Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-09
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
THE GALLEY SLAVES OF FRANCE.
FROM A RECENT PUBLICATION.
lConcl.nied frOm our Last.

CONCLUDED from our IaSt
When the chaine was completed, its wearers
were made to stand up. They formed themselves
in couples, the chain running betwixt two ranks,
and they walked round the yard to take their first
lesson in their CALLING exercise. They are thus
fe,tered together till they reach Brest or lou
Ion. The choice is left to them OF walking or
being carried in carts, more provender being O.
ven TO those who make the journey on foot.
The only part Of their habiliments, which seem
ed left to themselves to provide, was a covering
for the head, the red green cap being given them
only upon entering the bagns For their journey,
some Of the fellows had provided themselves
with strange head gear, mostly made OF straw;
one had a three cooked hat; others, of all
kinds of ourre shapes. A prime vagabond had
woven for himself complete and magnificent
tiara, precisely like the Roman Pontif's in form,
and surmounted by cross. This was the Pope,
the Pope of the Chains, and never heard shout
so appalling as that with which his appearance
was welcomed by the prisoners from the windows
OF the building. They danced, they yelled, tore
and tuwbled over each other in the most exube.
rant delight, ,hrusting their crowded heads and
distorted features almost through the gratinss.-
have cleaned from it quite an idea OF a scene
Of merrim en-. and exultaton beloU.
The said Pope was very extraordinary fel-
low; slight fair form, pointed features. and
eyes that we're penetrating. despite their common
shade of grey. He was called Chanpenois, his
real name unknown, not more than three aud
twenty, and the Lieutenant of the Chmine said,
one of the most talented aud extraordinary cha
racters that he had ever met with. lie had been
the prime mover of the intended irsurrection,
but without proof against him, except his uni
versal authority, unusual IN so young thief
His physiosnomy was one, which IT required not
second look in order 10 remember forever
Another figure struck me, not so much as sin
gular in ITSELF as in contrast with those around.
It struck me as that Of an English cabin boy, a
pale, ireckled, ill.condi,ioned lad. On follow
Ing the calling over of the register roll, found
my conjecture too true. He vas an unfortunate
Young sailor. native of England, guilty of some
mi,demeanour, and by name Akin. He under
stood not word of French. but protested with
shake of his head against his being English: pa
triotism had in MIN outived honesty aud selfre-
spect. spoke to HIM in English, he wept, but
would not reply, pickering up his poor lips in
all the agony of his desolate condition. was
glad to remark the humanity with which he had
been chained to prisoner, pensive and down
cast like himself.
There were some cases certainly hard; enc or
two for resisting the ge,-d'a'nerie in a riot at
Ruuen. To transport rloter, unless under az
gravated circumstances, is grevious enough; but
after the revolution of July. that hallowed riot,
to make galley slave Of abrars for the resisting
the police. must have been at least surprising to
him. The tribunal no doubt felt the necessity Of
severity; and we acknowledged it all in depor-
inc the degradation of these poor devils for an
act. which in SO many thousand others was. at
the moment, extoled to the skies as the acme of
herosm. But justice hath her lottery wheel as
well as fortune.
As the last chahie was completing, an eccles-
astic went round to collect money of the visitors.
But as there were few, so were the offerings
The conycts at the same time produced the fruits
of their ingenuity in straw work boxes. needle
cases, carved ivory and wood. The guardians.
to do them Justice, seemed humane. The lieu
tenant of the chaiae himself could not have been
the rukan, such Vidocq represents the Ar
COUSIN to be- He had an honest countenance.-I
And yet il was disagreeable to see the military
au'form on such nlan-it was truly degrading
to the soldiers profession.
The 6Ggne at Toulon, the destination Of the
members ct the cha,ne. was respectfully peoped
when visited It some wears ago, Ii contained
amongst Others, Sarrazin, famous general. who
had deserted to US from Bonaparte, and whose
"V'NS Ou lhc Cpdt4sH Cd'HptiSUS. are
still read with interest. The general had caught
the inexcusabe habit of marrying wife in each
town wherein he was qartered, and vas sent to
the gallies for trigratasamy. They boasted a
bishop too amongst the convicts at 1oulou. a
merry little fellow. that bore his fate gaily, and
ostill contriVed to exercise kind of spiritual
supremacy over his unfortunate comrades.
The ingenuity and hardwood of these men is
surprising Despite the vigilance, the ramparts,
the letters, and the logs, they escape hourly and
daily;-at what risk is manifest from the regula-
tons, by which three cannon shot ALWAYS an
nounce the disappearance ct convict, serving to
warn the peasants. and call them to earn the
handsome reward given to whoever arrests one of
the branded fusitives. They are easily recog-
nized BY the halt in one limb; as they are wont
TO drag after them that which has been accustom-
cd to the bullet.
ihe only pursuits that seem to pervade the
oagns are those Of eating and dying: with the ex-
SePtion OF escape, all others are denied. And
tnose who have given up the latter hope, con6ne
their thoughts either to lettering their meagre