the effect must have been visible in most of our counte-
nances. At length, " His Worship " arrived, not at all to
our comfort ; but what rendered his presence more annoy-
ing was his bringing with him " an American gentleman?
It is said that the society of a gentleman is always desir-
able ; but the ghosts did not strike more terror into " the
soul of Richard " than the reality of this American gentle-
man's appearance struck terror into ours. The mayor
and the American gentleman engaged us, " yard-arm and
yard-arm." Their cross-examination was worse than a
raking fire. We had only to repeat our former story. At
last our unlucky genius, the American gentleman, plainly
stated to us that they suspected us to be Englishmen which
we had no means of disproving. The mayor added that
we were to be committed to the prison of Boulogne until
the authorities heard from the American consul at Paris, or
until they were thoroughly convinced of the veracity of
our statement. These were disastrous " untils " ; and it
struck me that if they waited for the alternative of them,
we might remain in gaol to eternity.
The result was, what less sanguine and less interested
men might have anticipated we were to be ordered to a
dungeon, under an escort of gendarmerie. The brigadier,
who seemed to have all the hundred eyes of Argus con-
densed into two, asked if we had been searched, The answer
98 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
was in the negative. " Search them instantly," cried he ;
" and," he added, " depend upon it they are Englishmen^
who have escaped from one of the depots." The fellows
were obedient to command, and we were immediately put
under as severe a scrutiny as ever man was subjected to.
I was the first person to be rummaged. My pocket-book
was opened, and in it were several English letters, with
other papers equally calculated to disprove the veracity of
my being an American captain shipwrecked at Marseilles.
My resource was to say that my pocket-book belonged to
a cousin who had perished with the wreck. On the others
were found maps of the departments that we had gone
through, with several other papers, which identified us to
be what they suspected.
However, we still persisted in being Americans. They
remonstrated on the folly of such an imposition, and
ordered us into a dungeon, assuring us that we should be
now very roughly treated, and considered as dangerous
people ; whereas a frank confession might cause some
mitigation. After a little deliberation we clearly per-
ceived the inutility of holding out ; so we at once acknow-
ledged who and what we were. The brigadier assured us
that he had been confident from the moment he first saw
us that we were English, and he would now do everything
in his power to comfort us under our present embarrass-
ments, but he had no superior officer of his corps nearer than
Boulogne, where he should send us the next day ; and for
that night he would allow us to go to an inn to get our-
selves a little in order, but with a strong escort ; and we
should be obliged to provide that escort with every
necessary, and to pay the men six livres (five shillings)
each for the night. This we readily agreed to. Once
THE COMMANDING OFFICER 99
more we were prisoners : our state of mind was truly
miserable.
At the inn we bought a new shirt and pair of stockings
each, and got our old ones, which were in a sad condition,
washed and mended. They supplied us with tolerably
good beds, of which we were extremely anxious to take
possession. After supper we were in the act of going to
bed, when an order came, from the commanding officer of
a camp adjacent, to conduct us to his tent which was
quickly put into execution. He appeared, in manners,
the reverse of the general character of the French. He
perused all my letters, which were of no consequence to
any one existing except myself, and which were never
returned to me, and declared he was certain we had emis-
saries on the coast, otherwise we could never have attempted
so perilous a journey. This was, at least, a compliment to
our daring enterprise ; and when we assured him that we
had had no connection whatever with the people on the
coast, he replied with a " Bah ! " and concluded with an
" Ah ! the fishermen on our coast, unfortunately, are too
much attached to the English. 1 '
Our conversation terminated, and we were taken back
to our inn. Distressed as we were, we immediately retired
to rest our wearied limbs. Nature was exhausted; and
we sank into nature's balm " sweet sleep," too afflicted
and worn out to reflect, or to care for the reflection that
the dawn would see us in progress to gaol.
