Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/122

 been taken away, escape would have been impossible; there being not sufficient line for descending into the ditch. 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 gens d'armes had neglected to lock it. The draw-bridge was up; this, however, detained us but a short time, we got down, 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; 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 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