Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp4.djvu/263

 manner. They told us, that a Mr. Kemp, an Englishman, resided at the mayor’s, and was considered a prisoner on his parole. We sent him a note, which he answered, by declaring, ‘he would willingly come and see us, but he was afraid of compromising himself.’ Our route was through Hesdia and St. Paul to Arras, where we saw several of our countrymen, who were not so extremely cautious as Mr. Kemp, although we were conducted through the main street, loaded with chains. At Cambray, the Arras escort quitted us, and we were conducted to Chateau Cambressi, where we were put into a most horrible dungeon under ground, nor could any thing in our power have the smallest effect on the flint-hearted keeper of it; thence we were conducted to Landrecy, encumbered with fetters and handcuffs.

“On the 29th, we arrived at Avesnes jail, and were placed amongst criminals of every denomination, by order of General Wirrion; who it appeared had sent express to all those places, to desire that we should be treated as severely as possible. The report here was, that we were going to be shot as spies, who had been inspecting the naval preparations along the coast. One of our companions in this horrible prison was a wretch condemned to perpetual irons for having murdered his father and mother; he had cut them in quarters and buried them in a pit – it appeared that he was insane.

“About 5 o’clock on the 30th, we halted at Hirson. We had passed through this village formerly, and were then billeted on the inhabitants, as they had no jail. I was in great hopes we should escape the horrors of a dungeon for one night at least, but found myself mistaken. They placed us in a small cachot, calculated to contain about our number, and gave us a little straw to lie on. The next day was very rainy, and the roads prodigiously heavy; our march long and fatiguing. I cannot omit observing, that one of the party, having occasion to be unchained from his comrades, could not obtain permission before one of the guard had pinioned him with a strong cord, which the gens d’armes carried for that purpose.

“October 1st. About 6, we arrived at Maubertfontaine, in a most miserable plight, covered with mud and dirt. We found a new dungeon in this village just built, where we were very soon deposited: The guards visited us every hour during the night. On the 2nd, at day-break, we were chained to a cart and hand-cuffed; the roads, from the late fall of rain, being too heavy to proceed on foot. Our treatment was pretty nearly the same throughout unto Verdun, where we arrived at the latter end of October. I was then separated from my companions, being considered as the chef du complot, and was thrown into a miserable dungeon, wherein was another prisoner, supposed to have been a spy, and who expected to be brought to trial in a few days.”

After a close confinement of some days, and undergoing