CHAPTER VII
Our entrance into the gaol of Boulogne Tantalising sight of Old
England's flag and white cliffs A gaoler's supper and a conscien-
tious bill Another examination The route to Verdun Arras
The gaoler kind, and the commandant full of indulgence
Bapaume The baker, and inquiries for our lost money
Cambray Cateau-Cambresis and its horrible dungeon Lan-
drecies Our awkwardness in chains, handcuffs, and fetters
My dislike to them Avesnes Information that we were to be
shot The dungeon of Avesnes A dungeon companion who
had killed and cut up both his parents A night of horrors and
lunacy Hirson, a town without a gaol, but with a dungeon
A supper and its consequences The discovery of our imple-
ments of escape Maubert Fontaine A new dungeon and a
fellow-prisoner Reciprocal services A novel mode of hiding
pistol-barrels Chaining prisoners to a cart Mezieres Arrival
at Verdun Separated from my companions Reflections on
being shot A close examination Questioned in relation to
Buonaparte Allowed to join my old associates Another cross-
examination A recommittal to prison Our fate determined
The dungeon of Bitche The Rev. Lancelot C. Lee, a detenu
His generosity.
THE next morning, the 19th Sept. 1807, at eight o'clock,
our gendarme escort entered the inn, and, soon placing
us in a cart, conducted us to Boulogne. We arrived at
about two in the afternoon, and were unceremoniously
handed over to a regular gaoler, a Mons. Verjuis, who
gave us in custody to one of his most expert turnkeys.
The fellow showed us into our apartment. Shortly after,
100
CHEERING SIGHT OF ENGLAND 101
two small sheaves of straw were sent us as substitutes for
beds, and a bucket of water accompanied them, as our
sole refreshment. Tuthill, astonished at this supply,
asked me seriously what it could mean ? I replied, that
it was evidently to be our food, and that they thought
straw for Englishmen a good substitute for bread ! ! How-
ever, complaint would only have subjected us to ridicule
or insult, and without a murmur we drank our water and
reposed upon our straw. We had passed many days when
the straw would have been a luxury to us, and many nights
and days when we would have given a stream of gold for
the draught of water.
This day^s excursion had afforded us a view of that
formidable flotilla which had so frequently threatened to
hurl destruction upon our little island ; but with what
different emotions did we catch the view of the white cliffs
of Dover, and behold an English frigate and lugger
blockading the French port. The sight of our country,
and of the triumphant flag of our glorious profession the
navy of England, filled us with desires that were not to
be realised, and with hopes in which it was tantalising
and vain to indulge. I was a little relieved by a feeling
of contempt at the dismantled and decaying flotilla, and
by reflecting that had France had the folly to build a
thousand times as many flat -bottomed boats as I then
beheld, she never could have made any impression on our
happy country.
However, neither sentiment nor reflection can be a
substitute for food, and the keenness of our appetites
soon taught us the absolute necessity of becoming ac-
quainted with our good host. We began to supplicate for
relief through the iron bars ; and our experience of the
Of THE
UNIVERSfTY
102 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
French character had taught us the good policy of accom-
panying each supplication with an assurance that we would
pay liberally for whatever we might be supplied with.
At length, this man of iron bars and gratings thought
proper to pay us a visit. He promised to afford us relief,
and we soon got supplied tolerably well with food, and
had two mattresses brought us we still keeping our
promise to pay whatever was required. It appeared that
this fellow was a great acquisition to Buonaparte^s govern-
ment : he had been originally a convict sentenced to
perpetual imprisonment in chains ; he therefore resided in
a gaol, and wore small silver chains round his wrists and
ankles, and thus literally conformed to his sentence, whilst
he was placed in a situation under government.
On Monday the 21st we were conducted to the captain
of gendarmes to undergo another examination ; and he
behaved very like a gentleman. We were interrogated
separately. He said that our attempt to gain our liberty
was very laudable, and that he felt for our misfortunes.
Our march back was to commence the next morning. He
exhorted us to have fortitude and patience, and dwelt
very much on the cruelty of not having an exchange of
prisoners between the two countries. We returned him
many thanks for his goodness, and were escorted back to
our prison, where we made every necessary arrangement
within our power for the next day. This was a task
neither difficult nor long, for our luggage or apparel was
not calculated to cause us much embarrassment.
