1827.] Fretiah Prison of Valenciennes; 495 



forming a kind of tent : one corner was left open for the free admission of air, 

 and for our entrance and exit. Here we lay in such comfort, that the sensation 

 experienced can only be imagined by comparing them to turning into a warm 

 bed, after being nearly frozen to death. The snow falling all night, in the morn- 

 ing our nest was covered nearly a foot deep, and scarcely rose sufficiently above the 

 surrounding white surface to indicate the place of our concealment. Very little change 

 occurred until the 19th, when we again despatched a messenger to Bruges, with a 

 note to Mansell ; but, as we received no answer, it was doubtless intercepted it 

 being Moitier's policy to prevent communication between us. A sudden thaw 

 almost inundated the wood, and.it .was with mqch difficulty that the boy could 

 get to our retreat with provisions. On the morning of the 21st he came, almost 

 out of breath, with information that a party of men were again about to surround 

 the house, and, it was supposed, to search the adjoining woods. Upon this, we 

 instantly broke up our camp, threw the twigs in all directions, and ran through 'he 

 woods a mile due east. A ditch, about eighteen feet wide, now presented itself 

 before us. Luckily, at a little distance was a piece of timber lying across upon 

 which we passed without a moment's delay; and being too well versed in military 

 tactics to leave the bridge for the enemy, it was drawn over, and thrown into a 

 hedge. 



" Our hasty retreat was continued about three miles, when reaching an almost 

 impenetrable thicket, we crept in and hid ourselves. In this thicket we lay for 

 some time, expecting every moment the approach of the pursuers; but, as we 

 occupied a very favourable position for retreat the surrounding woods being 

 intersected with wide ditches, one of which was immediately in our rear we were 

 in no very great apprehension for the issue. In the midst of our consultation, a 

 distant noise was indistinctly heard, which seemed gradually to approach, until 

 the actual motion of the bushes put an end to all doubt. We instantly jumped 

 up, ready to fly ; when a dog was discovered drawing near, and, not far behind, 

 some person penetrating through the thick wood ; but, ere we had time to decide, 

 our faithful friend Fox burst to view, fawning and curling himself in silent con- 

 gratulation, as if sensible of a narrow escape. Almost at the same moment came- 

 his affectionate master, who brought information that a body of gens-d'armes only 

 halted at his mother's, on their way to Blankenberg, but, fancying they were 

 come to make another search, he immediately ran off' to give us timely notice. 

 The keen lad, guided by the sagacious Fox, had followed our footsteps, until he 

 came to the broad ditch ; when finding the bridge gone, and suspecting we had 

 pulled it over, he had run round a considerable distance. Having so done, he 

 returned to the opposite bank, and continued hunting us up. We immediately 

 retraced our steps, replaced the bridge, and marched back to our ' trou,' which 

 was rendered as comfortable as before. This little trip we fancied did us good, 

 from the exercise it afforded. A heavy fall of rain, during two days, prevented 

 the boy from getting to us ; and apprehensions were now entertained, that, from 

 the overflowing of the ditches, and almost inundated state of the woods, we should 

 be compelled, by hunger, to expose ourselves in the day although, in prefer- 

 ence, we had resolved to endure the utmost extremity of privaiion. Indeed, we 

 already felt the want of food : our fare was seldom more than bread, sometimes 

 potatoes, and occasionally eggs though, a few days previous, we had a little 

 meat, the bones of which were thrown away. For these I now searched, and felt 

 delight in finding one, which I ground down with a canine voracity, reproaching 

 myself for my previous extravagance. At length, hunger and wet forced us to quit 

 the camp ; and, about ten at night, approaching the ' Cat,' two of us went in, 

 dried our clothes, and got something to eat; whilst the third, with Fox, kept 

 watch at the door. The sagacity of this dog was really wonderful. Madame 

 Derikre assured us, that, latterly, this faithful animal, as if he knew our enemies, 

 growled at every gen-d'arme he saw, although he had been in the habit of seeing 

 and being caressed by them almost every day of his life. She again said that 

 Moitier had promised to assist us the moment Mansell was gone. Our hopes 

 being somewhat enlivened by these repeated assurances, it was determined to wait 

 a few days longer, could we survive the cold, to see the result of Mansell's depar- 

 ture. We now ventured to pay nightly visits to the < Cat,' in order to procure 



