Between these tiers of chests, etc., and the
sides of the ship, was the place where the different messes assembled;
and some of the messes were also separated from their neighbors by a
temporary partition of chests, etc. Some individuals of the different
messes usually slept on the chests, in order to preserve their
contents from being plundered in the night.
"At night the spaces in the middle of the decks were much encumbered
with hammocks, but these were always removed in the morning. * * * My
usual place of abode being in the Gunroom, I was never under the
necessity of descending to the lower dungeon; and during my
confinement I had no disposition to visit it. It was inhabited by the
most wretched in appearance of all our miserable company. From the
disgusting and squalid appearance of the groups which I saw ascending
the stairs which led to it, it must have been more dismal, if
possible, than that part of the hulk where I resided. Its occupants
appeared to be mostly foreigners, who had seen and survived every
variety of human suffering. The faces of many of them were covered
with dirt and filth; their long hair and beards matted and foul;
clothed in rags, and with scarcely a sufficient supply of these to
cover their disgusting bodies. Many among them possessed no clothing
except the remnant of those garments which they wore when first
brought on board; and were unable to procure even any material for
patching these together, when they had been worn to tatters by
constant use.
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