The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-15

had a great liking for General Ire
lawny. Knowing how he fumed and
ragged at being thus held helpless by the
apparently impregnable fortress in the
uHimportant town of ElsengoPe /
had myself studied the citadel from all
points. and had come to the conclusion
that it might be successfully attempted,
not by the great gates that opened on
the square of the town, nor BY the in
ferior west gates. but by scaling the
seemingly unclimable cliffs at the
north side. The wall at the top of this
precipice was low, and owing to the
height of the beeting cliff, was in
efficiently watched by one lone sentinel,
who paced the battlements from corner
tower to corner tower | had made my
plans, intending TO ask the generals
permission to risk this venture. but now
| resolved to try it without his knowl-
edge or consent, and thus retrieve, if
! could, my failure of the foregoing part
of the night Taking with me q long.
thin rope which | had in my room.
anticipating such trial for it. / reused
five of my picked men. and silently we
made our way to the foot of the north
ern cliff Here with the rope around
my waist | worked my way diagonaly
up along a cliff in the rock which,
like others parallel to it. marked the
face of the precipice. A slip would be
fatal. The loosening of a stone would
give warning to the sentinel whose
slow steps / heard on the wall above
me. but at last / reached narrow
ledge without accident. and standing up
III the darkness. my chin was level with
the top of the wall on which the sentry
paced. The shelf between the bottom
of the wall and the top of the cliff
was perhaps three feet in width, and
gave ample room for a man careful of
his footing Aided by the rope. the
others, less. expert climbers than my
self, made their way to my side one by
one, and the six OF us stood ON the
ledge under the low wall. We were all
in our stockinged feet, some of the
men, in fact not even having stockings
on. AS the sentinel passed we crouch
ing in the darkness under the wall. the
most stalwart Of our party sprang up
behind him. The soldier had taken off
his jacket, and tipping behind the
sentinel, he threw the garment over
his head, Tightening it with a twist
that nearly choked the man. Then
seizing his gun so that it would not
clatter on the stones, held him thus
helpless while we five climbed uD be-
side him. Feeling under the jacket /
put my right hand firmly on the senti-
nels throat, and, nearly choking the
breath out of him, said:
Your life depends on your actions
now. Will you utter sound if | let 60
your throat.
The man shook his head yehemently
aud released my clutch.
Now" / said to him, where is the
powder stored? Answer in whisper
and speak truly"
The bulk of the powder" he an
swered, lis in the vault below the eta
del"
Where is the rest Of it?" | whispered
''In the lower room of the round tow
er by the gate
Nonsense" / said. "thcy would new
er store it in place so liable to at
tack
There was nowhere else to put ii, =
replied the sentinel, unless they left it
in the open courtyard, which would be
quite az unsafe
rs the door TO the lower room in the
tower bolted"
There is no door" replied the sentry,
but low archway. This archway has
not been closed, because no cannon balls
ever come from the northern side.
How much powder is there in this
room?"
II do not know; nine or ten barrels.
think"
1t was evident to me that the fellow
in his fear spoke the truth Now the
question was. how TO get down from that
wall into the court yard. and across that
to the archway at the southern side.
Cautioning the sentinel again that if he
made the slightest attempt to escape.