220 PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE. 



took care to know my position, and placing the 

 compass on the ground, the needle very properly 

 turned towards me. This was sufficient, the 

 thing was done, and the king was convinced 

 that he should allow me to depart freely. I 

 wished him to handle it, but he shrunk from it 

 with terror, imagining that it was a living crea- 

 ture, and was glad to get out of my presence, 

 after having promised to give me horses, or what 

 ever I might want in the morning. We had 

 the greatest difficulty to preserve our gravity 

 throughout this farce, and when left to ourselves 

 we enjoyed a hearty laugh at the success of our 

 plan and the credulity of the king. 



The next day was passed in joyful preparations 

 for our departure, and with the exception of the 

 heavy goods, and the two barrels of gunpowder, 

 every thing was packed up for the carriers. At 

 daylight the next morning, I was lifted on a 

 horse, being anxious to get to Potingeh before 

 the sun was high; and, leaving Sarsfield to bring 

 the goods, I turned my back on a city where 

 I had suffered both bodily and mentally more 

 than I could describe, and from whence I took 

 nothing but experience dearly purchased by an 

 expenditure of time that would have allowed me. 



