Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-02-14

rooms, as we were making our way into the in
terror of the Inquisition, and with long faces.
and their arms crossed over their breasts, their
fingers resting on their shoulders, as tho they
had been deaf to the noise of the attack and
defense, and had just learned what was going
on, they addressed themselves in the language
of rebuke to their own soldiers, saying, ssHhy
do yom fghf our friends the French 1''
Their intention, no doubt, was to make us
think that this defence was wholly unauthoriz-
ed by them, hoping, if they could make us be-
lieve that they were friendly, they should have
a better opportunity, in the confusion of the
moment, to escape. Their artiice was too
shallow and did not succeed. / caused them
to-be placed under guard and all the soldiers
of the Inquisition to be secured as prisoners.
| We then proceeded to examine all the rooms
of the stately edifice. We passed thro' room
| after room, found all perfectly in order, richly
| furnished with affairs and crucifixes and wax
candles in abundance, but could discover no
evidence of iniquity being practised there
nothing Of those peculiar features which we
expect to find in an Inquisition. We found
splendid paintings, and rich and extensive
| library. Here was beauty and splcndor, and
the most perfect order on which my eyes had
| ever rested. The architecture-tie proportions
were perfect. The ceilings and floors of wood
were secured and highly polished. The marble
pavements were arranged with a strict regard
| to order. There was everything toplease theeye
and crafty cultivated taste, but where were
those horrd instruments of torture of which
we had been told, and where those dungeons in
which human beings said to be buried alive?
We searched in vain. The holy fathers assur-
ed us that they had been belied: that we had
seen all, and / was prepared to give up the
Search convinced that this Inquisition asdif-
ferent from others Of which l had heard
But Col DeLile was not so ready as myself
to rclinquish our investigation, and said to me,
ssColonel, you arc in command to-day, and as
you say SO it must be; but if you viii be advis-
ed by me, let this marble floor be examined
Let water be brought and poured upon it, and
we viii watch and see if there is any place thro'
which it passes more freely than others.'' re-
piled to him, ':Do as you please, Colonel. and
ordered water to be brought accordingly. The
slabs of marble were large and beautifully pol
ished. When the water had been poured over
the floor, much to the dissatisfaction of the In
quistors, and a careful examination was made
of every seam in the floor TO see if the water
passed through, presently Col. D.. exclaimed
that he had found it. By the side of one of
these marble slabs the water passed thro' fast,
though there still an opening beneath.
All hands were now at work for the furtherdis
coyery, the officers with their swords and the
jinr ,,it l, bni how
out the seam and pry up the slab, others with
the butts of their muskets striking the slabwith
all their might to brerl it, while the priests re-
monstrated against our desecrating their holy
and beautiful home. While thus engaged
soldier, who was striking with the but of his
musket, struck spring, and the marble slab
flew up. Then the faces of the Inquisitors grew
pale as BclshazZar, when the handwriting ap-
peared on the wall; they trembled all over. Be
meath the marble slab, now partly up, there was
staircase. l stepped to the altar, and took
from the candle stick one of the candles, four
feet in length, which was burning, that might
explore the room below. AS was doing this,
| was arrested 10y one of the Inquisitors, who
laid his hand gently my arm, and with very
demurc and sanctimonious look said, ssMy son
you must not take those lights with your bloody
hands, they are holy" 'sWell,i said, 81 will
take holy thing to shed light on iniquity; l
will bear the responsibility! l took the can
die, and proceeded down the staircase. As we
reached the foot of the stairs we entered large
square room, called the Hall of Judgment. In |
the centre of it was a huge block, and cham
fastened to it. On this they had been accustom- |
ed to place the accused, chained to his seat
On one side of the room was an elevated seat,
called the Throne of Judgment. This the In
were seats less elevated, for the priestly faith
ers, while engaged in the solemn business of
the Holy Inquisition. From this room we pro-
ceeded to the right and obtained access TO
small cells, extending the entire length OF the
ediice and here such sights were presented
as we hope never to see again.
These cells are phases of solitary confneme Mt
where the wretched objects of inquestorial
hate were confined, year after year, till death
released them from their sufferings, and there
their bodies were suffered to remain untilthey
were entirely decayed, and the rooms had be-
come unfit for others to occupy. To prevent
this being offensive to those who occupied the
Inquisition, there were fues or tubes extending
to the open air, sufficiently capaciouS to carry
off the odor. In these cells We found the remains
of those who had paid the debt of nature; some
of them had been dead apparently but short
time, while of others nothing remained but
the bones, still chained to their dungeons.
In other cells we found living sufferers of