ison life are wonderful to
contemplate. They were numerous and varied. A man could find anything
to suit his inclinations. Of all the many diversions, gaming was
probably the most prominent, and stands at the head of the list. By
common consent, it seemed that a certain part of the open court was
set aside for gaming purposes. It made no difference how severe the
weather was, these gaming tables were always in full blast. A man
could amuse himself with any game at cards that he desired. There
were "farrow bank," "chuck-a-luck," "brag," "eucher," "draw poker,"
"straight poker," "seven-up," "five-up," and most prominent of all,
a French game, pronounced in Fort Delaware "vang-tu-aug," meaning
twenty-one. All these were games for "sheepskins"--bets, five cents;
limit, ten cents. All were conducted on a high plane of honor. If a
dealer or player was detected in attempting anything that was unclean,
he was tried in court, convicted, and punished.

There were courts and debating societies; classes in French, Spanish,
and Greek. There were Bible students and students in the arts
and sciences prosecuting their varied studies. The gutta-percha
ring-makers were quite numerous, and it was really astonishing to
see the quality of the work turned out, being handsomely engraved and
inlaid with silver. There were diversion and amusement for everybody
and every class of men, except croakers and grumblers. They had no
lot, parcel, or place, and such characters were not permitted to
indulge in their evil forebodings. They had to be men, and real live
men, too. The reader may desire to know whence all the books,
cards, materials, etc., came. I answer, from the Yankee suttler, for
"sheepskins."

It must be said to the credit of the Federal prison officials, that
the sanitary and hygienic arrangements were as near perfect as man
could well make them. These officials were exceedingly jealous of
the health of the place. In fact, it was often thought they were
unnecessarily strict in enforcing their hygienic rules. Everything had
to be thoroughly clean. Cleanliness was compulsory. A laundry machine
was furnished, and a kind of laundrying was accomplished. Blankets
were required to be dusted and sunned regularly. Every few weeks
the whole army of prisoners were turned out into the cold, and there
remained until the "shacks" were thoroughly white-washed, both inside
and outside. This work was performed by "galvanized Yankees." A
"galvanized Y