112 SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 



aunbush for tbem, and bad been landed the night before, for the express 

 purpose of surprising some of the English boats, that were daily in the habit 

 of coming on shore. Our poor fellows were immediately secured, embarked, 

 and conducted to the continent. The frigate instantly, on discovering they 

 were captured, dispatched boats in pursuit of them, but to no purpose. From 

 the cruel treatment which they received on their march ; being put into stables 

 bams, common jails, &c., allowed nothing but seamen's fare ; with not a 

 farthing of money in their pockets ; they were so exhausted on their arrival 

 at Verdun, that both the officers were seized with a violent fever : Mr Wills 

 recovered in a short time ; but the other lost the use of his limbs, and was 

 confined to his bed, with little or no intermission, until July, 1808; when he 

 burst a blood vessel, and expired without a groan. He lived with me the 

 major part of the time. 



But to return to the thread of my own narrative. We continued, as before 

 observed, amusing ourselves by study, in the winter, skaiting, &c., until 

 August, 1807, when I began to consider my situation minutely, and to delibe- 

 rate upon my unfortunate captivity ; and those deliberations had the effect 

 of making me very uncomfortable and dissatisfied : I could not afterwards 

 reconcile myself to study, or any amusement. I reasoned with myself, that I 

 was loosing the prime of my youth in captivity ; saw no prospect of peace, or 

 exchange of prisoners, no hope of being promoted in my present state, nor of 

 recommending myself through any personal exertions to the notice of my 

 country, deprived, while in France, of being able to afford my country, my 

 friends, or myself, the least assistance. 



In this horrible state, almost of stupefaction, I remained for some days; 

 when my friend Ashworth observed to me, that he and a Mr. Tuthill, a par- 

 ticular friend of mine, and a midsdipman also, had been canvassing the cruelty 

 and hardships they laboured under; and their intention (if I would join them) 

 of transgressing, and getting deprived of their permissions to go out of town 

 (what the French deemed parole) and making their escape to their native 

 country. This was to me the most flattering intelligence— it was what I had 

 been revolving in my own brain for some days. We accordingly met at an 

 appointed place, to deliberate upon the best method of putting in execution 

 the business we were about to commence, and agreed it was necessary to 

 procure knapsacks, provisions, bladders to contain water, &c., prior to our 

 getting close confined : as wc should be under the necessity of travelling by 

 night, and concealing ourselves in the woods during the day-time. 



The necessary materials having been provided, viz. files, gimlets, saws, with 

 other articles that are needless to mention ; that in case of being taken, we 

 might be able to break our fetters, and to escape from slavery, and the pun- 

 ishment that we were well aware would await us ; (they make midshipmen 

 attend two appels or musters per day : not being at the exact lime was 

 formerly 3 livres (2s. 6d.) fine ; but at present the offenders are sent to St. 

 Louis, or Bitche, depots of p;mishment ;) we commenced by missing one 

 appel, but to our great astonishment this breach of conduct was overlooked 

 and forgiven. We next remained out of town very late; this was also forgiven, 

 though we got into the guardhouse, &c. ; in short it was several days before 

 we succeeded in getting deprived of our passports or permissions; we were 

 now coufident, from the lenity shewn u», that they suspected our intentions. 

 However, August 28th, 1807, having found, from the opinion of several officer* 

 whom we consulted, that no tie of honor could, under our present circum- 

 stances, retain us; being literally in close confinement, and that perhaps we 

 might never have so good an opportunity again, wc determined to take French 

 leave that night, having an excellent rope provided to scale the ramparts* 

 We accordingly separated, having fixed a rendezvous at Ho' clock, which 



