and made into two knapsacks, which were filled with fat bacon, a bag of ground coffee and pounded sugar, with several cakes of chocolate, and one hundred dollars in silver. I divided out my blankets, sheepskins, and clothing among my companions, putting on the most indifferent upon which my name was not seen. Our countrymen who worked in the carpenter's shop had made each a walking cane of the sapote wood, which is very heavy and strong. These canes, and a pocket knife each, were our only weapons of defence.

Several, who had previously determined to come, from prudential motives now declined it, as they considered, and very rightly, that getting through the walls of the prison was the least difficult part of the undertaking. To escape several hundred miles through an enemy's country, speaking an unknown tongue, was a difficulty which could not be too cautiously weighed. If retaken, all calculated to be shot; and we farther calculated the chances of success greatly against our reaching our country in safety.

Knowing President Santa Anna's personal hostility to myself, and believing that all he wanted was some reasonable pretext for having me shot, I believed it was worth my life to be recaptured, and the chances of escaping were ten to one against me. Some of my friends have considered this attempt rash, but these were the questions I had to [312] settle with my own conscience, and which I did, divested of all passion: Could I be of more service at home to my unfortunate countrymen prisoners? and was it more honourable to myself and my country to draw in such a lottery, and perish in the attempt, or longer live the life of an insulted slave? My conscientious duty pointed me to hazard, and I embraced it without fear.

Sixteen of our number finally determined to make the effort. Of the sixteen, Richard Barclay, R. Cornegay, John Forester, John Dalrymple, Thomas Hancock, Isaac Allen, John Young, Davis, Stone, Beck, and Elley, were inmates of the centre prison-room, through which the breach had been made. John Toowig and D.C. Ogden belonged to the right-hand room; Captain Reese, Daniel Drake Henrie (Dan), and myself, belonged to the room on the left. To transfer ourselves from the outside rooms to the one in the centre, and get some of the inmates of that room to supply our places and elude the vigilance of the officers at lock-up hour, was a ticklish business and required much address.

I left my papers in charge of my friend Ludovic Colquhoun, who, in expectation of a close search after it was discovered that we were gone, carefully buried them. Several weeks after he forwarded them through Colonel John Bradley, who was released by Santa Anna through the intercession of General A. Jackson.

I left a note upon my table for President Santa [313] Anna, which I desired Colonel Fisher to hand to the governor at counting time next day, in which I exculpated the officers of the castle from either knowledge of our going, or neglect of