St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-27

convicts generally. conformed 10 all the
rules. was cheerful in manner, and had ex-
hibitcd no desire to escape.
''They are letting up on as two" No, 81
remarked to me one day, ''and after a while
we shall be trusted. Then, my boy, I'll
show yoI bow / can get away to America,
where there are no huIks aud no hanging
for killing wife"
There was girl Of about twelve years Of
age that was permitted to come into the dock
yard daily 10 sell cigars 10 the workmen. She
was an interesting child and a general IA
vorite, and often came near TO No. 81 aud
myself, sometimes giving US a little tobacco
or piece OF bread.
One day, as my yoke fellow aud myself
were sitting apart from the others on large
stone, she dropped her basket near US as IL
by accident, and the contents were scattered
on the ground. While on her knees picking
up her property she threw US two rolls Of
bread. Freedom - she whispered and
moved on.
Take one,' said No. 81 'sNo one will
suspect you" In obedience TO the direc-
ton. / slipped one Of them into the breast
OF my shirt.
We passed on board the hulk at sunset,
with the bread in our hands. No notice was
taken Of it by the examiners who are APP
pointed TO search the conyiets in case Of
suspicion. As soon as We could safely do so
we broke open the bread, and found inside
OF each roll OF bread small file and steel
saw. These We quickly concealed over a
beam.
/ then altered my shirt, so that in the
] lar f uf ha 4 fre
two instruments; and No 81 made a SINH
lar arrangement for the disposition OF his
tools.
A month after this incident vessel,
bringing guns for the navy TO Toulon. struck
rock OF point Of land sheltering the bay
and sunk. A large lighter, filed with div
ing pparatus-windiasses wiuehes, etc
was prepared 10 raise the guns. and two
convict launches were detailed TO tow the
lighter on. 20 the wreck and assist in raising
the guns. No. 81 and / were among those
detailed for this work, and We went TO our
task with our saws and files safely concealed
in the back Of our shirts. At daylight the
lighter started in tow Of the launches. These
Launches were large, heavy boats, having
twenty-six large oars each.
When we reached the place Of wreck the
lighter was moored over the main hatch Of
] AhC buuhcu NEeeNl anu secured leau ana
stern so that she would not swing with the
tide, and the two launches were hauled along
side Of her, one on each side. Each launch
had four guards with loaded muskets sta
toned in the stern sheets to guard against
rising Of the convicts, Of which, however,
there was little probability.
We worked all that day, and recovered
sixteen guns from the vessel. Ten more
only remained. In the afternoon the com
mandant Of the dock yard sent word for the
work TO proceed AL night, as there were IN
dications OF rough weather, in which case the
wreck would break up and make it difficult
TO recover the rest Of the guns.
Orders were given for our boats crew TO
work from O'Clock to midnight, the other
from midnight till 4 O'Clock, and so on until
the guns we're recovered.
At about O'Clock at night a cold, pierre
ing rain set in. The guards stood 1t, wrap
ped in their greatcoats, until O'Clock, and
then considering that there was no danger of
any one escaping, changed the launches 10
the lighter and went on board the latter 10
seek protection under a deck abaft the wind
lass.
No. 81 aud myself pulled the bow oars Of
our launch, and our bow was on a line with
with the bow of the lighter. When it ran
strong, ran from forward aft; when il ran
ebb, the tide was from aft forward, the light
er being moored head and stern. The der
ricks and windlass were amidships, and the
other boat lay spared of.
We worked all the first watch at the lifting
apparatus, and were relieved at midnight by
the other boats crew. The guard saw US
seated on our benches, or thwsrts, where we
were expected 10 sleep as well as we
could. AS the rain continued pouring in
torrents, the guard soon withdrew again 10
the shelter OF the lighter. The noise of the
rain was so great that mans voice could not
be heard at a few feet distance.
''Now is our time, - said TO No. 81, sand
We must be quick about it,"
We had each one shackle on our legs TO
file through, besides a small chain that held
the shackle up. We began 10 file at these
rapidly, and finished the work in an hour,
using great care. Each OF our oars had q
lanyard TO it, which let II 60 down even with
the water. We agreed TO take an oar apiece,
No. 81 to slip over the starboard, over the
larboard side.
The tide was now running half ebb and
about two miles an hour. We dropped
quietly into the water, cut our respective
oars loose, and drifted away with the tide.
The rain still fell in torrents, and fresh
breeze was blowing out of the harbor, but as
the line Of ebb tide passed close TO the point,
we calculated 10 reach il and not drift out TO
sea.
No. 81 and myself kept together until
after we lost sight Of the lighters lanterns :;
then we began TO strike out for the point,
which we we're fast approaching.
No. 81 said 10 me: THAT was nv daugh-
l Tor hot ha 1 toll harh oFa
left Paris to follow me.''
"God bless her!" said l. Farewell,
Pierre, until we meet again." and began
10 leave him.
was about 100 yards ahead OF him when
] saw light approaching from the direction
of the harbor, and soon the hull and spars Of
a vessel loomed close 10 me. Her bow struck
my oar, and had Just time to catch her
chain bobstay, and was drawn along at a
/ furious rate. l raised myself by main
strength on TO the bobstay, the foam Of the
vessels bow coming up TO my neck.
''Thank Godp' Texclaimed, Il am saved. 4"
l went to work TO file of my waist chain,
which did in the course Of an hour, and
then was free of all membranes.
1t was, as near as could judge, 3 o'clock
in the morning when / got rid Of my irons.
BY this time the vessel had run at least six
l Teen miles. i lntenueu 10 let ncr run until
was discovered, which would not probably
be until o'clock; ''then," argued, ''the
the ship will be at least sixty miles from
Toulon. and will not turn back for the sake
of delivering me up" / was so exhausted,
however, by cold and fatigue, that found
must get on board the vessel If possible; so 1
crawled in over the bow, and found the look
out fast asleep on his watch. There was a
dim light forward, where the crew slept, and.
looking down, saw three men sound asleep
in their berths.
Nothing disturbs a sailor in his watch be-