The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-08-11
MisfelIaneous.
From lhe 81. Louis ReyeiIIe.
The "IIulks', OF Bermuda.

- "'J VS lutcIcSiiuB 10 bOUe Ol your
readers TO know something about the place
where The Irish Patriot. Mitchell, is con
demBed 10 li0ger out his days in confne-
ment on board Of a prison ship. They are
truly named "Hulks." and / wonld add
'oaihsoRuc haiks, too ] was once a prison
er OF war. and confined on board Of one Of
them, and have most vivid recollection Of
those floating castles.
The Bermndas, or Somer's IslaDds' are
small group, situated about half way be-
tween Nova Scotia and the Antilles, and
about six hundred miles from the American
coast. or from Cape Hatteras. During the
war Of 1872, it was the headquarters Of the
British army and navy on the American sta
tion. II was from the Bermudas that the
army under Gen. Ross sailed for the Cbesa
peake, and for the attack on Baltimore. IL
was also from The BerTudss that one d.
VISION Of the army, destined for the attack
on New Orleans, departed, under command
Of Gen. Keene- the division under General
Gibbs for the same destination, sailed from
Jamaica. These Islands are about thirty
five miles in length, and about twenty broad,
aud are divided into about forty Islands. the
sea running through them in every direction,
forming bays and inlets on almost every
side One ofthe huIks. the "GoTee, ''an old
African ship. is situated at the head OF 81.
Georges harbor, and is used as receiving
ship. The Ardent sixty -four. was sitna
ted in the bay, ABOUT four miles from the ma
Wy yard at Hamilton. and three miles
from the tanks. al the head Of loEg
10 nd aaf e oh tan d.
from the eastern ends Of the Islands for about
thirty miles IN kind Of sem-crcle, running
all rIund the western side of the Island
Inside Of this reef and near the head Of il,
lies the Thames, large dismantled ship,
her lower masts only standing looking like
three stumps sticking m, and bowsprt
sticking out, looking like dogs tail cut
lof. This is the place the patriot Mitchell
is incarcerated. This hulk-the Thames
has taken the place of the Ardent which
has been hauled into the docks at Hamilton.
Confinement in one Of these hulks is bad
enough for sailors who are accustomed 10 a
wet Jacket and hard fare; but for lands
man, who has been bred in scenes of refine.
ment. it is, absolutely unendurable. Hrl
fare is the condemned provisions Of the Brit
tish navy, and that which is not condemned
an American dog would turn up his nose
at-the scenery is the constant dash of the
ocean against the rocks, laving it intc
white foam; shut in on the south by high
hills. on the west, open to the broad Allan
tic, but locked in by that impossible rec
that 10 vessel dare venture near.
During the war of 1912 to 1918, was
captured by the Lsecedemonian trigate, and
carried into Bermuda, where | remained a
prisoner of war eighteen months, and was
for time confined in the 'hnlks' ] know
them well, and when | was first crowded
down into the gun deck Of that loathsom'
craft thought my days were numbered
There are very few persons that can form
, the slightest idea OF an entrance on boar
a prison ship. l had been partially initia
ted before. having once been picked up a
sea by the Melpomone frlgatc, and once be
fore captured on the coast Of France, ant
sent on board the hulks at Portsmouth,
On entering the gangway. your mess is call
ed out, and if they are not near at hand fol
your protection, you are pretty sure to los,
your kit t.....
The hulk at the head Of st. Georges har
Dor may be compared 10 wart on a hand
! some woman's face. The bay which form
D the harbor is a beautiful sheet OF water. o
{ the left are lofty hills with plateaux of ced a
] groves along up their sides, dotted with lh
: white villas Of the citizens, and in a .ley
and gradually rising TO the hills. is the tow
J of ST. George, with its white stone house
. A oh "a do. a.,
bay, and on the hills below. are the bar
racks and Fort Somers Ga the south ar
some low islands, which the open sea roll
I on in inimitable swells; sometimes dsshin
! against the rock bound shore until the whit
f foam looks like lady's frilI, gracefully fit
ted to her neck.
!. AS soon as Twas through my cxaminatio
: at the court of Vice Admiralty, was march
ed TO the dock boat, and when | approach
ed the huge black hulk, swarms of head
could be scel Peeping through the pOr
/, holes. My blood ran cold as ! was ushere
, on board ofthis floating pest house. A few
, mariners were pacing fore and aft, and TN
: der large awning, on the quarter deck, m
name was registered by an officer, and IN
mess numbered. Fortunately for me, m
/, mess was near the gangway, and got bu
one black eve before ] was surrounded b
! my mess. My clothes bag was gone, and
had the satisfaction of seeing one or tw
: very pretty fights f'r the possession OF on
5 of my shirts. The Goree was general re
D ceiving ship, where the pirate, the prvo
, teersman, the sailor, and the landsman wer
all thrown together. Afterwards the Amer
ican prisoners were transferred TO The Al
: dent, sixty fonr, in the upper bay, where til
5 Thames now lies. After few days con
;. finement on board Of the Goree, wa
transferred to the Ardent.
Nothing but stratagem can ever reliev
the unfortunate Mitchell from his postior
!, In the passage UP, inside of the reef, at leas
;. four hundred guns could be brought to bes
: upon any vessel that should venture in, an
g those at high elevation. The reefis pc
feet barrier to any approa ch direct from Sc
, There is no passage through The islanc
. any other way, except for small boats, an
they would have to pass through the harbt
!, !, Of st. Georges in order TO reach the uppt
bay. 9Ft aA3 OF oi
: After remaining on boa: ID the 'hulks' f.
D some time, was fortunate enough to get m
= parole, and I lived on the Island Of ~
d George until after peace was declared
1 The inhabitants of the Bermudas are yer
! pleasant, agreeable people, and the wome
are beautiful. The air is pure and whole
u some and the fogs from the banks Of New
j. foundland bleach their delicate white skins
}, until they are so clear, that the blue vein
m can he sepn through them, &c.
e Like the West India Islands, sea bathin