No distinction
of rank was made by the jailors on the Jersey, but the prisoners
themselves agreed to allow the officers to occupy the extreme
afterpart of the ship, between decks, called the gun-room. Dring soon
became an inmate of this place, in company with the other officers who
were already in possession, and these tendered him all the little
services in their power.
The different messes were all numbered. At nine o'clock the steward
and his assistants would take their places at the window in the bulk
head in the steward's room, and ring a bell. A man from each mess
stood ready to be in time to answer when his number was called. The
rations were all prepared ready for delivery. They were on two-thirds
allowance. This is the full allowance for a British seaman:
Sunday--1 lb. biscuit, 1 lb. pork, and half a pint of peas.
Monday--1 lb. biscuit, 1 pint oatmeal, 2 oz. butter.
Tuesday-1 lb. biscuit, and 2 lbs. beef.
Wednesday--1-1/2 lbs. flour, and 2 ounces suet.
Thursday--Same as Sunday.
Friday--Same as Monday.
Saturday--Same as Tuesday.
Two thirds of this allowance for each man would have been sufficient
to sustain life, had it been of moderately good quality. They never
received butter, but a rancid and ill-smelling substance called sweet
oil. "The smell of it, accustomed as we were to everything foul and
nauseous, was more than we could endure.
Pages:
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376