The National tribune., 1897-08-19

and had been on the alert so long that they
most narrow escapes.
We were no more than safely across the
road when n new and unseen obstacle, in
the shape of high fence, presented itself,
over which we must climb before we could
breathe free. We crawled carefully TO the
fence, and by great patience and much care,
one at 4 time, managed to get over without
attracting the attention of the guards. We
felt as if we had accomplished quite an
achievement when at last we had escaped
beyond the fence q few steps and found
ourselves in an epen field, where we could
push away noiselessly; and when, at last,
we got ahead entirely out -of hearing, we
struck out on q full run.
At the far side of the field we came to a
small stream, in which we travelled some
distance IN tie water to take precaution
against pursuit by dogs Soon after we
struck a thick piece of woods on the slope
of a hillside, which we continued to ascend
under the thick foliage Tor sometime. But
at last exhausted Nature asserted her full
sway, and we were compelled 10 lie down
and rest out Of sheer inability to 90 farther
Up to this time, think, neither of us had
spoken. 10 more than if we had been dumb
As We threw ourselves on the ground, with
out breath or strength to &c further for the
| time being, we began to realize the weak,
helpless condition we were in. We had
| been so long shut mp, without exercise and
half starved, that to our surprise we found
we hsd bat little strength. 1t did not ap-
pear as if our limbs were strong enough TO
! carry us five miles day.
When we looked forward to the long
journey ahead of Us, the hunger ard fatigue,
1T looked a little discouTagiBg. / think,
however, portion of this sense of physical
prostration was caused by the sudden relaxa-
iion from the grea: mental strain and ex-
| citement which had been upon us from the
/ time OF the jail-break aud Immediately pre-
/ cedlng ii. This, with the intense exertion
of running in our enfeebled condition had
well nigh completely upnerved US. We
were wild, too, almost, with joy at our
escape j could scarcely restrain myself
! from shouting at the top Of my voice
! Glory TO God on High. Free again
| Liberty! Liberty, Praise God, from whom
| all blessings iiowi"
We felt alternately paroxysms Of anger and
contrition, and / should have felt sense of
! great relief and Joy if | could have sung
! some good old !amili.r hymn OF other days
ance.
Dear reader, If you have never been in
: prison as we had beer, you can never feel
/ the wild, aImo-t childish Joy that we mis-
erable beings felt when we came to fully
realize that we were once more free from our
/ Calling fetters: free from the prison gloom
! free from the clutches OF our inhuman cap
! tors, and that There WAS once more a pros
! pect that We might again see our old flag,
Jar Oh comrades, a.d the dear friends al
! home.
But we ha9 but little time 20 rest, rejoice
or feel thankful in. We had to address our
selves 10 q more serious task. Many con-
! tlugencies yet stood between us and the goal
1 Of our hopes. Many armed enemies; many
loIg weary miles OF travel many rivers lay
/ across our path, and many days of hunger
and many sleepless nights, If We would sue
ceed
Before we escaped from the prison, and
after we h:d determined on an escape i
/ studied ,yer the subject of routes very care
/ fully. / hal seen enough Of night travel in
! :he mountains about Chattanooga and along
the Tennessee River, :-nd well knew that the
probabilities of our being picket up shonld
we 90 ia that direction would be very much
greater. i therefore decided in my own
nlnd That, 10 cSse ! had ;he good fortune to
get away, l would strike out FOR the Gulf,
and try TO reach some OF the vessels Of the
FEDERAL blockading squadron. While this
would be much the longest route, the dis
taDce, as aeai as | could calculate, being
oser 800 miles, ihouglt there would be
less vigilance and liability Of pursuit in that
direction.
In this conjecture it turned oct that
was correct. The country was entirely un-
known to me, except slight general idea
bad OF It from the school Biographies.
only knew that the waters OF the Chattahoo.
che River, which flowed by west Of Atlanta
entered the Gulf
While Ne rested on the hillside, com.
municated in a whisper 10 Mark Ely views
aud he readily agreed that he would go ir
:.ny direction thought best. Accordingly
We rose up and walked TO an open place
where we could see the stars, and soen de
teralined our course, which was to be slightly
south Of west, and At once We set out as fast
as we could travel. We spoke no words u.
we walked on, and went as noiselessly a!