ould it take to
catch ten thousand of us?_"

We could perceive a general uneasiness throughout our ship; even our
good friend, Mr. ----, the worthy Scotchman, said to me, about this
time, "your countrymen are such a restless, daring set of beings, that
it is not safe to befriend you, and I wish you were all safe and happy
in your own country; and all of us at peace." A change of situation
was foretold; but of what kind, we know not.--The next chapter will
inform us all about it.

PART SECOND.

CHAPTER I.

In consequence of various attempts to escape prison, and of the late
daring enterprise at noon-day, the officers of this ignoble fleet of
prison ships grew very uneasy.--They, doubtless, felt that there was
neither honor nor pleasure, but much danger, in this sort of service.
It was often said among them, that they felt perfectly safe when they
had several thousand French prisoners under their charge. These lively
people passed their time in little ingenious manufactures, and in
gaming; and seemed to wait patiently until their day of liberation
should come; but these Americans, said they, are the most restless,
contriving set of men we ever saw; their amusement seems to be
contriving how to escape, and to plague their keepers. They seem to
take a pleasure in making us uneasy, and in exciting our apprehensions
of their escape; and then they laugh and make themselves merry at our
anxiety. One of the officers said, that the American prisoners "had
systematized the art of tormenting." There is a sort of mischievous
humor among our fellows, that is, at times, rather provoking, to
officers habituated to prompt obedience, and to a distance, and
deference bordering upon awe, which our countrymen never feel for any
man.

It seems that the British government, or the admiralty department,
were fully acquainted with this state of things, and with the
difficult task which the miserable officers of this miserable
Medway-fleet had to perform. The government did not seem to wish to
exercise a greater degree of rigor over the American prisoners;
because they knew, and all Europe knew, that _the United States
treated their prisoners with distinguished humanity_; and yet they
firmly believed that unless more rigor was exercised, the Americans
would rise upon their keepers before the winter commenced.

The rumor is, that we are to be sent to _Dartmoor prison_. Some of our
crew have lately received a letter from a pr