Rossa’s wife made plans to visit him. He spent a month looking forward to the visit. He had almost given up hope when he was called out from dinner one day, to a room where he saw his wife and the baby he had not seen before. The officer said “You can speak to your wife for 20mins but if you tell her anything relating to matters inside the prison or if she tells you anything to matters outside I must end the visit.” When the visit was over he went back to work with a heavier heart than ever as he could not say the things he felt needed to be said. The governor and the prison authorities didn’t want the public at large to know how the prisoners were being treated. Rossa made several attempts to get the news of the conditions in the prison to the world outside and suffered by being sentenced to bread and water for 2 or 3 days at a time. Some of his writing was successful because it brought on (as Rossa described) a sham inquiry by the sham commissioners Knox and Pollock.

Back at work again and after a week he was reported for talking while at work. For this, some of his friends got off with a reprimand, others 24hrs. bread and water while James O’Connor and Rossa got 17days bread and water. He was now working among convicts and criminals and objected to this, refused to work and was punished, as usual bread and water for 24hrs. In fact these criminals were far better to Rossa than those in charge. They gave him loaves of bread and got writing material for him. This landed him in more trouble; an inkbottle, a pen and pencil were found in his cell. He was punished again, bread and water for 3 days and 25day punishment diet (1pt. stirabout and 1lb. potatoes).

During this time his thoughts turned back to the famine scene of his youth and he put together without pen or paper his great famine poem “Jillen Andy.”

After this 28 day punishment he refused to work and he got bread and water every second day and penal class diet every other day. Next he was moved to Millbank, after the usual preliminaries he was put tailoring but was punished regularly because he could not do work. At this time the doctor bandaged all his fingers. He had been so reduced from cold and hunger in Portland that he came to Millbank with the flesh rotting off his hands. Conditions in Millbank were no better than those he left behind in Portland. The gaslight was left on in his cell every night and he was strip-searched every day. At this stage the end of March 1867 he was watched very carefully and he was put in a different cell at night in case of escape as it was just after the Fenian Rising. He had another visit from his wife, this time he was told nothing until she arrived in case he might have any statement ready for her. She told him she was going to America and to keep his spirits up. He found out afterwards she had made plans for his escape, but these were abandoned when he was moved so often. Speaking of the sham commission, he said, “These gentlemen Knox and Pollock were extremely polite to me, I thought I gave them every satisfaction. We parted on the best of terms, yet in their report they cut my throat”

After this commission was over, the authorities put the screws on him in earnest. Every day and night he was worried in one way or another. His cell at night was full of fleas. He was punished for working too slow and for having his task work finished before the appointed time. He could tolerate no more so he barricaded his cell but eventually surrendered. The punishment was 4 months in solitary confinement in a darkened cell on penal-class diet, with the first 12days on bread and water and he was obliged to pick oakum. During this time he was asked if he would volunteer to go to Western Australia, this he refused, as he would still be under the British Authorities.

To torment him more the authorities decided to move Rossa again. This time to Chatham. They made clever preparations for this. They moved 9 prisoners of good character to punishment cells and left one vacant for Rossa. To show him he was treated no worse than others, when he arrived in Chatham he went through the usual routine, measured, weighed, stripped, searched, bathed, re-dressed, shaven, shorn and entered on the books. On his second day here, he got paper and a pen to write to his wife. The next day he was told the letter would not be sent out as he spoke of his treatment. He was sent to work among 9 thieves, breaking stones. He could speak to the man next to him but the conversation could not extend any further.

Rossa was a kiotog and while working away an officer came up to him and ordered him to use his right hand like the others. This he had to do and it was very awkward for him. It vexed him later on when he saw others were allowed use their left hand.

One day a fellow prisoner named Pratt gave him a piece of newspaper. That evening his cell was searched, the paper was found and he got 10days bread and water. He later found out that Pratt was a spy, sent in to get him into trouble so that they could punish him more. He could get 2days punishment for turning his head in church.

On the 1st June he decided not to work anymore, so he threw the hammer out over the prison wall. He was taken before the governor and got 3days bread and water. He told the governor he was not going to work anymore and that he would not pay him any more salaams. For this the punishment was repeated day after day for 17days. Next morning he filled his slop-pail with clean water, he heard the governor and officers approaching his cell. The officer shouted “Attention,” (Salute the Governor.) When the governor looked through the bars at Rossa, he got the water straight in the face. He was allowed to rest quietly that day but next morning the warders came in and he was handcuffed behind his back. At 12o’clock his dinner was brought, the handcuffs were opened and tied in front. He was left to eat as best he could. When he had eaten, his hands were again tied behind his back. At 2 o’clock he was taken out of his cell, the irons were opened; he got his shoes and cap and dressed himself for exercise. His hands were tied again and he was led into the yard. When the hour was up the procedure was reversed and his hands tied behind his back again. At six o’clock he got supper, the hands were brought to the front and returned to the rear afterwards. At 45 minutes past seven the handcuffs were removed and he was left in peace till morning. At 15 minutes past 5 the next morning the handcuffs were tied behind his back, half an hour later they were untied and tied in front to allow him eat his breakfast. Having eaten they were bound behind until dinnertime.