250 SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 



omitted mentioning, that we would pay anything they demanded— this good 

 man thought proper, at last, to pay us a visit ; he promised to afford us reliety 

 and we soon got supplied tolerably well, and had two mattresses brought ns 

 still keeping our promise to pay what was demanded. It appeared this man 

 was a great acquisition ; he had been originally a convict sentenced to per" 

 petual imprisonment in chains, so he resided in a jail, and wore small silver 

 chains round hi-i wrists and ancles: and thus literally conformed to the 

 sentence, while he was placed in a situation under government. 



This jail, similar to all the others that I have seen in France, was full of 

 deserters from the army, who were very cruelly used. On Monday, Septem- 

 ber 21., we were conducted to the captain of gens d'armes to undergo another 

 examination : he behaved very like a gentleman ; we were interrogated 

 separately. He said that our attempt to regain our liberty was very lauduble ; 

 he felt for our misfortunes, and assured me he would return me my letters if 

 he possibly could : but added, that I could get them from General Wirrion, at 

 Verdun, to whom he was then forwarding them. Our march back was to 

 commence the next morning ; he exhorted ns to have fortitude and patience, 

 and dwelt very much on the cnielty of not having an exchange of prisoners. 

 We returned him many thanks for his }:oodness, and were escorted back to 

 our apartment, when we made every necessary arrangement for the next day. 



Tuesday, September 22. We were called betimes by the guard, and in a 

 few minutes were once more en route ; the day was excessively wet, and the 

 roads heavy, which prevented them from chaining ns ; more particularly as 

 vrc had a very long march to Montruil, abont twelve or thirteen leagues distant. 

 About five in the afternoon, we were placed in the common jail, which we 

 found a lohrably good one; but the jailer and his wife extorted from us in a 

 shameful manner. They told us, that a Mr. Kemp, an Englishman, resided 

 at the mayor's, and was considered a prisoner on parole. We sent hira a 

 note, which he answered, declaring, be would willingly come and see us : but 

 he was afraid of compromising himself. 1 leave the reader to imagine what 

 opinion this reply gave us of our countryman. Here we remained several 

 days, waiting what they styled correspondence. As they received orders to 

 transport us from brigade to brigade, that we might experience the comforts 

 ■ of every dungeon between Estaples and Verdun, and also form acquaintances 

 in them, we did not despair, even then, of being able to escape on our return, 

 as we frequently contrived to slip onr hands out of the hand-cuffs, &c. without 

 toeing noticed ; but never found a cover, or a convenient place to run for, 

 when these occasions offered. 



Our route was through Hesdin, St. Panll to Arras, where we saw several of 

 onr countrymen, who where not so extremely cautious as Mr. Kemp; although 

 we were conducted through the main street, loaded with chains. The jailer 

 here behaved with kindness and civility to us, and (with the exception of one), 

 was the most humane man in that situation I ever kneiv. The commandant 

 was also extremely civil, and allowed ns, at onr own request, a chaise, with 

 an escort, to Cambray. Having passed through Bapaume, we called at the 

 baker's where Mr. Essel supposed he had lost his money. He and his 

 children were severally examined ; but we could not discover the smallest 

 trace that might lead us to suppose he had it. And I must confess I believed 

 the baker to be innocent. At Cambray we dismissed, or rather, the Arras 

 eacort quitted us ; and we were conducted to Chateau Cambressin, where we 

 were put into a most horrible dungeon, under ground ; nor could any thing in 

 our power have any effect upon the flint-hearted keeper of it. We fortunately 

 remained but 24 hours in this place; thence we were conducted to Landrey, 

 which I have already mentioned ; being now in the same road that we 

 were formerly marched through ; however, my situation then was very 



