stake, then slipped the eye of the well-rope over the head of the poker, and fastened a small line from the upper part of the poker to the lower part of the stake. This done, we gently let the rope down through one of the grooves in the rampart, which receives a beam of the drawbridge when up. I then cautiously descended this half chimney, as it were, by the rope. When I had reached about two-thirds of the way down, part of a brick fell, struck against the side, and rebounded against my chest ; this I luckily caught between my knees, and carried down without noise.

"I crossed the bridge, and waited for Hunter, who descended with equal care and silence. We then entered the ravelin, proceeded through the arched passage, which forms an obtuse angle with a massive door leading to the upper citadel, and with my picklock endeavoured to open it; but not finding the bolt yield with gentle pressure, I added the other hand, and gradually increased the force, until, by exerting my whole strength, something broke. I then tried to file the catch off the bolt, but that being cast iron, the file made no impression ; we then endeavoured to cut away the stone in the wall which receives the bolt, but that was fortified with a bar of iron, so that it was impracticable. The picklocks were again applied, but with no better success. It now appeared complete checkmate, and, as the last resource, it was proposed to return to the bridge, slip down the piles, and float along the canal on our backs, there being too little water to swim, and too much mud to ford it. Hunter, with the most deliberate coolness, suggested the getting up the rope again, and attempting some other part of the fortress. In the midst of our consultation, it occurred to me that it would be possible to undermine the gate this plan was no sooner proposed than commenced; but having no other implements than our pocket-knives, some time elapsed before we could indulge any reasonable hopes of success; the pavement stones under the door were about ten inches square, and so closely bound together, that it was a most difficult and tedious process. About a quarter

of an hour had been thus employed, when we were alarmed by a sudden noise, similar to the distant report of a gun, echoing in tremulous reverberations through the arched passage; and, as the sound became fainter, it resembled the cautious opening of the great gate, creating a belief that we were discovered. We jumped up, drew back towards the bridge, intending, if possible, to steal past the sentinels, and slip down the piles into the canal; but the noise subsiding, we stood still, fancying we heard the footsteps of a body of

men.

"The recollection of the barbarous murders at Biche, on a similar occasion, instantly presented itself to my sensitive imagination; it is impossible to describe the conflicting sensations which rushed upon my mind during this awful pause. Fully impressed with the conviction of discovery, and of falling immediate victims to the merciless rage of ferocious bloodhounds, in breathless anxiety I stood and listened, with my knife in savage grasp, waiting the dreadful issue, when, suddenly, I felt a glow flush through my veins, which hurried me on with the desperate determination to succeed, or make a sacrifice of life in the attempt. We had scarcely reached the turning, when footsteps were again heard, and, in a whispering tone, Boys.' This welcome sound created so sudden a transition from desperation to serenity, from despair to a pleasing conviction of success, that in an instant all was hope and joy. Reinforced by our two friends, we again returned to our work of mining, with as much cheerfulness and confidence as though already embarked for England. They told us the noise was occasioned by the fall of a knapsack, which Mansell, unable to carry down the rope, had given to Whitehurst, from whom it slipped, and falling upon a hollow sounding bridge, between two lofty ramparts, echoed through the arched passage with sufficient effect to excite alarm. Whitehurst, with much presence of mind, stood perfectly still when he landed on the bridge, and heard the sentinel walk up to the door on the inside, and

stand still also; at this time they were not more than four feet from each other; and had the sentinel stood listening a minute longer, he must have heard Mansell land.

"Three of us continued mining until half-past ten, when the first stone was raised, and in twenty minutes the second. About eleven the hole was large enough to allow us to creep under the door. The drawbridge was up; there was, however, sufficient space between it and the door to allow us to climb up; and the drawbridge being square, there was, of course, an opening under the arch. Through this opening we crept, lowered ourselves down by the second rope, which was passed round the chain of the bridge, and keeping both parts in our hands, landed on the 'guarde fous.” Had these bars been taken away, escape would have been impossible, there not being sufficient rope for descending into the ditch. By keeping both parts of it in our hands, the last man was enabled to bring it away, otherwise four ropes would have been necessary.

