duty in closely guarding us. Justice to these officers required me to say thus much; and I here repeat that not a living Mexican in the castle knew anything of it until after our escape. I also stated to Santa Anna that, "not having been trusted upon my parole, which neither the love of life nor fear of death could have induced me to forfeit, and the climate of Perote not suiting my health, I should, for the present, retire to one in Texas more congenial to my feelings."6

At half past five I took leave of my friends, and a sad parting it was. Most who remained believed it was a voluntary sacrifice of ourselves, and few believed it possible for us to escape. I never shall forget that hour. As we grasped each other's hands, most believed for the last time, the big tear filled the eyes of those brave men, and they wished me success with an utterance which showed their hearts were overflowing. Said they, "God grant that you may reach home in safety, for then we know we will be fearlessly and truly represented." Colonel Fisher said, "As you have determined upon the hazard, though the chances are greatly against you, God grant that you may reach home in safety. I know you will do us justice, and will be of infinitely more service to us there than here."7 We left our prison room and passed into the centre one, [314] from which three of its inmates passed into ours. Two from the same room also changed places with Toowig and Ogden.

At 6 o'clock we heard the turnkey, with his ugly load of securities clanking their dull music to the blast of many bugles in the great plaza. It was a moment of intense excitement, as a discovery of one man out of his place would blow up the whole plot.

The evening was dark, and there was a cold rain, which was the most fortunate circumstance, as the officer would not require us to form in front of our prison doors. The men were ordered to form in our respective rooms, the back ends of which were measurably darkened. At the remote end of the lines from the doors, those who had changed places had taken their stations, with slouched hats, and their blankets well muffled about their faces. In such positions, and on so dark an evening, it would have required a close inspection to have told each one from his face. Still it was deemed prudent that Captain Ogden and myself should lie upon the floor, with our blankets drawn close around us, and when the count commenced, to have one of our men standing by to say, "Here are two fellows muy malo" (very sick). In the event that the officer should inspect us still closer, we were to muffle our faces, and grunt as if we had the stomach ache; for frijoles were very excellent to give one pains in those parts, and such pains were not uncommon among us.[315]

We selected places upon the floor near each other, and continued to crack our jokes even in this excitement. I thought, in the event of our discovery, our situation would not be so ludicrous as that of Prince Talleyrand, when, at sea, he assumed the apron, greasy face, and flesh-fork of the cook, as an English