Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-09-09
/" uULKS" OF BERMUDA.
BY AN AMERICAN PRISONER OF wAR--lSIQ.

! IL may he interesting to some of your
readers 10 know something about the place
where the Irish Patriot, Mitchell, is con.
demned TO linger out his days in confine-
meut on board of prison ship. They are
truly named Hulks,' and | would add
toGthsonse hulks, too. | was once prison-
er of war and confined on board ofthem, aud
have most vivid recollection Of those
floating castles.
The Bermudas, or Somers' Islands, are a
small group, situated about half way be-
tween Nova Scotia ana the Antilles, and
about six hundred miles from the American
coast, or from Cape Halteras. During the
war Of 1919, it was the headquarters for the
British army and navy, on the American
station. IL was from the Bermudas that the
army under Gen. Ross sailed for the Chesa-
peake, and for the attack on Baltimore. X
was also from the Bermudas that one livis-
ion of the army, destined for the attack on
| New Orleans, departed, underline command
/ Of General keene-ihe division under Gen.
Gibbs, for the same destination, sailed from
Jamaica. These Islands are about thirty
five miles in length, and about twenty broad,
aud divided into about forty Islands, the sea
running through them in every direction,
forming bays and inlets on almost every side.
One Of the hulks, the Goree, an old African
ship; is situated at the head of ST. Georges
harbor, md is used as n receiving ship
! The Ardent" siXty-four, was situated in
| the bay, about four miles from the navy ward
at Hamilton, and three miles from the tanks,
at the head of long and dangsfous reef Of
rocks which extends from the eastern end of
the islands for about thirty miles in kind
ufsemi circle, running all round the western
side of the island. Inside of this ,eef, and
near the head ofii lies tho "rhanes," n
| lrgc. disnanled ship, her lower inasts only
standing, looking Ike three stumps sticking
up, and howsprt sticking out, like dogs
tail cut oft This is the place where tbs
patriot Mitchell is incarcerated. This hulk
the Thanles"--has taken the place of
the f" Ardent" which has been hauled in to
tne docks of Hamilton.
Confinement in one Of these hulks is bad
enough for sailors, who nre accustomed 10 a
wet jaceet aud hard fare; but for lands
man, who has been bred in scenes nf refine
mont, it il, absolutely, unendurnbe His
fare is the CONDEMNED provisions of the Brit
Ish navy, aud TINT which is not condemned,
an American dog would turn up his nose Mt
the scenery is the constant dash of the
ocean against the rocks, having il into whits
foam; shut in on the south by high hills, and,
on the west, open to the broad Atlantic, hut
locked in by that impossible reef, thar no
vessel dear venture near.
I Uhrihg the w'lr of 1912 10 1915, was
captured hy the Lacedemonian frigate, and
carried into Bermuda, where | remained n
prisoner Of war eighteen months, and WAS,
for time, confined in The Hulks. know
them well, aud when was first crowded
down inip the gun deck of that loaihsoms
craft thought my days were nutnbered.--
There are very few persons that can forth
the slightest idea OF m entrance on board Of
q prison -liip. bad been partially initiated
before, having once been pirked up ri sea
by the MelponIere frigite, and once before
captured on The roast Of France, and sent
on bonril the hnlks ~ Portsmouth,. On en-
leriug the gHngway, your mess il called ont,
and il they are not near al hand for your pro-
tection, you ARE pretty sure 10 iose your kid.
/ The hrlk Ut The head Of ST. Georges har-
Dor my be compared TO wart on hand
some wonnn's fare. The bay which forms
the harbor il beamifnl sheet Of waier.-
On the left are lofty hills, with plataux Of
ceder groves along up their sides, dotted
with The white villas Of The citizens, and in
q valley, and gradually rising 10 The hills, Is
The town 0f Saint George, with lis whits
stone house mud nat roof; and stretching far
down the bay, and on the hills below, are
the Barracks and Fort Somers. On the
south are sone small islands, beyond which
the open sen rolls on 10 inferninable swells;
sometimes dashing against the rock hound
] shore, nntl The v hiie foam looks like q
lady's fill, gracefully fitted To her neck.
As soon as I was through with my exaur-
inatOn a. the court Of Vice-Adnirslfy. 1
was marched 10 the dock-boaf, and when 7
approached the huge black hulk, swarms If
heads could he seen peepng through the
port holes. My blood ran cold a. was
lshered on board of this floating pe-f-bouse.
"A iew marines were pacing forc-and-nft, and
under large awning, on the quarterback,
my name Was registered by an officer and
my mess numbered. Fortunately for me,
my mess was near the gangway, and got
bit one hlack eye briore ] was surrounded
l,y ms mess. Aly clothes bag was gone, and
had the satisfaction Of seeing one or two
very pretty fights for the possession of ons
uf ny shirts. The Gore was a general re-
ceising ship. where the pirate, the priva-
teersman. the SAILOR, aud the landsman were
nll thrown together. Afterwards, the A.
tnericau prisoners were transferred 10 the
Ardent, Fixty-iour, 10 the upper hay, where
the Thames nOw lies. Afier few days
confinement on board of the Goree. was
transferred 90 the Ardent.
Nothing hut slratagem can ever relieve
the uniorunass Mitchell from his poss:ss-