Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/113

 hours to elapse before they made the attempt. Upon which, it being a quarter past eight, Hunter and myself, with woollen socks over our shoes, that our footsteps might not be heard, and each having a rope, a small poker or a stake, and knapsack, took leave of our friends, and departed. We first went into the back yard, and, assisted by Rochfort, who was now convalescent, but not sufficiently strong to join the party, got over the wall, passed through the garden and palisades, crossed the road, and climbed silently upon our hands and knees up the bank, at the back of the north guard room, lying perfectly still, as the sentinels approached, and as they receded, again advancing, until we reached the parapet over the gateway leading to the upper citadel.

Here the breast work over which we had to creep, was about five feet high, and fourteen thick, and, it being the highest part of the citadel, we were in danger of being seen by several sentinels below; but, fortunately, the cold bleak wind induced some of them to take shelter in their