e receive his allowance to-day like another prisoner?" inquired
Copeland, a thick-set, well made, dark-skinned negro steward, who had
formerly conducted a barber shop in Fleet street, Boston, but was now
attached to the schooner Oscar Jones, Kellogg, master.

"Oh! no, sir," said Redman, "that's against the rules of the jail-every
thing is done by rule here, even to paying for what we don't get, and
starving the prisoners. A man that don't come in before eleven o'clock
gets no ration until the next morning. I know, because I had a fuss with
the jailer about it, the first day I was brought in; but he gin me a
loaf out of his own house. The old sheriff never allows any thing done
outside the rules, for he's tighter than a mantrap. 'T a'n't what ye
suffers in this cell, but it's what ye don't get to eat; and if that
poor feller a'n't got money, he'll wish himself alongside the caboose
again 'fore he gets out." The poor fellows were driven to the extreme of
providing sustenance to sustain life. They mustered their little means
together, and by giving a sum to the sheriff's black boy, (a man more
intelligent, gentlemanly, and generous-hearted than his master,) had a
measure of coffee, sugar, and bread brought in. Necessity was the mother
of invention with them, for they had procured a barrel for twenty-five
cents, and made it supply the place of a table. With a few chips that
were brought to them by a kind-hearted colored woman that did their
washing, and bestowed many little acts of kindness, they made a fire,
endured the annoyance of a dense smoke from the old fire-place, and
prepared their little supper. As soon as it was upon the table, they
awoke Manuel, and invited him to join in their humble fare. The poor
fellow arose, and looking around the gloomy, cavern-like place, heaved a
deep sigh. "It's hard to be brought to this for nothing!" said he; "and
my bones are so sore that I can scarcely move. I must see the Captain
and consul."

"That won't do any good; you might as well keep quiet and drink your
coffee. A prisoner that says the least in this jail is best off,"
returned Redman.

Manuel took his bowl of coffee and a piece of bread, eating it with a
good appetite, and asking what time they got breakfast. "It's the first
time I was abused in a foreign country. I'm Portuguese, but a citizen of
Great Britain, and got my protection.-When it won't save me, I'll never
come to South Carolina again, nor sail where a flag won