We were taken together, and, please God, we'll take ourselves off together; but that must not be for this month; our greatest help will be the dark nights and foul weather." The prison was by all accounts very different from Verdun and some others.

We had no parole, and but little communication with the townspeople.

Some were permitted to come in and supply us with various articles; but their baskets were searched to see that they contained nothing that might lead to an escape on the part of the prisoners.
Without the precautions that O'Brien had taken, any attempt would have been useless.

Still, O'Brien, as soon as he left his room, did obtain several little articles--especially balls of twine--for one of the amusements of the prisoners was flying kites.

This, however, was put a stop to, in consequence of one of the strings, whether purposely or not, I cannot say, catching the lock of the musket carried by one of the sentries who looked down upon us, and twitching it out of his hand; after which an order was given by the commandant for no kites to be permitted.