Sept 24 1836 to Oct 24 1836 - PTR, Vol. 9

li11gct·s. In a week or two we ha<l a small allowance of l.>1·cn<l. Jh11·i11~ my eapitivy, I embraced evc1·y opportunity to 111akc 111ysclf acceptable to the woun<led Captain- Iist.cning, with seeming interest, to whatever he had t.o say of his owu and my future happiness in the Mcx- i<:an com1t1·y, and manifesting impatience at the un- avoidable delay caused by the obstinacy of his wounds. ln the 111Ntntime all my thoughts were c111ploy1•il in con1 riving means of escape. As 1 conl<l not so well go alone, I proposed to such of my fellow prisoncri;, as 1 t.ho11ght worthy of confidence, co11s11lting one at a 1i111c, to 111akc a trial at elopement. Several weeks <'lapsed before I could find one, whose prudence jus- t:iffotl a 11·ial. 'rhcy all believed it illlpract.icahle 111111 I.hat a failure would be al.tended with immediate death. s\ t l1mgth it German by the name of Vose, whose impa- 1icncc nndcr repeated insults hncl subjected him to 111a11y mortifying punishmcnt.s, came to an understand- ing wit.It 111c. 'l'hc time, mnmwr and pince of meeting havi11g bcC'n agreed upon, we by various pretexts, ob- 1:ainc<l pe1·111ission to sl1•cp out.side of the walls. When it was <lal'!c I took a path leading to the river, where we eommo11ly went for water, appearing to go for that p111·pos11, and having <i<'s<:en<lr<l to the brink, I shaped my course up the river 1111<lC'r a st.<•ep hank mul projcct.- ing rocks; all() dimhin~ prrcipi1·ex, which, 1111dc1· other 1·ircu111st1111c<•s woul<l lrnv<' hr.<•11 i11snrmount11l>le, I at

221

Powered by