8. Sunday. Nothing very remarkable. Various conjectures concerning a cartel. Some imagine it is to come from France; others think it will be fitted out in England, and others are doubtful if it will come at all.
9. I thought that all who had any idea of going on board the men-of-war, had gone; but I understand that a number have sent their names out, to go; how many I cannot tell, as they did it very slyly. We shall know who they are, and how many, when an order comes to take them out.
10. This morning two of our men got some liquor, clandestinely, and made themselves drunk. One of these, about twelve o’clock, went to the gate to buy some strong beer, which was denied him, and being in a passion, without any provocation, he swore that he would break the agent’s windows, and took up some old shoes, bones and stones, and threw them till he had broken seven squares in one window, and one in another, in the front of the agent’s office. There being three of them intoxicated, one of them took hold of the sentry at the gate, and would have taken his gun from him, but the guard came in, and the captain of the guard took hold of one of them, and being a militia man, and a very great gentleman, he said that he was lothe to bring his men who were armed, against us who were unarmed, and so went out. Upon which, we took one of them ourselves and pitched him out of the gate by the nape of the neck, and so delivered him up. In the afternoon, after we were turned out, we took the other two and delivered them up. All of which were sent to the Black-hole. So, that if any man misbehaves and deserves punishment, we will deliver him up, or punish him ourselves, rather than he should go unpunished; but rather than see a man chastised unjustly, we will do our utmost for his rescue. As for instance, on the 19th of October, when we released one of these same men from the Black-hole.
11. Those three men who were put in the Black-hole yesterday, employed themselves last night, in cutting through the bulkhead that separates the Black-hole from the hospital, and piled up the chips and set them on fire. Where they obtained the fire we cannot tell, but they were soon glad enough to put it out, as the smoke increased. This afternoon four American boys came to see us, that were taken with Captain Claston, in the Freedom, above twelve months ago. Those boys were detained, and now belong to the Apollo frigate.
12. As a fortnight has passed, and we have received no money, we begin to fear that we shall receive no more; but what is left of the donation, I expect we shall receive in clothes and provision; and for that reason, and the want of employment, I to-day began to make boxes.
13. We learn, from the paper, that the Fortune privateer, Captain George Tarton, which was formerly the Dolton, has made more money by privateering, than any other privateer out of England, since the commencement of hostilities between the English and French.
14. Last evening, it being dark and rainy, two holes were opened at the back part of the prison, and five men went out. They had agreed with a soldier to let them pass for so much money. This soldier’s name was Mitchell; he was once a stage-driver in America. He let them out, and they gave him two pounds nineteen shillings; but after they delivered him the money, he let them out where the guard stood ready to receive them and carry them to the Black-hole. This morning, the guard went into the officers’ prison and discovered a hole under the stairs, where they had dug down about six feet, and then proceeded through the guard-house and came up under the guard bed.—They then went up stairs and demanded the keys of the officers’ chests, which they opened, and found a suit of uniform which one of the officers had purchased to make his escape in. This was the method Captains Rols, Ravel, Lee, and Mr. Kirk took to make their escape,—following the guard out when they used to come at night; but this scheme is blasted. The hole in the officers’ prison had been finished near a month, and they had been only waiting for an opportunity to put their plans into execution; but as this Mitchell has appeared to be a friend, I suppose that some one of the officers communicated it to him, and he informed his officer; so by that means it was discovered.
This afternoon Mr. Sorrey and Mr. Heath came to see us, and we presented them with a letter of thanks for the many favors we have received at their hands, and requested them to let us have part of what we are to receive, in money. This favor we probably shall obtain. We have not received any coals from government, for the comfort of our sick in the hospital, for nearly six weeks, but have been obliged to use the donation coals. We informed Mr. Heath and Mr. Sorrey of this, and we find that we have been cheated, by the agent and doctor, out of nearly forty bushels of coals.
15. Sunday. It is two years to-day since I left Newbury. Alas! little did I think that I should be here now. Last night, a hole that we have had in hand nearly a fortnight, unfortunately foundered in the street. This hole was dug down by the side of the prison, about ten feet, and our intention was to dig across the street under ground, into a garden on the opposite side of the way; but, by the time it was half across, it foundered.
16. Night before last, we heard a firing which we could not account for. We have since heard that the Royal George ran ashore from her moorings, but was got of again with but little trouble.