aswasquitelikelywithamanofhisshallop\'brainandvacillatingtemper——tobesimplyreturnedtothestockade。
Nothing,Iamsure,sincethedaysoftheInquisition——orstilllater,sincetheterriblepunishmentsvisitedupontheinsurgentsof1848bytheAustrianaristocrats——hasbeensodiabolicalasthestocksandchain—
gangs,asusedbyWirz。Atonetimesevenmen,sittinginthestocksneartheStarFort——inplainviewofthecamp——becameobjectsofinteresttoeverybodyinside。Theywereneverrelievedfromtheirpainfulposition,butwerekeptthereuntilallofthemdied。Ithinkitwasnearlytwoweeksbeforethelastonesuccumbed。Whattheyenduredinthattimeevenimaginationcannotconceive——IdonotthinkthatanIndiantribeeverdevisedkeenertortureforitscaptives。
Thechain—gangconsistedofanumberofmen——varyingfromtwelvetotwenty—five,allchainedtoonesixty—fourpoundball。TheywerealsostationedneartheStarFort,standingoutinthehotsun,withoutaparticleofshadeoverthem。Whenonemovedtheyallhadtomove。
Theywerescourgedwiththedysentery,andthenecessitiesofsomeoneoftheirnumberkeptthemconstantlyinmotion。Icanseethemdistinctlyyet,trampinglaboriouslyandpainfullybackandforwardoverthatburninghillside,everymomentofthelong,wearySummerdays。