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A journal, of a young man of Massachusetts, late a surgeon on board an American privateer, who was captured at sea by the British in May, eighteen hundred and thirteen and was confined first, at Melville Island, Halifax, then at Chatham, in England, and last at Dartmoor prison : $b Interspersed with observations, anecdotes and remarks, tending to illustrate the moral and political characters of three nations. To which is added, a correct engraving of Dartmoor prison, representing the massacre ofWaterhouse, Benjamin

History

A journal, of a young man of Massachusetts, late a surgeon on board an American privateer, who was captured at sea by the British in May, eighteen hundred and thirteen and was confined first, at Melville Island, Halifax, then at Chatham, in England, and last at Dartmoor prison : $b Interspersed with observations, anecdotes and remarks, tending to illustrate the moral and political characters of three nations. To which is added, a correct engraving of Dartmoor prison, representing the massacre of

Waterhouse, Benjamin

Dartmoor Prison; United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Prisoners and prisons

King Dick keeps a boxing-school, where the white men are sometimes
admitted. No. 4 is noted, also, for fencing, dancing and music; and,
however extraordinary it may appear, they teach these accomplishments
to the white men. A person, entering the cock-loft of No. 4, would be
highly amused with the droll scenery which it exhibited; and if his
sense of smelling be not too refined, may relish, for a little while,
this strange assemblage of antics. Here he may see boxing, fencing,
dancing, raffling, and other modes of gambling; and to this, we may
add, drawing with chalk and charcoal; and tricks of slight-of-hand;
and all this to gratify the eye; and for the sense of hearing, he may
be regaled with the sound of clarionets, flutes, violins, flagelets,
fifes, tambarines, together with the whooping and singing of the
negroes. On Sundays this den of thieves is transformed into a temple
of worship, when _Simon_, the _priest_, mounted on a little stool,
behind a table covered with green cloth, proclaims the wonders of
creation, and salvation to the souls of true believers; and hell fire
and brimstone, and weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, to the
hardened and impenitent sinner, and obstinate rebel of proffered
mercy. As he approaches the end of his discourse, he grows warmer and
warmer, and, foaming at the mouth, denounces all the terrors of the
law against every heaven-daring, God-provoking sinner. I have
frequently noticed the effect of this black man's oratory upon some of
his audience. I have known him to solemnize his whole audience, a few
numskulled negroes alone excepted. While he has been thus thundering
and lightning, sullen moans and hollow groans issue from different
parts of the room; a proof that his zealous harrangue solemnizes some
of his hearers; while a part of them are making grimaces, or betraying
marks of impatience; but no one dare be riotous; as near the preacher
sat his majesty king Dick, with his terrible club, and huge bear-skin
cap. The members of the church sat in a half circle nearest the
priest; while those who had never passed over the threshold of grace,
stood up behind them.

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