. Capturing a locomotive: a history of secret service in the late war . t luxury. Said the jailer to the captain, Where shall I putJiim ? Below, of course, replied the captain. The jailer advanced to the middle of the room, and,taking a large key from his pocket, knelt down andunlocked two rusty locks; then, with a great effi)rt,raised a ponderous trap-door just at my feet. The hotair and the stifling stench that rushed up from belowdrove me back a few steps; but the bayonets of theguards were just behind, and I was compelled to moveforward again. A long ladder was thrust down throughthe trap-
. Capturing a locomotive: a history of secret service in the late war . t luxury. Said the jailer to the captain, Where shall I putJiim ? Below, of course, replied the captain. The jailer advanced to the middle of the room, and,taking a large key from his pocket, knelt down andunlocked two rusty locks; then, with a great effi)rt,raised a ponderous trap-door just at my feet. The hotair and the stifling stench that rushed up from belowdrove me back a few steps; but the bayonets of theguards were just behind, and I was compelled to moveforward again. A long ladder was thrust down throughthe trap-door, and the warning given those below tostand from under. A mingled volley of cries, oaths,and remonstrances ascended, but the ladder was secured,and I was ordered to descend, ironed as I was. Thelong chain and the ropes had been taken off, but thehandcuffs remained. I did not like to go down thatladder into the gloom below, but there was no alterna-tive. The darkness hid every object from view, but Iclambered down step by step to a depth of fully tliir- ■K .^ --. A HORRIBLE PRISON. 173 teen feet,—for the place, as I afterwards learned whenI had more leisure for observation, was of cubic form,just thirteen feet in length, breadth, and height. Istepped off the ladder, treading on human beings Icould not discern, and crowded in as best I could. The heat was so great that the perspiration startedfrom every pore. The fetid air made me, for a time,deadly sick, and I wondered if it could be possible thatthey would leave human beings in this fearful place toperish. The thought of the Black Hole of Calcuttarose instantly before me. I did not think life could besustained in such a place for many hours. But I wasyet to learn the wonderful possibilities of human en-durance. My breath came thick and heavy, and I expectedsuffocation. The ladder was drawn up, and with a dulland heavy thud that seemed to strike my heart thetrap-door fell. It was like being closed alive in thegrave! I we
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Keywords: ., bookauthorpittenge, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookyear1885
