ary; and wise-acres may scoff as much as
they please at what they term 'castle-building,' I believe all mankind
indulge in it more or less; and it is an innocent, harmless pastime, which
injures no one. I consider it the 'unwritten poetry,' the romance of life,
which all feel; but many, like the dumb, strive in vain to give utterance
to their thoughts.

Many of the prisoners busied themselves in making some trifling article,
which, while it afforded amusement, aided in obtaining for them a little
money, and thereby added to their comfort. Many of the most ingenious
specimens of art I ever saw were made there; some of which were models of
vessels, of various classes, from the clipper-built brig to the
line-of-battle ship; made too of beef bones, obtained from the cook. They
were built up precisely like a large vessel; human hair twisted into ropes
of suitable sizes being employed for rigging. When completed, they made a
beautiful toy. Desks, work-boxes, etc., were also made here; violins, some
of which were of excellent tone, were likewise constructed. But it would
be useless to enumerate the endless variety of queer things made at this
multifarious manufactory. Some organized a music-society, with various
instruments, and used occasionally to give concerts; others got up a
theatre, screening it off with bed covering. I recollect some pretty good
performances among them. In short, all were employed in some way, to
divert their minds from the contemplation of their miserable condition.
Some would read while others listened; some practice fencing; some sing,
some dance. Others would relate their adventures, many of which savored
rather too strongly of the marvellous to be readily believed, while others
partook in an equal degree of the ludicrous. One of these latter was
related by 'Old John Young'--a tale of his early courtship. In his
youthful days he lived somewhere in Pennsylvania, where also resided an
old farmer, with his wife and two daughters, one of whom, contrary to the
old gentleman's wishes, he used to visit. One night while there, unknown
to the old people, they having retired, a huge pot of mush was left
boiling over the fire, getting ready for the next day. Late in the evening
the old gentleman called out for the girls to go to bed; and as they did
not retire in time to suit him, he began to stir round, to see why his
orders were not obeyed. Young, hearing him coming, took off his shoes to
prevent a noise, and