return until after the time allowed him by his master.  The man was sentence to imprisonment.