The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-09

| so that they considered themselves for
! t1Inate if they cleared away the eighth
! OF an inch in the course of a night. As
| fast as the bars We're extracted they
were replaced 10 avoid discovery SIX
months of incessant toll was occupied
| in the chimney.
| They proceeded to construct their lad
| ders. Their logs of fuel provided the
rounds for the rope ladder intended
| TO assist them III descending the outside
| of the tower, and also for a wooden
ladder to scale the outer wall. La Tude
| irnrrovised saw out of an iron candle
| stick by notching it with the remaining
| half of the steel that belonged to the
! finder box, from which they had pre-
| viousIy made a knife. They toiled long
on the wooden ladder, which was over
90 feet long, with one upright, through
which the rounds passed projecting on
| either side.
Their rope ladder was 40 feet long,
| and rope double that length was conse-
! quently required. Lest the reader should
puzzle as TO where they got their ma
teriaI it may explained that it was the
| custom in France to have an enormous
stock of bed linen, and washing only
took place about twice a year eve
.
! '.by unraveling shirts, towels, night
caps, stockings, drawers, pocket hand
kerchiefs-everything which could sup
ply thread or silk. When we had made
| a ball we stored it away, and when we
| had a sufficient quantity we employed
| a whole night in twisting it into a rope.
But another enormous coil of rope
was necessary. Along the upper part of
| the exterior of the Bastile ran cornice
projecting three or four feet beyond the
wall. As the rope ladder would thus
sway loosely in the air, there was
danger of the captive who went first
enjoying a last experience of the force
| of gravity, so a long rope was necessary
in order to steady him. Shorter ropes
were also provided as occasion might
require. In all, this pair of prisoners
actually constructed 1,400 feet of rope!
In the ladder FOG rounds of wood were
used, and lest their knocking on the
floor should alarm suspicious ears they
were covered with the Innings of vests
and under waist coats.
The danger of detection and the ruin
of all their plans was constant Not a
single scrap of debris or a shred of I'M
raveled cloth might be left lying about
to catch the watchful eye of the taller
of their toll was heightened by the an
xious precautions they We're always
bound to observe against surprise and
discovery. Most of their work was done
in the silent hours of the night. when
they We're generally safe from inter-
ruption.
Having been locked in on the night
OF February 20, 1855, this wonderful es-
cape from the most famous prison in
the world was carried out with COM
pete success. La Tude was the first
10 ascend the chimney. He had rheu-
fnallsm IN one arm, and before he reach
ed the open air at the summit his knees
ana elbows We're so. bruised that blood
moved freely from them. He lowered a.
rope 10 draw up the articles required.
ana DAIegre was able by it's means to
ascend with less difficulty than his in
donitable leader.
F1ndlng themselves on the platform
which ran round the top of the Bastfle.
they chose to descend by the Du Tresor
tower La Tude was the first to under
take the perilous task. One end of the
rope ladder was fastened to the cannon
and softly lowered Then the guide rome
was pa ssed through firmly fixed block
peIore being secured round the daring
adventures waist. After anxiously
scanning the walls and moat bridge he
administered a few words of caution TO
MS comrade and entered on his de-
scent of $50 feet.
AT every step La Tude swung so yio-
lently that he would have lost his hold
ana been dashed to pieces below but for
the assistance of the rope. AS it was
ne swayed against the gaunt masonry
OF the tower, but his progress was ex-
cement, and in few moments which
10 MN seemed hours, he found himself
safely in the ditch, and signaled tn his
companion, who then lowered their
portmanteau and effects. La Tude af-
terward held the ladder taut for DIAL
eyre to step down.
They were just congratulatine them
selves on the success of their enterprise
and preparing their wooden ladder to
cLnp the parapet when a sentinePs
step was heard. On he came will,
measured step, and they covered mo-
tlonless together debating in whisners
whether to risk hand-to-hand en-
counter. They held their breath as the
sentinel approached to within 2O-1-
~ yards. Then he wheeled round and
retraced his steps. But his proximity
was sufficient to cause them to aban-
oon their intention of scaling the
parapet and walls
La Tude's quick ingenuity furnished
Aresh plan. They crossed the prison
ihoat TO spot where the wall sepa-
rateolt from the city moat, and decided
10 cut their way through the solid ma
sonry- The water, ON which ice f1oated.
rose to their arm pits, and no sooner
iao tney transferred themselves than
lney caught the CLEAN of q 1nr,ro.,.