When on board the Chance he was a waiter to the
officers, and he continued in this duty after we were placed on board
the Jersey. He had, with many others of our crew, been inoculated for
the small-pox, immediately after our arrival on board. The usual
symptoms appeared at the proper time, and we supposed the appearance
of his disorder favorable, but these soon changed, and the yellow hue
of his features declared the approach of death. * * * The night he
died was truly a wretched one for me. I spent most of it in total
darkness, holding him during his convulsions. * * * I had done
everything in my power for this poor boy, during his sickness, and
could render him but one more kind office (after his death). I
assisted to sew a blanket around his body, which was, with others who
had died, during the night, conveyed upon deck in the morning, to be
at the usual hour hurried to the bank at the Walebocht. I regretted
that I could not assist at his interment, as I was then suffering with
the small-pox myself, neither am I certain that permission would have
been granted me, if I had sought it. Our keepers appeared to have no
idea that the prisoners could feel any regard for each other, but
appeared to think us as cold-hearted as themselves. If anything like
sympathy was ever shown us by any of them it was done by the
Hessians. * * * The next deaths among our company were those of Thomas
Mitchell and his son-in-law, Thomas Sturmey.
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