Randall went and talked with him first, and after him I went
up to take my leave, but my feelings were such at the time I had not
power to utter a single word to my departing friend, who seemed as
undaunted and seemingly as willing to die as I was to be released, and
told me not to forget the promises we had formerly made to each other,
which was to embrace the first opportunity to escape.
"We parted, and he was immediately after shot dead. We were next taken
and tied, and the adjutant brought a small whip made of cotton, which
consisted of a number of strands and knotted at the ends; but these
knots were all cut off by the adjutant before the drummer took it,
which made it not worse than to have been whipped with cotton yarn.
"After being whipped 800 lashes we were sent to the Company's
hospital, where we had been about three weeks when Randall told me he
intended very soon to make his escape:--This somewhat surprised me, as
I had lost all hopes of regaining my liberty, and supposed he had. I
told him I had hoped he would never mention it again; but however, if
that was his design, I would accompany him. He advised me, if I was
fearful, to tarry behind; but finding he was determined on going, I
resolved to run the risque once more; and as we were then in a
hospital we were not suspected of such a design.
"Having provided ourselves with fire-works, and knives, about the
first of December, 1780, we sat out, with the intent to reach the
Dutch settlement of Croy, which is about two or three hundred miles
distance upon a direct line, but as we were obliged to travel along
the coast (fearing to risque the nearest way), it was a journey of 800
miles.
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