Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/99

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time; and, although he received several severe wounds, they did not prove mortal.[1]

On the 21st of October, being the anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar, almost every window in the citadel was illuminated, and several transparencies were exhibited in honour of that glorious victory. The repeated and almost incessant cheering of the prisoners, continued for nearly two hours; many of the inhabitants of the town, obtained leave to visit the citadel, and appeared to join in the sport with all their characteristic frivolity. About this time, a club was formed in the midshipmen's quarters, which its convivial members designated by the title of "Union." I was invited to become a member, but, as the nature of its amusements did not accord with my habits, it was not until about the 25th of October, that I could be prevailed on to join it, and then only with a

  1. It will scarcely be credited, that the commandant gave the perpetrators of this courageous exploit, a pecuniary reward, with this observation:—"I give you this, for having killed one of them; had you killed both, the reward would have been doubled."