until midnight, without any success. The sentinels were on the alert during the whole time, and without their great coats. It was then agreed to return to our apartments until the ensuing night, and to deposit all our apparatus in places that had been fixed on; but, upon second consideration, we imagined that the relief at midnight might not be so very active, and therefore continued in expectation until two in the morning, when we returned, having secured our door, &c. and went to bed. The souterrain was opened at the usual hour, and our friends came running up, imagining, from the inclemency of the night, that we must have succeeded; but were greatly disappointed at finding us all in our beds. I related the circumstances to them; and they, with ourselves, were not sanguine at our being able to pass in fair weather, if we could not in such a night an the last had been. I never saw soldiers more on the alert than the French sentinels.
“Doctor Barklimore had recently recovered from a severe fit of the ague, and was still very weak: I was much afraid, even if we did succeed in getting out of the fort, that he would not be able to perform the very long journey we were going to take. However, he was resolved to try.
“On the 14th, we dined early, that we might have the pleasure of our souterrain friends’ company at a farewell dinner, during their breathing time. We got a good large piece of beef, and had it roasted; we had also bread, vegetables, and beer. They stated the number of difficulties we should have to surmount in passing the guards: the danger that would attend it; and expressed the anxiety they were under for us. We, however, were determined not to relinquish our undertaking, and to be ready every night until an opportunity offered. We parted as we had done the night before. They did not suppose we should have any chance that night, us the weather was moderate and fair. At our usual hour we were locked up, and immediately re-commenced our preparations. We thought, perhaps, the sentinels might be more careless early in the evening, that is to say, before 8, which was the usual time to set the night watch and give the necessary orders.
“We were now all ready – Our door was opened, and we could see the sentinel, whom we had most to fear, walk up and down before our windows. His box was in front of the door, in the yard through which we had to go; but us our guards lived underneath our apartments, we thought, he would take any body’s moving about so early, for one of them; and it was unusual to challenge any one before 8 o’clock.
“At about 7, the fellow entered his box. I instantly descended the stairs that led into the yard – It was just dusk; and I was to take six minutes on the forlorn hope, as it might justly be termed, to fix our rope to a palisade and to descend the first rampart, before Mr. Hewson followed, who was next on the list. I passed the sentinel quite close, and could see him leaning over his musket. He never moved, though I met his eye, probably taking me for one of the guards; and I arrived providentially,