SUFFKIUNGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 249 



Frenchman, and did not understand his language ; he immediately explained 

 in excellent French, that he wished to see my passport. 1 assured him f 

 had lost the whole of my papers, and most of my money, with several other 

 thtn^^s, the last evening, in crossing the branch of the lake, my pocket-book 

 having dropped overboard, that 1 was goicg to Inspruck, where I had some 

 friends, and thought 1 could get so tar without any trouble, it being only two 

 or three days' journey. The soldiers, on this, advanced from the gate, I 

 supposed through curiosity. He said, "it was further off than I imagined, 

 that it would be inconvenient to continue my march without papers, that it 

 was then late, and the difference of one night would be nothing to me. That 

 on the next morning the commandant of Lindau would give me other papers, 

 and I could proceed without any apprehension." All this was certainly very 

 reasonable, but it did not by any means suit me. I was very thankful for his 

 counsel, but preferred continuing my route, as my affairs required the utmost 

 dispatch. He then said, " I am under the necessity of detaining you;" and 

 he called the soldiers to assist him. I calmly replied, " you need no assist- 

 ance my good friend— it is patting me a little out of my way, but I am ready 

 to accompany you wherever you please." 1 was then taken before the com- 

 mandant, and underwent an examination, the result of which was, that I was 

 lodged in the common town prison, where 1 was confined for thirteen days, 

 at the expiration of which period I was ordered to prepare for a journey 

 back to France, 1 set out under an escort of two military men, my right arm 

 and left leg were bound together by a heavy chain, which was secured by a 

 large padlock ; the inconvenience of these appendages was however miti- 

 gated in a small degree by my travelling in a carriage, which had been pro- 

 vided for the occasion. After several days of wearisome and painful travelling 

 and having been confined in some of the worst dungeons in France, we at 

 last arrived at my destined abode, the fortress of Bitche, It was not many 

 seconds before my old friends and companions, Messrs. Aihworth and Tuthill 

 found means to get to me ; I never was more thunderstrack in my life, as I 

 supposed they were (by that time) on their passage, or safe arrived in Eng- 

 land. Mr. Baker, of the merchant service, and, in a shert time, all the 

 others, (except Lieutenant Essel, who was dashed to pieces lately in endea- 

 vouring to get over the walls) came to see me. Messrs. A. and T. had been 

 arrested about two hours after they had parted from me in the wood. It was 

 so suddenly surrounded by soldiers, peasantry, &c., that it was impossible to 

 attempt escaping from them. They never could account for my getting clear. 

 My confinement in this place was of the most dreadful description, and 

 lasted many months ; at la&t having long meditated an escape I was joined 

 by three others, and succeeded in passing the sentinel without being per- 

 ceived ; by the means of a rope which we had taken care to secure we des- 

 cended a high wall of the fortress, and afterwards two others, when, after 

 avoiding another sentinel, we were soon on the high road to Slrasbourgh, on 

 which we keut running as fast as we could for nearly half an hour, then 

 halted, to put on our shoes, which, until then, we had hung round our necks, 

 and also to take a last view of the mansion of tears. 



September, 1808. At day break on the ISth, we entered an excellent wood 

 on a mountains side, close to the high road; got well up, and had a full 

 view the whole day of those who passed underneath, without a possibility oT 

 being seen. We saw some of the gond'armes from our late mansion in full 

 gallop towards the Rhine, and were certain they were in pursuit of us, and 

 to give our descriptions, as they advanced, to their brethren, who were quiir- 

 tered in the adjacent villages. 



VOL. VH. — 1836. HH 



