them with those two meals a day, and the surplus six pence he paid them. This money they either laid out in buying more food, or some kind of covering for their bodies, or laid it up till times of sickness. After a while, they were allowed the eighteen pence in money, instead of food, with which they were to support them selves.

In this situation they were to remain, as they were told, until they could be removed to their places of labour. It was, however, understood that they would not be removed during the war between England and Spain, as the harbour was continually blockaded by English vessels.

Those nineteen prisoners who were sentenced to the Castle Bocca Chica [Little Mouth] which is situated at the mouth of the harbour of Carthagena, were taken out and put to labour in the town of Carthagena; their irons were taken off-an iron band put round each of their ancles, with a staple in it, by which two persons were chained together, with a large ox-chain about 20 feet long, and weighing fifty or eighty pounds. -They were then put to labour with the common criminal convict slaves of the place. Their labour consists principally in digging, fetching, and carrying large stones and sand, for the purpose of building fortifications, &c-this they do upon a handbarrow. After they get their load upon the handbarrow, they place upon it their chains, which would otherwise drag upon the ground, and proceed to car ry it wherever it may be wanted.

When they were let out to labour, being almost naked, the scorching sun was so powerful, as to raise blisters upon the parts exposed to the heat; the middle of the day was almost insupportable, many would faint and fall under the load they were compelled to carry. This, instead of exciting pity, would only bring upon them the lash of the negro slavedriver, who attended them. At first they suffered much for want of hats.

These they procured out of the money which was allowed them to live upon. The large straw hats were of great service in screening much of their bodies from the sun. After labouring in this manner for some time, they became more accustomed to the climate, their skins were soon tanned from white to brown, and the heat became more endurable. They are called up in the morning by their drivers, at daylight, and put to work. At noon and night they are permitted to eat whatever they can procure with their scanty pittance. At night they are locked up in a prison, where they rest till morning. They passed and repassed the prison where their fellow countrymen were confined, but were not permitted to have any access to them. Whenever any one was sick, he was sent to the slaves' hospi tal, where he remained tin his health was recovered. In this manner they still continue to wear out their wea ried lives.

Soon after their imprisonment, se veral were attacked with fevers, the flux, black jaundice, and other disor ders that prevail during the sickly season. Their complaints were little attended to by their keepers. No as sistance was offered them at first. They were obliged to endure their sickness, lying upon the hard tiles of the prison floor. At length one of the prisoners, by the name of John Burk, died. This excited more attention to their complaints, and shortly after wards, they were indulged with the liberty of going to the hospital whenever they were unwell.

was appro

The prisoners seeing no prospect of meliorating their condition, turned their attention to the making of a breach in the wall of the prison. Every convenient moment that could be embraced, with safety, priated to that purpose, not only du ring the night, but sometimes during the day. The person from whom detection was most to be feared, was the sentinel at the door, and by watch ing his motions through the grates,

they might direct the one at work, in such a manner as to avoid suspicion. During the night, a lamp was kept continually burning in the back part of the prison, for the benefit of the sentinel; and as the prisoners had little else to do in the day time, except indulge themselves in sleep and rest, it was generally the case that more or less of them were up during the night, walking the floor for exercise and air. This practice was now regularly pursued, that the noise of their irons and their talk, might drown the noise of the hammer. The hole where they were at work, was at the further end of the prison, and about 80 feet from the door, so that no uncommon noise beyond what was constantly made amongst so many prisoners, was required to deceive the ears of the sentinel. The wall, through which they expected to pass, was about thirteen feet thick, and was made of stones, bricks, and mortar cemented together. The stones were not of the hardest kind, but generally such as are found along the seashore, from whence they were brought. After one night's work was over, and just before morning, the pieces of stone, brick, and mortar, &c. which came from the hole, were by means of water and lime, which was privately procured, made into a kind of mortar, and replaced into the hole, the outside rubbed over with a little white-wash, and the old hammock hung before it as usual. So that the keeper when he came into the prison, seeing every thing in its proper place, his suspicion was not excited, nor had he any curiosity to make any particular examinations.

In this manner they continued to pursue their labour, alternately relieving each other, particularly those who made their escape; the principal part of the rest being averse to the attempt, conceiving it hazardous, and that it possibly might involve them in a worse situation. But Mr. Lippincott, Sherman, and Smith, were determined to persevere and take the

risk and blame upon themselves. Sometimes the sickness and removal of several of the prisoners to the hospital, would cause a cessation of their progress for awhile; but it was again renewed upon their recovery.

