circumstance, inasmuch as the latter served him for food. Too weak, however, to strike a light, he was compelled to devour them raw, and without dressing of any kind. Unable to proceed, he lay in this wretched condition fourteen days. Supposing that he should die there, he succeeded in hanging his hat upon a pole, with a few papers, in order that if discovered his fate might be known. He was lying upon a high bluff, in full view of the lake, and at no great distance therefrom. The hat thus elevated served as a signal, which saved his life. A vessel sailing past descried the hat, and sent a boat ashore to ascertain the cause. The boatmen discovered the body of a man, yet living, but senseless and speechless, and transferred him to the vessel. By the aid of medical attendance he was slowly restored to his reason, and having informed the captain who he was, had the rather uncomfortable satisfaction of learning that he was on board an enemy's ship, and at that moment lying at Crown Point. Here he remained sixteen days, in the course of which time he had the gratification to hear, from a party of Tories coming from the settlements, that his brother Jacob had arrived safe at Schenectady, and joined his family. He was also apprised of Jacob's sufferings, and of the bite of the serpent which took place near Otter Creek, close by the place where he had him self been so long sick. The brothers were therefore near together at the time of their greatest peril and endurance. Frederick's recovery was very slow. Before he was able to walk he was taken to St. John's, and thence, partly on a wheelbarrow and partly in a calash, carried back to his old quarters at Chamblee, experiencing much rough usage by the way. On arriving at the fortress, the guards saluted him by the title of 'Captain Lightfoot,' and there was great joy at his re-capture. It was now about the 1st of August. As soon as his health was sufficiently recovered to bear it, he was heavily ironed, and kept in close confinement at that place until October 1781 fourteen months, without once beholding the light of the sun. Between St. John's and Chamblee he had been met by a British officer with whom he was acquainted, and by whom he was informed that severe treatment would be his portion. Compassionating his situation, however, the officer slipped a guinea and a couple of dollars into his hands, and they moved manding the garrison at Cham-feated, and Sammons, as the blee, at the escape of his ringleader, was once more prisoner, that he would not placed in irons; but at the end allow the surgeon to remove of five weeks the irons were rethe irons, to dress the wounds moved, and he was allowed to of which they were the cause, return to his hut. until a peremptory order was procured for that purpose from General St. Leger, who was then at St. John's. The humanity of the surgeon prompted this application of his own accord. Even then, however, Steele would only allow the leg-bolts to be knocked off, still keeping on the handcuffs. The dressing of his legs was a severe operation. The iron had eaten to the bone, and the gangrened flesh was of course to be removed. One of the legs ultimately healed up, but the other was never afterwards entirely well. In the month of November 1781, the prisoners were transferred from Chamblee to an island in the St. Lawrence, called at that time Prison Island, situated in the rapids some distance above Montreal. Sammons was compelled to travel in his handcuffs, but the other prisoners were not thus encumbered. There were about two hundred prisoners on the island, all of whom were very closely guarded. In the spring of 1782, Sammons organized a conspiracy with nine of his fellow-prisoners, to make their escape by seizing a provision boat, and had well-nigh effected their object. Being discovered, however, their purpose was de Impatient of such protracted captivity, Frederick was still bent on escape, for which purpose he induced a fellowprisoner, by the name of M'Mullen, to join him in the daring exploit of seeking an opportunity to plunge into the river, and taking their chance of swimming to the shore. A favourable moment for attempting the bold adventure was afforded on the 17th of August. The prisoners having, to the number of fifty, been allowed to walk to the foot of the island, but around the whole of which a chain of sentinels was extended, Sammons and M'Mullen, without having conferred with any one else, watching an opportunity when the nearest sentinel turned his back upon them, quietly glided down beneath a shelving rock, and plunged into the stream, each holding up and waving a hand in token of farewell to their fellow-prisoners, as the surge swept them rapidly down the stream. The sentinel was distant about six rods when they threw themselves into the river, and did not discover their escape until they were beyond the reach of any molestation he could offer them. Three quarters of a mile below the island, the rapids were such as to heave the river into swells too large for boats to encounter. This was a frightful part of their voyage; both, however, were expert swimmers, and by diving as they approached each successive surge, both succeeded in making the perilous passage,the distance of this rapid being about 150 rods. As they plunged successively into these rapids, they had little expectation of meeting each other again in this world; but a protecting Providence ordered it otherwise, and they emerged from the frightful billows quite near together. I am glad to see you,' said Sammons to his friend; 'I feared we should not meet again.' 