to ascertain what the men were about. As far as I could
judge, in a short time they quitted the vault, and I was left alone. I
listened and listened. No sound could I hear. A sufficient amount of
air came through the chinks in the chest, and enabled me to breathe
without difficulty. I had no notion of staying where I was without some
endeavour to extricate myself. I knew that after a time I should grow
weak from want of food. I was in total darkness, and the chest, for so
I supposed it, was large enough to enable me to move about. It struck
me, as I was feeling round the sides, that it was perhaps a bunk, such
as is fitted on board ship for the men to sleep in. If my captors had
not taken away my jacket I should have had my knife, and I might then, I
thought, have cut my way out; but they left me without any means of
effecting my purpose. The only way of freeing myself was to knock out
by main strength either the top or one side of the bunk or chest. I
feared that if I at once commenced doing this the noise I should have to
make would attract the attention of my jailers. I therefore lay still
for some time, listening attentively. Not a sound of any description
reached my ears. I thought that it must now be day, though no light
penetrated into the vault. If it had I should have seen it, I thought,
through the chinks of the chest. It was very roughly put together, and
this circumstance gave me better hope of being able to force it open.
At length I determined to commence operations, and placing myself on my
back, with one hand to defend my head, and one foot against the end, I
struck out with the other on the part above me. A cracking sound
encouraged me to go on. Each time I struck out the planks appeared to
move slightly. I used so much force that every nerve in my body was
jarred, and I was afraid of laming myself. Notwithstanding that, I
persevered, stopping every now and then to listen, lest my captors
should return; but as no one came I was satisfied that they had gone
away, and now redoubled my efforts. Several loud cracks were the
result; and at length, to my intense satisfaction, the planks above me
fell off, shattered by my foot.

I was thankful for my success. At all events I should not have to die
shut up in a chest. But I was very far from being free. Getting up on
my feet I thrust my head through the hole I had made, and tore back the
broken pieces of plank. Had I possessed a light I