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
The women being dispatched, 20 or 30 male spectres came in, and
underwent the same sort of summary examination. The only case I
recollect was that of a man attacked with violent palpitations,
accompanied with great pain in the shoulders. His heart was felt
beating hard through the sternum, or even under the ribs on the right
side. "His heart has moved from its place!" The unhappy man thrown
back on an arm chair--his breast uncovered--pale as death--fixed his
fearful eyes on the physicians, who successively came to feel the
pulsations of the breast, and reason on the cause. They seemed to me
to agree among themselves, that the heart had been pushed on one side,
by the augmentation of the bulk of the viscera; and that the action of
the Aorta was impeded thereby. The case excited much attention, but no
great appearance of compassion. They reasoned long on the cause,
without adverting to the remedy till after the patient had departed,
when he was called back from the door, and cupping prescribed!
The medical men next proceeded to visit the resident patients, I
followed. The apartments were clean and spacious, and the sick not
crowded, which is no doubt of the greatest importance. I was shocked,
however, with the same appearance of insensibility and precipitation.
_La le long de ses lits ou gemit le malheur,
Victimes des secours plus que de la douleur,
L'ignorance en courant fait sa ronde homicide,
L'indifference observe et le hazard decide._
These are the sentiments and feelings of a sensible French gentleman
who had resided 20 years in the U. S. and whose journal of his Travels
through England has been highly praised by the British Reviewers for
its liberality, candor, justness and good sense. "By the mouth of two
witnesses all things shall be established."
[R] Two celebrated American Frigates.
[S] When we have read in the American newspapers, which sometimes
reached Dartmoor prison, the speeches and proclamations of the
governor of Massachusetts, some of us have blushed at the degradation
of our native state. That state which once took the lead in the
opposition to Britain; and that Boston, once considered the cradle of
liberty, has become among us, a name of reproach. Such are the effects
of an unprincipled faction--a faction that are despised even by these
Britons, who expected their assistance in dividing the Union; and
founding "_the kingdom of New-England_."
[T] The mention of this celebrated member of the _Essex Junto_ brings
to our mind a fact in chemistry, viz. that the best of wine, when kept
too long _in a hot place_, turns to the sharpest vinegar. Pickering's
"_fast anchor'd isle_," is now (autumn of 1816) entirely afloat in an
ocean that deserves not the name of _pacific_.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE.
The pointing finger symbol has been transcribed as '-->'.
The engraving of Dartmoor Prison referred to within the text is
missing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account