'We have had a merry ride of it,' replied the other; 'but we could not have stood it much longer.' The adventurous fellows attempted to land about two miles below the island, but the current was so violent as to baffle their purpose; and they were driven two miles farther, where they happily succeeded in reaching the land, at a place on the north side of the St. Lawrence, called by the Canadians 'The Devil's Point.' A cluster of houses stood near the river, into some of which it was necessary the fugitives should go to procure provisions. They had preserved each a knife and tinder-box in their waistcoat pockets, and one of the first objects, after arming themselves with substantial clubs, was to procure a supply of tinder. This was effected by boldly entering a house, and rummaging an old lady's work-basket. The good woman, frightened at the appearance of the visitors, ran out and alarmed the village, the inhabitants of which were French. In the meantime they searched the house for provisions, firearms, and ammunition, but found none of the latter, and only a single loaf of bread. They also plundered the house of a blanket, blanket-coat, and a few other articles of clothing. By this time the people began to collect in such numbers, that a precipitate retreat was deemed advisable. M'Mullen being seized by two Canadians, was only released from their grasp by the well-directed blows of Frederick's club. They both then commenced running for the woods, when Sammons, encumbered with his luggage, unluckily fell, and the loaf rolled away from him. The peasants now rushed upon them, and their only course was to give battle, which they prepared to do in earnest; whereupon, seeing their resolution, the pursuers retreated almost as rapidly as they had advanced. This demonstration gave the fugitives time to collect and arrange their plunder, and commence their travels anew. Taking to the woods, they found a resting-place, where they halted until nightfall. They then sallied forth once more in search of provisions, with which it was necessary to provide themselves before crossing to the south side of the river, where at that day there were no settlements. The cattle fled at their approach; but they at length came upon a calf in a farm-yard, which they captured; and appropriating to their own use and behoof a canoe moored in the river, they embarked with their prize, to cross over to the southern shore. But, alas! when in the middle of the stream their paddle broke, and they were in a measure left to the mercy of the flood, which was hurrying them onward, as they very well knew, towards the rapids or falls of the Cedars. There was an island above the rapids, from the brink of which a tree had fallen into the river. Fortunately the canoe was swept by the current into the branches of this tree-top, among which it became entangled. While struggling in this predicament the canoe was upset; being near shore, however, the navigators got to land without losing the calf. Striking a fire, they now dressed their veal, and on the following morning, by towing their canoe along shore round to the south edge of the island, succeeded in crossing to their own side of the river. They then plunged directly into the unbroken forest, extending from the St. Lawrence to the Sacondaga, and after a journey of twelve days of excessive hard ship, emerged from the woods within six miles of the point for which, without chart or compass, Sammons had laid his course. Their provisions lasted but a few days, and their only subsequent food consisted of roots and herbs. The whole journey was made almost in a state of nudity, both being destitute of pantaloons. Having worn out their hats upon their feet, the last three days they were compelled to travel barefooted. Long before their journey was ended, therefore, their feet were dreadfully lacerated and swollen. On arriving at Schenectady, the inhabitants were alarmed at their wild and savage appearance-half-naked, with lengthened beards and matted hair. The people at length gathered round them with strange curiosity; but when they made themselves known, a lady named Ellis rushed through the crowd to grasp the hand of Frederick, and was so much affected at his altered appearance that she fainted and fell. The welcome fugitives were forthwith supplied with whatever of food and raiment was necessary; and young Sammons learned that his father and family had removed back to Marbletown, in the county of Ulster, whence he had previously emigrated to Johnstown. CHAPTER VI. THE STORY OF LATUDE, AND HIS WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM THE BASTILE. LATUDE, who was in his twenty-fore, under pretence of intendfifth year when his misfortunes ing to communicate with him, began, was the son of the Mar- asked for his address. He quis de Latude, a military officer, wrote it, and unfortunately for and was born in Languedoc. him, he wrote it in the same He was intended for the engi- hand in which he had directed neer service, but the peace of the packet of pretended poison. Aix-la-Chapelle prevented him He was then graciously disfrom being enrolled. missed. The sameness of the writing, and the result of the experiments which she ordered to be made on the contents of the packet, convinced her that the whole was a fraud. It is scarcely possible not to smile at the blundering folly of the youthful impostor. Had he sent real poison, and disguised his handwriting, he would perhaps have succeeded. The notorious Marchioness de Pompadour was then in the zenith of her power, and was as much detested by the people as she was favoured by the sovereign. As Latude was one day sitting in the garden of the Tuileries, he heard two men vehemently inveighing against her. A thought struck him, that, by turning this circumstance to account, he might obtain her patronage. His plan was a clumsy one, and it was clumsily executed. He began by putting into the post-office a packet of harmless powder, directed to the marchioness. He then waited on her, related the conversation which he had overheard, said that he had seen them put a packet into the post office, and expressed his fears that it contained some extremely subtle poison. She offered him a purse of gold, but he refused it, and declared that he was only desirous of being rewarded by her protection. Suspicious of his purpose, she wished to see his handwriting, and there But this proved to be no laughing matter for the luckless Latude. The marchioness looked upon the trick as an unpardonable insult, and she was not slow in revenging it. In the course of a few days, while he was indulging in golden dreams, he was painfully awakened from them by the appearance of the officers of justice. They carried him to the Bastile, and there he was stripped, deprived of his money, jewels, and papers, clothed in wretched rags, and shut up in the Tower du Cour. On the following day, the 2nd of May, 1749, he was interrogated by M. Berryer, the lieutenant of police. Unlike |
