tie a strand of the rope round your leg
loosely, now take another strand, this is
passed between your leg and that already
tied round, holding it at the ends in your
fingers, it is twice or thrice drawn sharply
crossways, assisting it to untwine at the
same time; this frayes the strand, and the
operation of teasing it is now comparatively
easy.

The Huts are of the same dimensions as
others in camp, but have only one door, a
fire place being at the other end—instead of a
stove in the centre—iron stanchions secure
all the windows, the door is fastened with a
double lock which can only be fastened or
opened from the outside.  This is kept shut
whenever the prisoners are in the wards. The
Warder has a small bunk next the door; in
this he sleeps at night, locking himself in;
from this he can see all the inmates, and
from here a bell communicates with the
Chief Warder's quarters.—One would imagine
it to be nearly impossible to escape from
here—for if even the windows or doors was
passed there is the high wooden paling,
where no hand or foothold can be got—and
the sentries every twenty yards inside and
out. Yet only the other day, a private made
his escape, and last Christmas morning got
clear away and was no more heard of.

Every one on admission, sleeps for the first
seven nights, the same as a soldier does upon
guard, i.e., without a bed—a rug being
allowed in place of a great coat.—After this
while in 3d. Class, a bed is allowed every
third night, and in the 2nd. Class every other
night.—The 1st. Class have their beds every
night. The bell rings at 5.30 a.m., when all
rise, and make up their beds, then shave and
wash; after this the Tables and forms are
thoroughly cleaned and the floor dry-scrubbed,
clothes brushed, shoes polished, and all ready
to march out for exercises at 7, a.m., until
8 a.m.; we now went to breakfast; at
9 o'clock exercise again until 10 a.m.; the
Clergyman now comes and reads prayers.
We were after this placed in Squads for
Shot drill, this commenced at 10.45 a.m., and
continued until 12.15 noon. Dinner from
1 to 2 p.m.; exercise from 2 to 3 p.m.;
Shot Drill from 3 to 4.30 p.m.; and all are
inside by 5 p.m., picking oakum, except the
1st. Class, who are at Lt. Labor for half an
hour longer. At 6 p.m., Supper; and at
7.45 p.m., beds are made down—and all quiet
and regular by 8 o'clock, when the Chief
Warder visits each ward. One day is just
the same as another, with the exception of
Sundays—when every man goes into the
bath—the Doctor makes his inspection; in
the afternoon there is Church parade.

One thing struck me at first as being very
remarkable. That was the great attention
paid by all the prisoners at Divine Service.
Every eye was on the minister, and the
responses all fervently and audibly made—it
far surpassed in this respect any place of
worship I had ever been in, and affected me
at first greatly, but being behind the scenes,
I soon found out it was only outward devotion.
—I saw one lad hooted and derided for
attempting to offer up a prayer to Him who
could best assist him in his captivity. Most
of the prisoners were profane swearers.
Knowing this it did not take such a hold
of me as it would otherwise have done, yet
it was gratifying to see them even do so
much. After Divine Service we were locked
up for the night.

Shot Drill is the most severe labour in
prison: the remainder;—marching drill,
oakum-picking, &c.—is only harassing work;
it keeps all your time employed, and from
the hour you get up until you go to bed
there is no rest. There is also Solitary Confinement,
a punishment often awarded by
Courts Martial in the ratio of one half and
one fourth of the imprisonment.—If those
Officers who are in the habit of adding Solitary
Confinement to the Sentence, were only
to pass forty-eight hours in a dark cell with
a pound of bread daily and water ad libitum,
they would probably think twice ere they
sentenced a fellow creature to such a torture.
I imagine it is mostly done by a thoughtless
President, who fancys it likely to take the
General's eye—when he reads, after
sentencing some poor devil to four months'
imprisonment with hard labor, the President
adding the second and fourth week of each
month to be solitary.

The Author of Experiences of a Gaol
Chaplain says that "After lengthened
consideration of the subject, and highly favorable
opportunities for ascertaining its tendency, I
hold it to be a punishment which no human
being has a right to inflict upon another,
Its results are too frightful, its tortures are
too great, its penal consequences are too
permanent." He quotes likewise, "that at
the Spinning House at Cambridge, where
there are two cells termed solitary, the
keeper has declared that, he is afraid to confine
them (the women) lest they should commit
suicide, two having attempted to strangle
themselves." Again "The surgeon of
Brecon county jail observed that Soldiers
placed in Solitary Cells suffer much both in
body and mind, and said they would rather
be hung than remain there." Another case
"where a man died in Monmouth County
Gaol apparently from fright." He was put
into a Solitary Cell, and was found dead in
the morning; the verdict found was, " Died
from Apoplexy produced by the effect of a
superstitious dread of solitary confinement."
The Rev. Mr. Kingsley, in his work on Prisons
and Imprisonment, speaks greatly against
this punishment, and his knowledge ought to
have great weight.

Shot drill as I have already stated is a
very trying punishment. The shot, each
weighing thirty-two Ibs., are all placed in
wooden blocks on the ground under a large