If any one will imagine a long room filled with
pauper coffins with the lids off, he will have a
good idea of our dormitory. Our irons were
immediately knocked off; but, on the following
morning, we were one at a time summoned
on deck and ironed more heavily, having a
ring round the ancle, with a long heavy chain
attached to another ring. This we dragged
about with us till my leg was severely excoriated;
and getting in and out of my sleeping
berth, and going up and down the ladder
became a difficult task. I have since learnt
that it is not usual to chain prisoners on the
voyage, except for misconduct; and I believe
that my fellow-prisoners had to attribute this
to the accident of my being among their
number. But if they thus suffered on my
account, Heaven knows I suffered enough
on theirs during the voyage; for petty
offences were frequently committed, of which
the particular authors could not be detected;
consequently, all were punished by increased
privations. During our stay at Woolwich,
the prisoners were allowed to write to their
friends, and to take a last farewell of those
who might choose to visit them, although
strangers were compelled to remain in a boat
alongside, and were not allowed to come
aboard. So disfigured were they by their
dress and close cut hair, that wives could
scarcely recognise their own husbands. A
gentleman who had known me from childhood
said, " If I had not heard your voice, I
could not believe it was yourself." Excepting
some affecting leave-takings, the time here
was spent in great hilarity. Some of
the prisoners' friends brought them a little
money; and it was mysteriously hinted to me
by one of the officers of the vessel, that a
round Dutch cheese, scooped out and filled
with sovereigns, would be found useful; but
I was unable to avail myself of his counsel.
Some tea, which was afterwards stolen from
me, and a few shillings were all my viaticum.
There was a subscription for a violin; but it
was subsequently found that no one was
capable of playing on it. Nevertheless,
without music and with a heavy chain
clanking to one leg, some danced as merrily
as if they had been in a booth at a fair.
They were also allowed to make purchases
of the " bumboat-man," who appeared to
enjoy a monopoly of this branch of Government
patronage. He supplied a variety
of trifling articles, such as cakes, fruit,
needles, thread, tin plates, &c., at a profit
of about one hundred and fifty per cent.;
but his customers contrived to square the
account in a way peculiarly their own; for,
while he was extorting an undue profit on the
one hand, his basket was generally robbed
by adroit thieves on the other.

In the river, our rations consisted of
biscuits, soup, and cocoa, night and morning.
At sea, we had salt meat with a pudding --
pleasantly termed plum-pudding -- but he was
lucky indeed who found a plum in his slice.
On alternate days we had pork and pea-soup.
Each man received an iron spoon and a tin
pot, but no plates, knives or forks. Upon a
kind hint from the surgeon (who is the
representative of Government in a convict ship), I
had purchased a tin plate, although, as I was
the only member of my mess who indulged in
this luxury, it exposed me to some coarse
ridicule; but as I bore this with good
humour, my companions (seven more
desperate characters could not well have been
found) were soon reconciled to me and my
tin plate. The food was delivered to one
of every eight men, who was called the
captain of the mess. He then divided it --
meat or pudding -- into eight lots; and these
were laid in two rows on the mess table. To
prevent partiality, one of the mess was selected
to name the several owners, turning his back,
whilst another, placing his hand on the
tempting lump, cried out " Who shall? " I
subsequently, however, discovered that under
this ostentatious parade of fair play there
lurked the grossest injustice; for having
noticed that both the parties engaged in
dealing out " even handed justice," always
got the largest portions, and that their office
was regarded as a privilege, I was led to
inquire of one of the mess during the voyage,
and learnt that there was a well understood
confederacy between the adjudicators.

Our ship was of five hundred and sixty
tons burden; and besides the ordinary
complement of seamen, carried a military guard
of fifty men. The entire management of the
two hundred and twenty prisoners was confided
to the surgeon, whose duties were both
arduous and dangerous; for it was impossible
for him to avoid incurring the ill-will of some
of the more desperate characters. We had
also a chaplain, who read prayers every
day in the prison when the sea was not too
rough; and on Sundays performed divine
service on deck, which we all attended.

The day fixed for our departure had (as is
customary) been studiously concealed from
us. One morning we were towed down the
river, and about two miles out into the
Channel. The time passed at Woolwich --
from the corresponding with friends, dealings
with the bumboat-man, the temporary enjoyment
of little luxuries of which they had been
long deprived, the revival of old acquaintances,
the exchange of news and of messages, the
eager examination of newspapers occasionally,
though secretly, introduced -- was one of
comparative enjoyment to most of the prisoners.
But there were those who, like myself, clung
to the hope that they would yet be snatched
from the abyss of misery which lay before
them. The bumboat-man's basket had no
attraction for them, nor could they enjoy any
of the gratifications placed for a moment
within their reach. They corresponded
continually with their friends, scanned with
eager anxiety every boat that came alongside,
and observed with wistful eye every post