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commanders.
From that moment, he behaved with firmness and cordiality: not an hour was lost in procuring every thing needful for the occasion; but before we fixed a day, we resolved to obtain some information respecting the obstacles in our passage to the upper citadel, that being the only way by which we could possibly escape. It was necessary to be very cautious in this particular, and many schemes were suggested. At length, hearing that that part of the fortifications abounded in wild rabbits, it occurred to me to offer my greyhounds to one of the gens-d’armes, whenever he chose to make use of them. This I did, and the fellow mentioned it to the marèchal de logis, who was equally pleased with the expectation of sport, for they verily believed that such beautiful English dogs could kill every rabbit they saw. Shortly after, the gens-d’arme came, with the keys in his hand, for them; the marèechal waiting at the gate. The dogs, however, had been taught to follow no one but their master, so that their refusing to go, afforded me an opportunity of offering to accompany them, which was immediately accepted. Whitehurst, Hunter, and two or three others, requested permission to go with us; four other gens-d’armes were ordered to attend, and we went in a tolerably large party. We took different directions round the ramparts, kicking the grass, under pretence of looking for rabbits: few were found, and none killed; but we succeeded in making our observations, and, in about an hour, returned fully satisfied of the practicability of escape, though the difficulties we had to encounter were, – scaling a wall, ascending the parapet unseen, escaping the observations of three tiers of sentinels and the patroles, descending two ramparts, of about 45 feet each, and forcing two large locks. These were not more than we expected, and we, therefore, prepared accordingly. On our return, we fixed the night of the 16th Nov. for the attempt. Through a friend in town, I got iron handles put to a pair of steel boot-hooks, intending to use them as picklocks. The only thing now wanting was another rope; and as that belonging to the well in our yard was not trustworthy, we hacked several of the heart-yarns, so that the first time it was used it broke. A subscription was made by the mids, and a new rope applied for; by these means, we had at command about 36 feet, in addition to what our friends had before purchased of the boys. Every thing was now prepared; the spirits and provisions, in knapsacks, were concealed in the dog-kennel. On the 14th, Whitehurst communicated the secret to a young mid, named Mansell, who immedialely proposed to join. * * * * * At length the day arrrived which I had so ardently desired, and the feelings of delight with which I hailed it, were such as allowed me to anticipate none but the happiest results. The thought of having lost so many years from the service of my country, during an active war, had frequently embittered hours which would otherwise have been cheerful and merry, and now proved a stimulant to perseverance, exceeded only by that which arose from the desire I felt, to impress upon the minds of Frenchmen the inefficacy of vigilance and severity, to enchain a British officer,