On Tuesday, 22nd Sept., 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
the guards from chaining us, more especially as we had a
A HUMANE GAOLER 103
very long march to Montreuil, which was twelve or
thirteen leagues distant. About five in the afternoon we
were placed in the common gaol of Montreuil, which we
found a tolerably comfortable prison ; but the gaoler and
his wife imposed upon us in a shameful manner.
Our route was now through Hesdin and St. Pol, to
Arras. The gaoler here behaved with kindness and
civility to us, and (with the exception of one) was the
most humane man in that situation I ever knew. And in
dire necessity of his humanity were we all at this moment ;
but more especially myself, for so completely knocked up
was I from excessive fatigue and exhaustion, by the length
of this day's journey in chains, that I found my head quite
dizzy, and had actually swooned and fallen against the
prison walls before the gaoler could conduct me to my
cell.
The commandant was also extremely civil, and allowed
us, at our own request, a chaise, with an escort of two
gendarmes (whose names were Potdevin and Pasdevie), to
Cambray. Having passed through Bapaume, we called at
our old friend 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 taken it : and I
must confess I believed the baker to be innocent. At
Cambray we dismissed, or, rather, the Arras escort quitted
us ; and we were conducted to Cateau-Cambresis, where
we were put into a most horrible dungeon under ground,
nor could anything in our power have any effect on the
flint-hearted keeper of it. We fortunately remained but
twenty-four hours at this place ; thence we were conducted
to Landrecies, where we were permitted to stop and get
104 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
a breakfast. Our landlady here shed tears at seeing us
handcuffed in so cruel a manner; yet, in spite of all
remonstrances and entreaties, and notwithstanding the
obvious inutility of this caution or harshness, our guards
would not unshackle a single w r rist during the whole time,
and the people of the house were literally obliged to
feed us.
At about five o'clock on the 29th, we arrived at
Avesnes, and were very rudely thrust into the gaol, and
placed amongst the worst and lowest class of criminals
that it contained. This, we were informed, was by the
special order of General Wirion, who, it appeared, had
sent an express to all stages on our route, desiring that
we should be treated as severely and as indignantly as
possible. Our guard seemed to be by no means lax in
discipline, for they fulfilled their instructions both to their
spirit and letter. A report, moreover, was current at this
place, that we were English spies, about to be shot for
having been hired to inspect the naval armaments along
the French coast. This idea certainly did not procure us
the sympathies of the populace, nor did it seem to soften
the tempers of our conductors ; and all assurances to the
contrary on our part were rendered abortive by the fact
of our being so heavily manacled, shackled, and loaded
with chains. The conclusions from these symbols of guilt
were that if we were not spies we were something even
worse. What were our disgust and horror when we found
that we were thrust into a horrible dungeon with a wretch
that was condemned to perpetual imprisonment for having
murdered and mutilated both his father and mother ! I
shuddered every time I beheld this monster, and could not
bear his gaze upon me. I was told that the wretch had
CONFINED WITH A PARRICIDE 105
cut both of his parents into quarters, and had buried them
in a pit. Never shall I forget the joy we all felt when at
daybreak we were taken from this horrible society. I
expressed my astonishment that crimes so heinous should
not receive the punishment of death ; and then it was,
and not till then, that the solution was made clear to me
the unhappy man, upon his trial, had been declared a
lunatic. I reflected that, as a lunatic, he ought not to be
subject to so cruel a confinement. From all I had seen of
French gaols, I entertained a very low idea of the prison
discipline, economy, and management of France ; but the
horrors of that night can never be effaced from my mind.
It was about five o'clock, on the 30th of September, that
we were halted at the town of Hirson. The town is with-
out a gaol, but it possessed a little damp, subterranean cell,
or dungeon, just capable of containing the four of us.
