un the chance of their escaping every day
in the week. Thus it came to pass, even, that they were tried in
Fetters, and sometimes could not hold up their hands (weakened besides
by the Gaol Distemper), at the bidding of the Clerk of the Arraigns, for
the weight of the Manacles that were upon them. And it is to the famous
and admirable Mr. John Howard that we owe the putting down of this last
Abomination.

We lay so long in this dreadful place before a Gaol Delivery was made,
that my wound, bad as it was, had ample time to heal, leaving only a
great indented cicatrix, as though some Giant had forced his finger into
my flesh, and of which I shall never be rid. Two more of our gang died
of the Gaol Fever before Assize time; one was so fortunate as to break
prison, file the irons off his legs, and get clear away; and another
(who was always of a Melancholy turn) hanged himself one morning, in a
halter made from strips of his blanket knotted together. The rest of us
were knocked about by the Turnkeys, or abused by the Gaoleress, Mrs.
Macphilader, pretty much as they liked. We were, however, not so badly
off as some of the poor prisoners--sheep-stealers, footpads, vagrom men
and women, and the like, or even as some of the poor Debtors--many of
whom lay here incarcerate years after they had discharged the Demands of
their Creditors against them, and only because they could not pay their
Fees. We Blacks were always well supplied with money; and money could
purchase almost any thing in a prison in those days. Roast meats, and
wine and beer and punch, pipes and tobacco, and playing cards and
song-books,--all these were to be had by Gentlemen Prisoners; the
Gaoleress taking a heavy toll, and making a mighty profit from all these
luxurious things. But there was one thing that money could not buy,
namely, cleanly lodging; for the State Room, a hole of a place, very
meanly furnished, where your great Smugglers or ruffling Highwaymen were
sometimes lodged, at a guinea a day for their accommodation, was only so
much better from the common room in so far as the prisoner had bed and
board to himself; but for nastiness and creeping things--which I wonder,
so numerous were they, did not crawl away with the whole prison bodily:
but 'tis hard to find those that are unanimous, even vermin.--For all
that made the Gaol most thoroughly hateful and dreadful, there was not a
pin to choose between the State Room, the Common Side, and the Rat's
Lard