"We then proceeded through another arched passage, with the intention of undermining the second door; but, to our great surprise and joy, we found the sentinels had neglected to lock it. The drawbridge was up. This, however, detained us but a short time; we got over, crossed the ditch upon the "guarde fous," as before, and landed in the upper citadel. We proceeded to the north-east curtain, fixed the stake, and fastened the rope upon the breastwork for the fourth descent. As I was getting down, with my chest against the edge of the parapet, the stake gave way. Whitehurst who was sitting by it, snatched hold of the rope, and Mansell, of his coat, whilst I endeavoured to grasp the grass, by which I was saved from a fall of about fifty feet. Fortunately there was a solitary tree in the citadel; from this a second stake was cut, and the rope

*The "guarde fous are two iron bars, one above the other, suspended by chains on each side of the bridge; when down, they serve the purpose of hand-rails..

doubly secured as before. We all got down safe with our knapsacks, except Whitehurst, who, when about two-thirds of the way, from placing his feet against the rampart, and not letting them slip as fast as his hands, got himself in nearly a horizontal position; seeing his danger, I seized the rope, and placed myself in rather an inclined posture under him; he fell upon my arm and shoulder with a violent shock. Fortunately neither of us was hurt; but it is somewhat remarkable that, within the lapse of a few minutes, we preserved each other from probable destruction.

"The vivid imagination of the indulgent reader will better depict than I can describe our feelings at this momentous period; suffice it to say, that we heartily congratulated ourselves upon our providential success, after a perilous and laborious work of three hours and three quarters; and, in the excess of joy, all shook hands."

66

AN ESCAPE FROM A FRENCH PRISON-PART III.

Having put our knapsacks a little in order, we mounted the glacis, and followed a footpath which led to the eastward. But a few minutes elapsed, when several objects were observed on the ground, which imagination, ever on the alert, metamorphosed into soldiers in ambush; we, however, marched on, when to our no small relief, they were discovered to be cattle. Gaining the high road, we passed (two and two, about forty paces apart) through a very long village, and having travelled three or four miles, felt ourselves so excessively thirsty that we stopped to drink at a ditch; in the act of stooping, a sudden flash of lightning, from southward, so frightened us (supposing it to be the alarm-gun), that instead of waiting to drink, we ran for nearly half an hour. We stopped a second time, and were prevented by a second flash, which alarmed us even more than the first, for we could not persuade ourselves that it was lightning, though no report was heard.

Following up the road in quick march, our attention was suddenly arrested by a drawbridge, which being indicative of a fortified place, we suspected a guard-house to be close at hand, and were at first apprehensive of meeting with a serious impediment; but, observing the gates to be open, we concluded that those at the other extremity would be also open, and therefore pushed forward. We drank at the pump in the square, when it was recollected that this was the little town of St. Amand. Directing our course by the north star, which was occasionally visible, we passed through without seeing a creature.

"About an hour afterwards, still continuing a steady pace, four stout fellows rushed out from behind a hedge, and demanded where we were going. Whitehurst and Mansell immediately ran up; and as we previously resolved never to be taken by equal numbers, each seized his pepper and his knife in preparation for fight or flight, replying, in a haughty tone of defiance, "What is that to you?—be careful how you interrupt military men:" then whispered, loud enough for them to hear, 'la bayonette,' upon which they dropped astern, though they still kept near us. In the course of a quarter of an hour, on turning an angle of the road, we lost sight of them, and continued a rapid march, frequently running, until about five a.m., when we were unexpectedly stopped by the closed gates of a town. We retraced our steps a short distance, in the hope of discovering some other road, but we could find neither a footpath, nor wood, nor any other place of concealment. We quitted the high road, and drew towards a rising ground, there to wait the dawn of day, in the hope of retreating to some neighbouring copse. No sooner had we laid ourselves upon the ground than sleep overcame us.

"Our intention was, if no wood could be seen, to go to an adjoining ploughed field, and there scratch a hole in which we could hide ourselves from a distant view; upon awakening from a short slumber, we reconnoitred around, and found our position to be near a fortification; being well acquainted with