We were thrust into this cachot, or dungeon, and, a little
straw being contemptuously thrown upon us, the heavy
door was closed, and we were left to the choice of medita-
tion or slumber. We preferred the latter, but vexation
made us irritable ; when luckily a brigadier of the gen-
darmerie who, with two gendarmes, constituted the
police of the village showed his face at the little hole in
the door of the dungeon, and informed us that the gaoler's
wife would procure us some sort of refreshment, provided
we would pay her, and pay her in advance. This we not
only agreed to immediately, but we found our hearts
bounding at the intelligence, and we most humbly and
gratefully thanked this brigadier for his excessive goodness
and condescension. We were soon informed that there
was a kind of repast prepared for us, and that we should
have permission to go out into the gaoler's house during
106 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
the few minutes necessary to refresh ourselves. This in-
telligence threw us into great confusion, as we had been
unaccustomed to such an indulgence, and, in consequence,
had neglected to conceal in some secret hole a number of
small articles, such as files and gimlets, which we fortu-
nately had hitherto kept in our possession. The moment
they were about to open our door, one preferred keeping
what tools he had about him, another slipped his in
amongst the straw, and in this perplexed state the dungeon
was opened and we were ordered out. At this instant I
flung from me, over a high garden wall, two small files
which I had concealed in my hand when the dungeon door
was opened. I protest I thought the things left in the
straw were best secured, as the place was excessively dark.
We were now seated at table with some soup and bouilli,
in great consternation, surrounded by the gendarmes
and gaoler. In a few minutes the latter procured a candle
and lanthorn, and informed the brigadier he was ready to
attend him. He accordingly rose, and they proceeded to
the miserable abode we had just quitted. An opinion of
our feelings at that moment can only be formed by those
unfortunate people who have experienced similar sufferings
and anxiety. I can only say that our relish for the soup
was not very great ; we were well assured that everything
left in the straw would inevitably be discovered, which
most certainly would lead to a general search of our
persons. The brigadier's generosity was now sufficiently
accounted for : he and his companion returned ; and, as
we expected, they had found every single tool, together
with the stock of a double-barrelled pistol of which I
had given charge to Essel, keeping the barrels in my own
possession, and another of the same description, with its
THE PISTOL-BARRELS 107
barrels also. They made very diligent search for the
barrels of EsseFs pistol -stock, but without effect. We
assured them that we threw the barrels away prior to our
quitting Verdun ; and that we had taken the stock and
lock to use occasionally instead of a tinder-box, which we
had no possibility of providing. They began to search
us now separately : a few things were found upon my
comrades ; but, fortunately for me, they did not discover
upon my person my pistol, which was more complete than
that which they had found, nor the barrels belonging to
Essel's pistol -stock, nor, in fact, anything whatever.
Poor Ash worth was less fortunate, for out of the seams of
his greatcoat they took two files. They next cut open
every covered button, thinking one or all of them might
contain some coin ; but in this, I have no doubt, they were
most mortified and chagrined to be mistaken. The
brigadier could hardly convince himself that my walking-
stick, which I purchased after leaving Boulogne, did not
conceal a sword or dagger. He kept twisting it about and
tugging at it, all in vain, and yet so suspicious was he
that he chose to keep it for the night. We were recon-
ducted to our den in a state of feeling which can scarcely
be conceived. In a few minutes we endeavoured to take
what repose we could.
Awaking about midnight, I began to deliberate upon
the consequence of having so dangerous a "tinder-box"
about me, with all its necessary materials, i.e. ammunition ;
and, having found what I thought was a convenient place
a hole in the dungeon wall I deposited the barrels of
EsseFs pistol therein, keeping about me still my own
complete. The night went off without further disturb-
ance.
108 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
At daylight we were again put en route chained,
handcuffed, and closely, even maliciously, watched. The
day was very rainy, the roads very bad and heavy ; our
march was long and fatiguing ; and I cannot say that our
minds were in the best possible state to cheer us through
our sufferings.
It was on the 1st of October, about six in the evening,
that we arrived at Maubert Fontaine. Never were poor
prisoners in a more miserable plight. We were saturated
with rain, and covered with mud. We found that a new
dungeon had been built in this village, and into it we were
rudely thrust. What the old dungeon might have been,
I do not know, but our domicile proved to me that the
French could not have made much progress in the
art of constructing dungeons. It was a wretched place.
