“The subscriber being about to proceed to England by the first opportunity, will dispose of all his fashionable household furniture, lately imported, consisting of,
HANDSOME FRENCH POLISHED MAHOGANY SIDEBOARD,
Dining, Loo, Card, and other tables, Glass, &c.
Also, a few choice articles of plate and plated goods; also, an English-built Phaeton and Pair of Horses and
A FLOCK OF SHEEP.
Y. Z.”
Now, this last announcement is but very seldom true. But as Mr. Robins, of well-known auctioneering celebrity, calls to his aid all the high sounding words and flaunting descriptions he can get, to ensure company at his rooms, so the Antiguan auctioneer, or vendue-master, as one of the craft calls himself, throws out all the sprats he can in hopes of catching whales. The country managers and overseers are often good purchasers; and to ensure their company, the bait of a flock of sheep is held out, which has more effect in bringing them to the scene of action than anything else. “I have no sheep,” observed a gentleman one day to an auctioneer he had employed. “Why do you put such notice into the papers?”—“Oh! I know you have not,” quoth the knight of the hammer; “but it makes the advertisement look so much better, and draws the attention of the planters—they all like to come when sheep are to be sold.”
Upon the day of this important undertaking, a red flag is hoisted before the house, and the bellman perambulates the streets, announcing that “the sale is just begun.” Carpets are not taken up, and beds taken down, mirrors torn from their resting-places, and pots and pans brought into the drawing-room, as is often the case in England; but everything remains in its usual situation, only, perhaps, with a rather stricter eye to order than is practised in common; and the auctioneer proceeds from one apartment to the other, until the whole of the articles are disposed of.
The company assemble about twelve o’clock, and the first lots, consisting of glass-ware, china ornaments, or similar little knick-nacks, are knocked down very cheap. Sangaree is then handed about; and as its potent influence becomes apparent, the heavier articles are brought forward, and often obtain high prices.
As another means of ensuring good company and biddings, a kind of lunch is provided; and then there is such a cutting-up of hams, tongues, and salt-beef: such a calling for sangaree, punch, “swizzle,” and porter; such a laughing, choking, talking, and eating, that a poor quiet body is glad to get into a corner, and offer up a prayer for silence.
It is not always, be it remarked, that “the subscriber is going to England,” although such intimation heads the advertisement that occasions these “auction sales,” for very frequently they are nothing more than an Antiguan scheme for “raising the wind.”
Previous to the abolition of the militia, field-days and reviews often occurred, to abstract attention from business. Upon such occasions, the gentlemen took great pride in exhibiting their epaulettes and garnished coats.
In proof of this assertion, I need but relate the following anecdote. A resident of Antigua, who, in days of militia glory, served in the dragoons, went to a neighbouring island, of which he was a native, to pay a visit to his friends. In order to astonish the inhabitants, and create a “sensation,” Mr. ——— determined to land in full uniform. The dress of the dragoons was very smart, and the swords and steel scabbards they carried, very long and heavy. Fancy, then, our brave militaire, who, by the bye, is a very short and corpulent personage, with a redundancy of colour, landing upon a sandy beach, beneath a burning sun, in all the glory of blue cloth and yellow worsted, with his Goliah-like weapon, scarcely twelve inches shorter than himself, dangling, or rather dragging, gracefully by his side. Although of little stature, he is big of heart; and proudly erecting his head, and settling his shoulders, he marched along, amid a herd of astonished boatmen and sea-side loiterers, with all the dignity of a commander-in-chief. The news spread like wild fire—astonishment was at its height—for rich and poor, black, white, and coloured, all thought their ci-devant neighbour was Fortune’s child, and had been promoted governor of his native island. Before, however, any procession could be formed, or salute fired to welcome his arrival, his real rank was discovered; and as the truth became known, the assembled multitude one after another departed, and left our gallant dragoon “alone in his glory.”
In speaking of the militia, I am reminded that I have not yet mentioned the Christmas guards. Before the emancipation of the negroes in 1834, martial law was put in force upon the 24th of December, and continued during the three following days, which, by law, constituted the Christmas holidays; and a militia guard stationed at the guard-house in St. John’s, in order to protect the arsenal from any attack which might be made upon it by the slaves, who were more at their leisure during that period than at any other part of the year.