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'We came to a grated window, which opened on my raising the latch, and we entered a large hall; we felt round the walls, and met with a table surrounded by arm-chairs. I at length found a window, opened the sash of it, and looked by starlight down a fearful depth; here was no descent by rope practicable. I returned to the place where we had left our things, and sat down in an arm-chair, where I was seized with such an invincible desire to sleep, that if I had been told it was death I should have welcomed it; the feeling was indescribable. At the third hour the noise of the monk awoke me; he said my sleeping at such a time and place was incomprehensible; but nature had overcome me. I, however, gained a little strength by my rest.

where I was, and as in letting ourselves down we might get into a labyrinth of small courts, I seized an instrument with which the parchments are pierced to affix the seals. This tool I bid Balbi stick into the chink in the door, which I made with my bolt, and worked it about on all sides, not caring for the noise, till I had made a tolerable hole; but the projecting splinters threatened to tear our skin and clothes, and it was five feet from the floor to the opening; for I had chosen the place where the planks were thinnest. I drew a chair to it, and the monk got on it; he stuck his arms and head through the opening, and I pushed the rest of him through into the chamber, the darkness of which did not alarm me. I knew where we were, and threw my bundle 'I said as I arose that this through to him, but left the was no prison, and that there rope behind. I had no one to must therefore be an exit some- aid me, on which account I where. I searched till I found placed a chair on the top of the large iron door, and opposite two others, and got through the to it was a smaller one with a aperture as far as my loins; keyhole; I put my stiletto in- when I desired Balbi to pull to it, and exclaimed, "Heaven me through with all his force, grant it may not be a cup-regardless of the pain the laceboard!" After some efforts ration of flesh gave me. We the lock yielded, and we entered hastened down two flights of a small room, in which was a steps, and arrived at the pastable with a key upon it; I sage leading to the royal stairs tried it; it opened, and I found as they are called; but these, myself in cupboards filled with wide as a town gate, were, as papers, it being the archive- well as those beyond, shut with chamber. We ascended some four wide doors; to force these steps, and passing through a would have required a petard. glass door, entered the chancery of the Doge. I now knew

'I sat down by Balbi, calm and collected, and told him

and looking through a chink, saw only one man, with some

that my work was done, and that heaven and fortune would achieve the rest for us. "To-keys in his hand. I commanded

day," I continued, "is All Saints' Day, and to-morrow All Souls', and it is not likely anybody should come here; if any one should come to open the doors, I will rescue myself, and do you follow me; if none come, I will remain here and die of hunger, for I can do no more." Balbi's rage and desperation knew no bounds; but I kept my temper, and began to dress myself completely. If Balbi looked like a peasant, his dress at least was not in shreds and bloody like mine. I drew off my stockings, and found on each foot large wounds, for which I was indebted to the gutter and lead plates; I tore my handkerchief, and fastened the bandages with thread which I had about me. I put on my silk dress, which was ill-assorted with the weather, arranged my hair, and put on a shirt with lace ruffles, and silk stockings, and tossed my old clothes into a chair. I now had the appearance of a rake. I threw my handsome cloak on the monk's shoulders, and the fellow looked as if he had stolen it. I now approached a window, and, as I learned some two years afterwards in Paris, some loiterer below, who saw me, informed the keeper of the palace of it, who, fearing that he had locked some one in by mistake, came to release us. I heard the noise of steps coming up the stairs,

Balbi to observe the strictest silence, and hiding my stiletto under my clothes, placed myself close to the door, so that I needed only one step to reach the stairs. The door was opened, and the old man was so astonished at my appearance, that I was able silently and quickly to pass by him, the monk following me. Assuming then a sedate pace, I took the direction to the great staircase; Balbi wanted to go to the church to the right, for the sake of the sanctuary, forgetting that in Venice there was no sanctuary against state crimes and capital offences; but at last he followed me.

'I did not expect security in Venice. I knew I could not be safe till I had passed the frontiers; I stood now before the royal door of the ducal palace; but without looking at any one, which was the best way to avoid being looked at, I crossed the Piazzetta, and reaching the canal, entered the first gondola I found there. I cast a look behind us, and saw no gondola in pursuit of us. rejoiced in the fine day, which was as glorious as could be wished, shining with the first rays of an incomparable sunshine. Reflecting on the dangers of the past, on the place where I had spent the preceding day, and on all the fortunatelyconcurring events which had so

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favoured me, gratitude filled But although out of prison,

my soul, and I raised in silence my thanks for the mercy of God. Overcome by the variety of emotions, I burst into tears, which relieved my heart from the oppression of a joy that seemed ready to burst it.'

Such is the record of one of the most remarkable escapes from prison ever attempted.

Casanova was not free from
danger, and many days, spent
in weary wanderings and hair-
breadth escapes from re-cap-
ture, elapsed ere he successfully
gained the Venetian frontier,
and with a joyful heart crossed
the border line and found him-
self in safety.

CHAPTER V.

NARRATIVE OF THE ADVENTURES OF TWO BROTHERS DURING
THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.

