not observe how necessary it is to obey the orders of a superior. – We are brothers of the volunteer corps of this town, chosen on purpose to re-conduct you into France, lest you might have been ill treated by soldiers of the line! The commandant’s secretary now joined the party, and he expressed his satisfaction at his brothers being appointed to escort me. I pointed out to him the cruelty of putting so enormous a chain upon any human creature; – he replied, ‘you have escaped. Sir, even from the gend’armerie of France; and those are volunteers only, so that the commandant thinks it very necessary – we have no small chains; there is a carriage ordered to transport you, consequently the inconvenience will not be so great! A little more palaver followed; and my right arm and left leg were chained together, with the large padlock, &c. as before observed. I was then carried to the jail door, where there was an immense concourse of people to behold me thus decorated.
“We halted at midnight in a walled town, the name of which I have never found out; and they informed me I might go to bed for two hours. I never closed an eye. The night at length elapsed; I was placed in another vehicle, and soon discovered they were taking a more northerly direction towards Strasbourg. We had three relays before four in the afternoon, when we arrived at Tatlingen, a small open town in Wirtemberg. At midnight, we shifted waggon at Rotheweil. At four p.m., next day, we passed through Gegenbach, in the circle of Suabia; and about midnight arrived at Offenburgh, a fortified town in Baden. Here we went to bed, my guards having first placed theirs on each side of mine.
“In the morning, we quitted Offenburgh for Strasbourg; breakfasted at Khel, crossed the bridge about one o’clock, and were very strictly searched by custom-house officers, lest we might have any smuggled goods. Those fellows, as well as the sentries, were very much enraged on my telling them, they had not been so particular a few mornings bark, when I passed the bridge, without their deigning to speak to me. How mad the rascals were ! In half an hour I was delivered up to the French gend’armerie, and found myself securely lodged in the military jail. The lieutenant of that corps came to interrogate me, appeared very much astonished at my sufferings, wondered greatly at my being able to cross the bridge without interruption, and informed me, that at daylight the following morning, I should be conducted towards Bitche, in company with eleven Corsican soldiers, who had lately deserted from their regiment, and would be shot. He was very sorry that I should have such companions, but could not remedy it.
“December 19th. I was chained and handcuffed to the eleventh Corsican, and another chain was then passed through the whole of the party, which completely linked us together. The brigade that escorted us were the most cruel scoundrels I ever beheld. They placed the chain around my neck, under my handkerchief, and on my observing to them, that it must certainly be their design to strangle me by putting the chain on so tight,