and Jews, purchased, in
some way or other, the unequal traffic between them and us. Be that as
it may, Shortland could not resist the commercial interest, so that
he, like good Mr. Jefferson, listened to the clamor of the merchants,
and raised the embargo.

No sooner was quiet restored, and the old women and Jews pacified, but
a serious discontent arose among the prisoners, on discovering that
these Jews, of all complexions, had raised the price of their
articles, on the idea, we supposed, that we should not much longer
remain the subjects of their impositions. The _rough allies_, a sort
of regulators, who were too stout, and most commonly too insolent, to
be governed by our regular and moderate committees, turned out in a
great rage, and tore down several of the small shops, or stalls, where
slops were exposed for sale. These fellows, at length, organized
themselves into a company of plunderers. I have seen men run from
their sleeping births, in which they spent nearly their whole time,
and plunder these little shop keepers, and carry the articles they
plundered, and secrete them in their beds. These mobs, or gangs of
robbers, were a scandal to the American character; and strongly
reprobated by every man of honor in the prisons. Some of these little
British merchants found themselves stripped of all they possessed in a
few minutes, on the charge of exorbitant prices. We never rested, nor
allowed these culprits to rest, until we saw the cat laid well on
their backs. These plunderings were in consequence of informers, and
there was no name, not even that of _a federalist_, was so odious with
all the prisoners, as that of an _informer_. We never failed to punish
an informer. Nothing but the advanced age of a man, (who was sixty
years old) prevented him from being whipped for informing Captain
Shortland of what the old man considered an injury, and for which he
put the man accused, into the black hole. An informer, a traitor, and
an avowed federalist, were objects of detestation at Dartmoor.

During the time that passed between the news of peace, and that of its
ratification, an uneasy and mob-like disposition, more than once
betrayed itself. Three impressed American seamen had been sent in here
from a British ship of war, since the peace. They were on board the
Pelican, in the action with the American ship Argus, when fell our
brave Captain Allen. One day, when all three were a little
intoxicated, they boasted of the f