The convicts were housed below deck and often further confined behind bars. Conditions were extremely cramped. In many cases the prisoners were restrained in chains and were only allowed on deck for fresh air and exercise. On deck, thick wooden walls were built to separate the convicts from the rest of the ship. The walls had small holes in them so the guards could shoot in case of trouble. The hatches (doors up to the deck) were kept shut with cross bars, bolts and locks. Guards were almost always on duty at each hatch, and a guard with a gun was always on the quarter-deck (back of the ship). People slept in hammocks and there were tables for eating and stools to sit on. 