e prison to the other, and
took great credit to himself for his contrivance; and in this way he
harrassed our poor fellows until the day before our arrival at the
prison. He had said that he was resolved not to suffer them to remain
in the same building and yard more than ten days at a time; and this
was a hardship they resolved not voluntarily to endure; for the
removal of hammocks and furniture and every little article, was an
intolerable grievance; and the more the prisoners appeared pestered,
the greater was the enjoyment of Captain Shortland. It was observed
that whenever, in these removals, there were much jamming and
squeezing and contentions for places, it gave this man pleasure; but
that the ease and comfort of the prisoners gave him pain. The united
opinion of the prisoners was, that he was a very bad hearted man. He
would often stand on the military walk, or in the market square,
whenever there was any difference, or tumult, and enjoy the scene with
malicious satisfaction. He appeared to delight in exposing prisoners
in rainy weather, without sufficient reason. This has sent many of our
poor fellows to the grave, and would have sent more had it not been
for the benevolence and skill of Dr. M'Grath. We thought Miller and
Osmore skilled in tormenting; but Shortland exceeded them both by a
devilish deal. The prisoners related to me several instances of cool
and deliberate acts of torment, disgraceful to a government of
Christians; for the character and general conduct of this commander
could not be concealed from them. He wore the British colours on his
house, and acted under this emblem of sovereignty.

It was customary to count over the prisoners twice a week; and after
the sweepers had brushed out the prisons, the guard would send to
inform the commander that they were all ready for his inspection. On
these occasions, Shortland very seldom omitted staying away as long as
he possibly could, merely to vex the prisoners; and they at length
expressed their sense of it; for he would keep them standing until
they were weary. At last they determined not to submit to it; and
after waiting a sufficient time, they made a simultaneous rush
forward, and so forced their passage back into their prison-house. To
punish this act, Shortland stopped the country people from coming into
market for two days. _At this juncture we arrived_; and as the
increase of numbers, increased our obstinacy, the Captain began to
relax; and af