"We were very much crowded, and having nothing but the cables to lay
on, our beds were as hard and unpleasant as though they were made of
cord wood, and indeed we had not sufficient room for each to stretch
himself at the same time.
"After about two weeks we arrived at New York, and were put on board
that wretched ship the Jersey. The New York prison ships had been the
terror of American tars for years. The Old Jersey had become notorious
in consequence of the unparallelled mortality on board her. * * *
"I entered the Jersey towards the last of November, I had just entered
the eighteenth year of my age, and had now to commence a scene of
suffering almost without a parallel. * * * A large proportion of the
prisoners had been robbed of their clothing. * * * Early in the
winter the British took the Chesapeake frigate of about thirty guns,
and 300 hands. All were sent on board the Jersey, which so overcrowded
her, that she was very sickly. This crew died exceedingly fast, for a
large proportion were fresh hands, unused to the sea."
Sherburne says that boats from the city brought provisions to sell to
such of the prisoners as were so fortunate as to be possessed of
money, and that most of them were able to make purchases from them. A
piece of sausage from seven to nine inches long sold for sixpence.
In January, 1783, Sherburne became ill and was sent to the Frederick,
a hospital ship.
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