28o 



my couch were fuch as I could only have 

 pafTed during the infenfibility of a fevere fit 

 of naufea. Defcending from the hatch-way 

 above, I mull have alighted upon a heap of 

 unfixed trunks and coffers, at the rifk of my 

 legs being jammed between them ; then I had 

 to crawl, upon my hands and knees, over the 

 old unfteady lumber, breaking my way through 

 filth-thickened cobwebs, at the hazard of being 

 entangled in the ftrong net-work of gigantic 

 fpiders, whofe labours had known no interrup- 

 tion fince the building of the fhip ; and who, 

 by conftant toil, had manufactured (heets and 

 cordage of almoft fufficient ftrength to work 

 it. But when compared to the many other 

 offenfive things which filled the place, thefe 

 arachnoide hangings might be regarded as the 

 rich tapeftry of the apartment. 



I was really feized with terror on behold- 

 ing the a&ual ftate of this noifome prifon-hole, 

 for, confidering its confined limits, and the 

 multiplicity of foul and offenfive things that 

 were crammed into it, it appeared quite mi- 

 raculous that I (hould have efcaped the fate of 

 our countrymen who were configned to the 

 celebrated hole of Calcutta. 