In order to be prepared to rid themselves of their irons, by the time the hole through the walls should be completed, or upon any other favour able occasion, they procured (by certain out-door assistance) several old knives, which by means of a file they made into saws. With these, while some were engaged at the walls, others were busy sawing upon their bolts, which passed through their an cle irons, and connected them together. When they ceased sawing, the saw cuts, made in the bolts, they filled up with wax, by which means they could scarcely be discovered upon inspection. After several months sawing, occasionally in this manner, they had succeeded in sawing their bolts so far off as to be enabled, with their hands, by bending them backwards and forwards, to break them apart. This being done, they filled the cuts up with wax, and remained in that situation, prepared to throw them off whenever occasion required.

Those who were sick at the hospital, having recovered, returned to their prison, and commenced working at the breach in the wall, with all possible diligence. Mr. Lippincott and Mr. Sherman had previously received from a friend certain advances in money, for which they gave him their bills on their friends in America. This money was privately smuggled into their prison. To this they were in a great measure indebted for their subsequent success. They were now enabled to obtain many things in prison necessary for carrying on their operations. They procured knives, files, &c. and a sufficiency of provisions by which they were enabled to recover strength to encounter the intended attempt. Many other advantages they derived from this source.

which it is not conceived necessary, here to enumerate.

They had now, after about seven months' diligent labour, though interrupted at intervals, so far finished the hole as to reach the outside of the prison walls. A few minutes would complete it so as to enable them to pass out.

About this time one of the prisoners, Mr. Jeremiah Powell, received a pardon from the king of Spain, and was discharged from his imprison

ment.

On or about the 7th of November, 1807, about 11 o'clock at night, after the usual hour of rest, they prepared to take French leave of their old sergeant. They divided the number of prisoners, who were willing to risk the danger, into different companies, for better safety after they were out. Mr. Lippincott and Sherman formed one company by themselves. They then drew lots to ascertain who should first venture out, and the order in which they should proceed. The principal immediate danger to be apprehended, was from the sentinels upon the top of the wall, who might not happen to be asleep upon their post. The person who drew the first chance to go out, happened to be a prisoner who was unwell, and accordingly declined going. Mr. Lippincott and Mr. Sherman agreed with him to take his chance off his hands. Mr. Sherman having taken off his irons, first went out. Immediately Mr. Lippincott followed, and the rest pursued in their order. No noise was made, and the sentry remained undisturbed. Lippincott and Sherman crept round the walls of the town, until they came to a river, on the other side of which was a small village. After travelling up and down the shore of this river, they discovered a canoe hauled up before the door of a Spanish hut. This with great difficulty they dragged into the river, notwithstanding they were molested by dogs, whose noise was near thwarting their attempt. After ef

fecting this, they crossed over, landed near a guard-house, and were near falling into the hands of the guard. Owing to the darkness of the night, however, they avoided them. Here they travelled about in search of a place where they could be concealed for the ensuing day, until being weak and fatigued with the difficulties they had encountered, their strength failed them, and they sat, or rather fell down in the street. It was nearly daylight; and they had but a short time to provide for their safety. At length discovering a light, in a small hut at some distance, they ap proached it, made themselves known to the poor tenants, as prisoners in distress, and immediately offered them two or three pieces of gold. They shook their heads, but upon doubling the sum, they consented to re ceive, and secret them for a short time. They remained in this situa tion until the next night, when they made their escape to another place, where they remained secreted for se. veral weeks, when they made another move, trusting to their friend, which they carried in their pockets.

The other sixteen prisoners took a course along the edge of the shore, except Moses Smith, who being somewhat unwell, and unable to proceed, concealed himself in the bushes, where he lay until the second night, during which time the cavalry and other soldiers passed by, and were near falling upon him in pursuit of the prisoners. He crept out, and taking the course that Mr. Lippincott and Sherman had taken, crossed the river, where he again concealed himself until the ensuing night, being two days without eating. The next day he came across a friend who in. formed him where he could find Mr. Lippincott and Sherman. They received him in with them and afforded him their assistance. Shortly afterwards all three, Mr. Lippincott, Sherman, and Smith, embarked on board of a boat, that they procured for that purpose, and put to sea in expecta

tion of being picked up by some English vessel off the harbour. This expectation was realized, though not by an English vessel; and after a voyage of 31 days, they arrived safe in the United States in January 1808, when they proceeded to their homes at Philadelphia and New York, having been absent more than two years, and nearly two years in prison. The other fifteen prisoners pursued the edge of the shore for about ten miles, when their progress was intercepted by river or ferry. In pursuing this river up and down, in order to cross, they happened all to meet at an old Spaniard's house, for the purpose of procuring means to cross over. The Spaniard immediately knew who they were, and be gan to ask them some questions, and offered his services to assist them, which they gladly accepted. He engaged with them, that upon their giving him what money they had, he would conceal them that night, and the next ensuing night would carry

them to the Indian Territory, about 40 miles from Carthagena, where they might easily make their escape. This agreement they concluded, and paid him what money they had, being in the whole about 50 dollars. The next day the Spaniard was informed that the governour had offered ten dollars a head for them. This reward he found would amount to more than he had received from the prisoners. Accordingly, he went and most treacherously made an agreement with the government to give them up. The next day, towards evening, he, together with two or three other Spaniards, took the prisoners on board of a boat to carry them to the place agreed upon. Af ter passing along by the town, he rowed them to the shore, under some pretence or other, when immediately appeared about 50 armed soldiers and horsemen, according to appointment, ready to receive them, and instantly took them into custody, and carried them back to their prison.

