Hundreds of visitors and locals alike gathered in St George's this morning to witness the annual Peppercorn Ceremony.After the Bermuda Regiment opened the ceremony by marching in formation onto the town square, the crowd looked on as the Scottish Masonic Lodge paid it's annual rent to the Governor of a single peppercorn.St George's Mayor Kenneth Bascome addressed the crowd, thanking the Governor for his help in keeping the town's police station open 24 hours a day and and saying the Corporation is looking forward to hotel projects in the East End moving forward.Governor Sir Richard Gozney meanwhile joked that he hoped barter arrangments similar to that of the original statehouse could be made with Belco, gas stations and Gosling's Rum.Robert Kind, who is visiting the Island from Providence, Rhode Island, said: "It was nice. We don't have this kind of pomp and circumstance very often back home."