182?.] French Prison of I -'tt/cHciennts. 407 



keeping about a hundred yards apart, and entered the town just as the labourers 

 were going to work. In passing the guard at the gates, I was chalking and rubbing 

 out figures upon the rule, as it' my mind was wholly occupied in my business. 

 Although I did not turn my head, I could nevertheless observe, from under my 

 broad brim, two gens-d'armes eyeing me from head to foot. I, however, trudged 

 on uninterrupted, following the guide from street to street, until we entered that 

 in which Moitier lived. Fortunately, not a creature was to be seen. On passing 

 his door, she made a momentary pause, placing her hand on her hip as a signal to 

 me, and then went on without looking behind her. I knocked, and asked for 

 * Monsieur;" but he was not at home. Upon inquiring for ' Madame,' she appeared. 

 I told her that my business was of such importance, as absolutely to require my 

 seeing 'Monsieur son epoux;' and, if she would permit it, I wished to wait his 

 return. She politely shewed me into an apartment ; but, seeing it to be a public 

 waiting room, and being desirous of privacy, I made one or two observa- 

 tions remotely bearing upon the purport of my visit; when, finding she entertained 

 no suspicion of who I was., I ventured to congratulate her upon the success her 

 husband had met with respecting Mansell. ''Manselle!' she emphatically ex- 

 claimed, starting with surprise, and fixing her large black eyes upon me. On my 



Madame, I am that unfortunate wanderer,' she seized me by the hand, and imme- 

 diately conducted me to the attics." 



The remaining portion of the story consists of ad ventures of a more cheer- 

 ful character than those which have hitherto presented themselves ; and after 

 a somewhat tedious negociation, chiefly prolonged by the want of ready 

 money on the part of our adventurers, through Mr. Moitier's agency, 

 assisted by another personage whose business it is to exercise " an indus- 

 try beyond the law," the parties all escape. On the 29th of April 1809, 

 having then, for the last month, travelled openly about the Netherlands, 

 as Frenchmen, and having been six months altogether concealed in the 

 country since their escape from Valenciennes, disguised as much as pos- 

 sible like Flemings, and assisted by Mr. Neirinks, and a smuggler, de- 

 signated onlv as " Peter," the fugitives leave Bruges in the close of the 

 evening, and march, by woods and cross roads, to the island of Cadsand, 

 opposite to Flushing. The principal danger they had to apprehend, the 

 author says, was in passing the guard at the gates of Bruges ; but as 

 many people were passing in and out, they mingled with the crowd, and 

 their joy at approaching the Cadsand, at one in the morning, when they 

 expected immediately to find a boat ready to embark, was as lively as 

 that which they felt after descending the last rampart at Valenciennes. 



The position in which they stood even now, however, to persons less 

 inured to peril, and to escape from it, might have been deemed a nice 

 one; for the very point of ground from which they were to embark, was 

 overlooked by a fort, and patroles were almost hourly passing along the 

 beach within a few yards of them. 



" On arriving near the coast we met Peter's wife, who ordered us to lie down 

 on the ground, whilst this Amazonian chief reconnoitred the strand. She had 

 scarcely proceeded a hundred yards, when she was hailed, and saluted with a shot. 

 Like a skilful general, she instantly made good her retreat, and bivouac'd with the 

 main body. In this position we remained for about two hours, whilst Peter and his 

 chief were occasionally watching the motions of the enemy, and looking out for 

 the private signal from the boat. Our anxiety was now at its utmost stretch, and 

 every passing moment appeared an age. The look-out, every now and then, 1 was 

 oblieed to retreat, to avoid the p >troles ; although, had the boat arrived, being well 



M.M. New Series VOL. IV. No. 23. 3 S 