INDEPENDENTLY of the general form of these animals, and of their external and internal organization, which in many respects present a striking and humiliating resemblance to those of men, their playful ness, their frolicks, and gambols, have in all ages attracted the notice of mankind. Some naturalists have asserted, that they are capable of reasoning and reflecting; and that they are guided by an instinctive sagacity much superiour to that of the brute creation in general. They are, how ever, certainly destitute of every essential faculty of man: incapable as well of thought as of speech, there is an immense interval betwixt the creature formed in mind after the image of God, and these mere brutes, bearing some rude traits of the elemental parts of the human frame.

Every one will acknowledge that, in general, both apes and monkeys are excessively ugly. Their limbs are peculiarly strong; and they have great delight in breaking, tearing in pieces, or stealing whatever comes in their way. In all their operations and manœuvres, their agility is astonishing. Whenever any thing offends or throws them into a passion, they indicate their rage by chattering violently with their teeth. Many of them, if beaten, will sigh, groan, and weep, like children; but most of them, on these occasions, utter dreadful shrieks of distress. They make such ridiculous grimaces, place themselves in such strange and whimsical attitudes, and in other respects conduct themselves so singularly, that few persons, even of those who most dislike them, can, on these occasions,

refrain from smiling, and nearly all must be amused by them.

It is said, that there are some races of monkeys which keep up a certain discipline among themselves. Though active in the highest degree in pillaging plantations and cultivated grounds, they seldom go on important expeditions for this purpose but in numerous troops. If they meditate an attack, for instance, on a melon bed, a large party of them enters the garden. The animals range themselves, if possible, under a hedge or fence, at some distance from each other, and throw the melons, from hand to hand, with astonishing rapidity. The line they form usually terminates in a mountain or forest, and all their operations are executed during the most profound silence.

Wafer tells us, that when he was on shore in the island of Gorgonia, he observed several monkeys, of the four fingered species, come down, at low water, to the rocks of the seacoast, for the purpose of devouring oysters. They got at the food contained within the shells, by placing one oyster on a stone, and beating it in pieces with another. The Malbrouk of Bengal [Simia Faunus of Linnæus] is reported to do the same.

Many of these animals, and particularly the preacher, and four fingered monkeys [Simia beelzebul and Simia paniscus of Linnæus] have sometimes dreadful contentions, in which great numbers on both sides are frequently slain. They employ weapons in their combats; and often arm themselves with stones and pieces of wood, which they throw with sure aim, and astonishing violence, at each other. They have, on these occasions, neither deserters nor stragglers; for in times of danger they never forsake each other. They run along the plains, and even leap from tree to tree with surprising rapidity.

The instincts and sagacity of these animals are, in many instances, such as not to be injured or diminished

even by captivity. In some houses we see the Wanderu [Simia Silenus of Linnæus) a cunning and audacious monkey, much inclined to ridicule and grimace. He may be taught to dress and undress himself; to spin; to poke the fire; to push a wheelbarrow; or play on a tambourine. He will wash earthen vessels or glasses with out breaking them, and carry light burthens from place to place, whenever he is ordered to do so. A mon. key of this species has been ob served to turn a spit with one hand whilst with the other he held a piece of bread under the meat to receive the gravy. It is, perhaps, needless to remark, that he immediately afterwards devoured it.

A wanderu was exhibited at Bour. deaux, in the year 1762, which by his actions excited much astonishment in the spectators. When mounted on an extended cord, he first stretched out each of his feet to have them chalked; then, taking in his hands pole weighted at each end, similar to the balance employed by rope dancers, he walked backward and forward, cut capers, and executed numerous other tricks, with infinitely greater ease and celerity than the most expert rope-dancer that had before been seen.

The monkeys, however, that are trained and educated by some of the Indian buffoons, are reported to be by far the most agile and adroit of all animals that are reared in capti. vity.

Some of the apes, such as the oran otans, the patas, and the dog-faced apes, are said always to place a sen tinel on the top of a tree, or on some other elevated situation, to keep watch when the rest are either about to sleep or to engage in any marauding expe dition. The motions or the cry of this animal are a signal of danger, and immediately the whole troop scampers off with the utmost rapidity., It has been asserted, but few persons will be inclined to credit the