A boy, of about ten years old, had been confined in it for
six or seven days ; he belonged to the neighbouring town
of Lille, and was imprisoned for having strolled from home
without a passport. The poor little fellow informed us
that his food had been nothing but black bread and water ;
and he stated, not much to my satisfaction, that our
arrival had been expected for two or three days, and that
we were to be searched most strictly. This boy was of the
greatest service to me, and, with his assistance, I contrived
to conceal my double-barrelled pistol, or, as I termed it,
my tinder-box. I unscrewed the barrels, and, thrusting
them into the fingers of my gloves, I kept the glove on,
with the fingers bent towards the wrist, so that the pistol-
barrels were mistaken for my fingers straight out. The
boy helped me to conceal the stock, just as the guard
entered to search us. We had nothing else about us now,
except our money, which had hitherto been respected, and
THE LUXURY OF DOING GOOD 109
a small gold watch which I wore, and which they fortu-
nately did not discover. I purchased this watch at Verdun,
and wear it even to the present day. We were searched
with great strictness and severity ; and such were the
feelings against us that the guard deprived us of all our
money, and, upon our remonstrating, they replied that
they would pay out of it all our expenses to Verdun, and
account for the balance to General Wirion, at that depot.
The reader may easily imagine with what sort of good
faith the account was kept, and the amount that remained
to be paid to the General. However, this night the guard
provided for us, out of our money, what they called a
supper ; and they procured for us some straw and blankets,
which were our only beds. The poor French boy felt
himself perfectly happy in having, as he termed it, " some-
thing good " to eat. We gave the poor little fellow an
ample share of everything that was brought to us ; and
if he felt the luxury of the unexpected repast, we likewise
felt "the greater luxury of doing good." The guards
gaped and stared at the unusual scene ; and, after mutter-
ing their parbleus and sacres, they shrugged up their
shoulders and expressed their astonishment at our
generosity. I only wished that generosity was contagious,
and that our rapacious, stone-hearted temporary keepers
might imbibe our feelings.
The guard visited us every hour during the night ; not-
withstanding which, I contrived to find an opportunity of
getting rid of all the materials of my dangerous "tinder-
box," excepting the barrels.
At daybreak, 2nd October, we were handcuffed and
chained to a cart, the roads having become too heavy
to admit of our proceeding on foot ; and here I got rid of
110 ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN
the barrels, by wrapping a little straw round each and
dropping them through the cart in the mud.
In the evening we arrived at Mezieres gaol, and were
put into the yard, after being strictly searched ; nor could
we procure even a dungeon until we had agreed to pay a
most exorbitant price which the gaoler charged for some
refreshments that he had procured for us. He very
laconically observed, " I know the gendarmes have plenty
of money which they took from you. You may as well
let me have part, as let them have all. You will not stand
in need of any in a few days ; " thus intimating that we
were to be shot as spies, which was the general opinion
everywhere.
Our treatment was pretty nearly the same throughout
all the way to Verdun, where we arrived at the latter
end of October. I was then separated from my com-
panions, being considered as the chef du complot, and was
thrown into a miserable dungeon, in which was another
prisoner, supposed to have been a spy, and who expected
to be brought to trial in a few days, and with no great
confidence of being tried with a superfluous regard to
justice or mercy. The universal impression that we were
to be shot, with which our ears had been dinned at every
resting-place upon the road, seemed confirmed by the
companion with whom they placed me in this dungeon.
I was certain that if only one of the party was to suffer
death, that victim would be myself not only because it is
the custom in France to infer that the oldest of a party or
gang is the ringleader, or chef du complot, but my con-
science told me that I had really been the chief instigator
to all that we had done. I made my mind up to bear the
execution with a fortitude and dignity that should not
THOUGHTS UPON BEING SHOT 111
disgrace the naval service or national character of my
country ; I trusted in God that my death would satiate
French vengeance, and that my brave companions would
be allowed to escape ; and finally, in the perfect resigna-
tion which I felt to my approaching fate, I was consoled
by my conscience telling me that 1 had committed no
crime that merited so sanguinary and ignominious a
punishment. I laid my hand upon my heart, and felt that
I had done nothing to tarnish the honour of a naval officer