Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/103

 justice of the commandant Du Croix Aubert, corroborated by the evidence of the Marèchal de logis, succeeded in restoring us to our comrades, and in inducing him to transmit a counter-statement to the minister of war. I mention this circumstance, because it produced a proposition on the part of Whitehurst, to attempt escape, so soon as we could make the necessary preparations. I readily acceded to his proposal; and, although I knew that, from his inexperience in the management of small craft, his assistance could not be great, in the event of getting afloat; I was perfectly convinced of his willingness and resolution. This consideration rendered it necessary, however, to seek a third person, and I sounded five men, separately, in the course of the day; but, so prevalent was the belief of the impossibility of getting out of the fortress, except by bribery, that they all declined.

In this difficulty, I consulted Ricketts, who proposed to introduce the subject again, to Hunter. I consented to accept him as a companion, provided we departed in a week; this stipulation being conveyed