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  of this outrageous exploit a pecuniary reward, saying:– ‘I give you this for having killed one of them; had you killed both, the reward would have been doubled! * * * * * In the beginning of November, two sailors were sparring in the yard; and so common was this amusement, that it attracted the notice of no one but a stupid conscript of a sentinel, who, fancying they were quarrelling, quitted his post, and commenced a brutal attack on them, with the butt-end of his musket: this breach of military discipline soon collected a mob, and the endeavours of the men to ward off the blows, gave them the appearance of acting offensively. The guard was called out, when the gens-d’armes, rushing through the crowd, cut and slashed on all sides. Whitehurst and I, happening to be there at the time, roused with indignation at such wanton barbarity, also pushed in, in the hope of preventing bloodshed. The marèchal de logis, observing us in the ‘mêlée,’ desired us to send the men to their rooms, who, upon the order being given, immediately retired. This prompt obedience, bearing the appearance of generally acting under our influence, was, no doubt, the cause of our being denounced as the authors of the disturbance. The next morning, we were arrested, and conducted to a separate place of confinement, upon the rampart fronting the town. We were there locked up, with a sentinel at the door, without communication with any one, and ordered to be kept on bread and water. We there received secret information, that the commandant had forwarded a report to the minister of war, representing us as ‘chefs de complot’; the punishment of which, by the ‘Code Napoleon,’ is death. Although this did not much trouble us, being conscious of the falsehood of the accusation, yet we judged it right to lay before the commandant a firm and accurate relation of the facts, referring him to the marèchal de logis, for proof of our interference having prevented more bloodshed, and restored tranquillity. This respectful appeal to the justice of the commandant, corroborated by the evidence of the marèchal, succeeded in restoring us to our comrades, and in inducing him to transmit a counter-statement to Paris. I mention this circumstance, because it produced a proposition on the part of Whitehurst, to attempt escape, as 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, in the event of getting afloat, could not be great, 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 tie subject again to Hunter. I consented to accept him as a companion, provided we took our departure in a week. This stipulation being conveyed to him, and our prospects painted in glowing colours, he agreed to join us.