SOON after the outbreak of the |
American War of Independ-
ence, Sir John Johnson made a
sudden incursion into the Mo-
hawk valley-where he once
held large possessions-with a
force composed of Europeans
and Indians. He penetrated
the country by the way of Lake
Champlain to Crown Point, and
thence through the woods to the
Sacondaga river. He divided
his force into two detachments,
himself leading one to the vil-
lage of Johnstown. The other
detachment was sent through a
more eastern settlement, to strike
the Mohawk river at, or below,
Tripe's Hill. From thence it was
directed to sweep up the river,
through the ancient Dutch vil-
lage of Caughnawaga, to the
Cayadutta Creek, and there
unite with Sir John. The old
Dutch village was surprised
in the night, and many of its
inhabitants taken prisoners,

among others a family of Dutch
descent, of great wealth and re-
spectability, named Sammons,
—an old man, and his two sons
Jacob and Frederick.

The old Dutchman, however,
was soon after released, but his
two sons, with about forty other
captives, were sent to the for-
tress of Chamblee. On the
day after their arrival, Jacob
Sammons, having taken an ac-
curate survey of the garrison
and facilities of escape, con-
ceived the project of inducing
his fellow-prisoners to rise upon
the guard and obtain their free-
dom. The garrison was weak
in number, and the sentinels
less vigilant than is usual among
good soldiers. The prison doors
were open once a day, when
the prisoners were visited by
the proper officer, with four or
five soldiers. Jacob had ob-
served where the arms of the
guards were stacked in the yard,

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and his plan was, that some of the prisoners should arrest, and disarm the visiting guard at the opening of the door, while the residue were to rush forth, seize the arms, and fight their way out. The proposition was acceded to by his brother Frederick, and another man named Van Shuyck, but was considered too daring by the great body of the prisoners to be undertaken. It was therefore abandoned, and the brothers sought afterwards only a chance of escaping by themselves. Within three days the desired opportunity occurred, viz. on the 13th of June.

The prisoners were supplied with an allowance of spruce beer, for which two of their number were detached daily to bring the cask from a brewhouse, under a guard of five men with fixed bayonets. Having reason to suppose that the arms of the guards, though charged, were not primed, the brothers so contrived matters as to be taken together to the brewery on the day mentioned, with an understanding that, at a given point, they were to dart from the guard, and run for their lives, believing that in the confusion of the moment, and the delay consequent upon priming their muskets by the guards, they would be able to escape beyond the ordinary range of musket-shot. The project was boldly executed. At the concerted moment the brothers sprang from their conductors, and darted across the plain

with great fleetness. The alarm was given, and the whole garrison was soon after them in. hot pursuit. Unfortunately for Jacob, he fell into a ditch and sprained his ankle. Perceiving the accident, Frederick turned to his assistance; but the other generously admonished him to secure his own flight if possible, and leave him to the chances of war. Recovering from his fall, and regardless of the accident, Jacob sprang forward again with as much expedition as possible; but finding that his lameness impeded his progress, he plunged into a thick clump of shrubs and trees, and was fortunate enough to hide himself between two logs before the pursuers came up. Twenty or thirty shots had previously been fired upon them, but without effect. Probably, in consequence of the smoke of their fire, the guards had not observed Jacob when he threw himself into the thicket, and supposing that like his brother he had passed round it, they followed on until they were fairly distanced by Frederick, of whom they lost sight and trace. They returned in about half an hour, halting by the bushes in which the other fugitive was sheltered, and so near that he could distinctly hear their conversation. The officer in command was Captain Steele. On calling his men together, some were swearing, and others laughing, at the race and the speed of the 'long-legged Dutch

men,' as they called the flying prisoners. The pursuit being abandoned, the guards returned to the fort.

The brothers had agreed, in case of separation, to meet at a certain spot at ten o'clock that night. Of course Jacob lay ensconced in the bushes until night had dropped her sable curtain, and until he supposed the hour had arrived, when he sallied forth, according to the antecedent understanding. But time did not move so rapidly on that evening as he supposed. He waited at the spot agreed on, and called aloud for Frederick, until he despaired of meeting him, and prudence forbade his remaining any longer. It subsequently appeared that he was too early on the ground, and that Frederick had made good his appoint

ment.

Following the bank of the Sorel, Jacob passed Fort St. John, soon after day-break on the morning of the 14th. His purpose was to swim the river at that place, and pursue his course homeward through the wilderness, on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain; but just as he was preparing to enter the water, he descried a boat approaching from below, filled with officers and soldiers of the enemy. They were already within twenty rods. Concealing himself again in the woods, he resumed his journey after their departure, but had not proceeded more than two or

three miles, before he came upon a party of several hundred men engaged in getting out timber for the public works at the fort.

To avoid these he was obliged to describe a wide circuit, in the course of which, at about twelve o'clock, he came to a small clearing. Within the enclosure was a house, and in the field a man and a boy were hoeing potatoes. They were at that moment called to dinner, and supposing them to be French, who he had heard were rather friendly to the American cause than otherwise, incited also by hunger and fatigue, he made bold to present himself, trusting that he might be invited to partake of their hospitality. But instead of a friend he found an enemy. On making known his character he was roughly received. 'It is by such villains as you are,' replied the forester,' that I was obliged to fly from Lake Champlain. The rebels, he added, had robbed him of all he possessed, and he would now deliver his self-invited guest to the guard, which he said was not more than a quarter of a mile distant. Sammons promptly replied that that was more than he should do. The refugee then said he would go for the guard himself, to which Sammons rejoined that he might act as he pleased, but that all the men in Canada should not again make him a prisoner.

The man thereupon returned with his son to the potato-field

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