Peace entered, and the moment the door was closed he saw what a little dark hole he was thrust into—indeed, it was some minutes before he could make out anything distinctly.
He was curious about his future home, and as soon as possible he proceeded to make an examination of the same.
It was like most places of that description—small enough, certainly, not more than seven feet long by four feet six inches in width, and, as far as he could judge, about eight feet in height.
By the side of the door was a narrow window of thick rough plate-glass, beneath which was a small flap table, that had to be let down when the hammock was slung. Only at this table, and immediately close to the window, was there light enough to see any object distinctly. Over the table and under the window was a narrow shelf, on which to place a candle.
Peace glanced curiously around and surveyed each object with a curious and inquisitive eye. The general appearance of the place was much the same in its leading features as the cells in other convict prisons.
A wooden shelf ran over the door from side to side of the cell. On this spare boots and shoes, together with cleaning rags, were kept.
Opposite the door, about five feet from the ground, was another and wider shelf. On this was arranged the bedclothes, done up in a neat, round, compact roll, a tin pint mug, a tin plate, a small brass candlestick, with a curiously contrived pair of snuffers, made ingeniously out of one piece of tin, a tin knife, a wooden spoon, a wooden salt, and an ordinary school slate.
Below the shelf, and at the opposite end of the cell to the window and flap table, was the hammock, neatly rolled up and strapped against the wall.
An ordinary stable bucket, with iron handle and hoops, was on the floor alongside of a low wooden stool; a small hand broom, and in a corner, under the table, a scrubbing brush, and two tin tallies, with the number of the cell, prison, and hall, hanging behind the door, completed the furniture of the cheerless receptacle for the felon.
Peace surveyed the several objects with a look of resignation. He had by this time been pretty well used to the most noticeable features of apartments of this sort. His attention was now directed to the ventilation of his new abode.