The Sun.
London, England, 1812-09-12 00:00:00

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DESCRIPTION OF A CONVICT SHIP:

Mr: EDIT oR—Th e appearance and regulation of
a'Convict. Ship, are as' singular as the novel- pu-.
nishthent of transportation,.or as anregulatecreo-
roily of very lawless convicts Order and disci-
pline, necessary to such *abandoned- society,
prevail in eVery Tait of the ship. The inen are
arranged in one long line, the women in a se-
cond ; but the sexes are separated. The former
dine upon their bedsteads, the latter sleep on a
species of table, three. lOngitinlinally and two
collatently. To preserve subordination and re-
gularity, a soldier in his regimentals -is placed at
the.interval of ten convicts, as their guard. An
'adequate space is left in the loweSt hall for the
cockpit and surgery each.; a second space between
',decks,' for the stowage or stores, and a third on
the qualter for the apartment of the free- settlers,.
and for the cabins or beds of the Officers. All the
convicts are compelled to' wash once in the day
their heads; their feet, and their fates ; the men
under the superintendatice of a wo-
then apart, under the'eye of a:matron. The males
are marched in a body of sik.aerosS the deck to
the piunp,; the sailors draw up the water, and
they are artfully compelled to labottr for health at •
the pump, and rinse away the dirt:" ,By this pru-
dent precaution, in every variety of weather; they
obtain fre'-h air, and avoidthe scurvy or cutaneous
diseases. A surgeon every 'day ins.pects this hit-
Man cargo, and reports its state. .They are paid,
per head, a sumfor-those who survive the vOyage.
Hence it is the surgeon's interestto preserve the
lives of those diseaSed _wretches.. To inure the
assembly, disgorged from brothels, :ale-houses,
_and gaok, 'to the appearance,. or to the idea ,of
•decortirti, the men wash their bodies aboVe decks,
and;the women between them. • The sexes are
forbid to mingle; even at their meals.. So, rigo.-
rous a diseipline is only supported by , se-
verity of punishment. ChainS, fastened round
the body, and securely fettered ',round the ankles, ,
confine and distress each male convict by the
clanking sound, and hy "annoying the feet: This
image of 'slavery
_is 'copied .from the irons, used in
the slave ships in Guinea; as in these bolts and
locks also. are at hand, In the; sides and ribs of
each transport (for the vessels on this service,
with peculiar propriety, are so:named), to pre=
.vent the escape, or preclude the movements of, a
convict. If he attempt to pass the sentry, he 'ls
liable to be stabbed ; for the attempt, a convict
was lately shot, and his executioner Whs applaud-
ed by his officer for a faithful,,though severe dis-
charge of duty. If a felon kill his cOmpanion,' a,.
case very frequent in the quarrels of these high-
waymen 'lnd:robbers; the murderer is hung.at the
yard-arth; and his body isslofvly carried through
the ship, and laune•hed into the deep. For the
theft of provisions, of of clothes from his' neigh-
hdiir, a case yet snore common and nipre natural
to footpads, the convicted depredator is shot.. For ,
inferinr•crimes, as riot Or quarrels, a soldier is or-
•derect to whip the offender with martial severity:
On the slighteSt.appkarance,of mutiny, the ring--
leader is cast headlong into the sea, in his irons
and in his clothes—" We-commit this body to,
the. deep," the Chaplain repeats,' hut the words
'Of" Shakespeare would, perhaps, be more appli-,
cable :

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" 0 mutineer, if thou bast any hope of Irear'n's bliss,
Lift up thy hand'; make signal of that hope. . . . •
•
"he sinlis, and makes no sign." ' • •
Jt \Via be- remembered that'Atherica was first
poptd.4ted.by such chargctqs.