7. To-day one hundred and fifty blankets were sent us, to be given to those who need them most; and as there are two hundred and eighty-nine prisoners here, there is not one to each man; so those who have the best bedding receive none, and as I have sufficient, I want none.
8. We had a threepenny loaf to each mess, sent us to-day, and as four of our number, who came last to prison, have not had the small-pox, they went to the hospital to be inoculated.
9. This afternoon a number of gentlemen came, and read a letter to us, which gives an account of upwards of £200 sterling having been raised in Bristol, for the relief of the prisoners here; also, an account of £2,276 raised in London, for the same purpose. In Portsmouth, we hear that there are about one hundred and forty prisoners, so that the number here and there, amounts to four hundred and twenty-nine. What we have received hitherto, has no connection with these donations, but was given by private gentlemen.
10. We had sent us a threepenny loaf to each mess, and three hundred herring, to be divided amongst us. Also, it being a pleasant day, the prison was smoked with charcoal and brimstone, as is customary once in a few days.
11. We hear that Parliament is warned to meet six days sooner than it adjourned for.
12. To-day is the first that we have received any thing from the donation raised for us, and now we have a stated rule, which is a fourpenny loaf each day, out of the money raised in Bristol, except a few officers, who of choice, receive the money instead of bread. We hear no more as yet, of the money raised in London, but we suppose it is not come down.
13. We are told that ten recruiting parties are gone out into the country, from the regiment which guards us. Also, Captain Henry Johnston received a letter from his brother in London, wherein he desires him to make himself easy, for we shall all be exchanged in the spring.
14. To-day two ministers came to see us, and informed us of many good things preparing for us, which are too numerous to mention here; but if we receive them, I shall give an account of them hereafter.
15. It is fourteen months to-day, since we sailed from Newbury. Also, we had sent us to-day, a yard of tobacco to each mess, and we are told that we are to have a yard every other day, which is four inches and a half to each man, per day.
16. Those who did not receive shoes on the 30th or 31st of last month, received them to-day. Also, we hear that all the wearing apparel that we have received as yet, was given us by government, but we are told that each of us is to have a great coat and a suit of clothes out of the money raised for us. Also, to-day we have another fourpenny loaf to each mess, which makes eight pennyworth of bread to each mess, per day, besides our allowance by government. We are advised by all our friends without, to make ourselves contented for a little while, for they tell us that they have all the reason in the world to believe that we shall be out of prison in three months. We had sent us a number of printed exhortations, urging us to lead a civil, sober life, and to leave off swearing and profaning the name of the Lord, for that is the last thing that many do before they sleep, and the first after they awake.