' That was our first
talk on the subject, but we had many others afterwards; and as the one
or two Dutch soldiers who stood sentry spoke English, and we could talk
a little Dutch, we obtained a good deal of information from them; for
they had very often been sent to the frontiers of the colony. We
continued to ask questions, and to talk among ourselves for about two
months, and at last we resolved that we would make our escape. We
should have done much better if we had remained where we were; but
there is no putting old heads upon young shoulders. We saved up our
provisions, bought some long Dutch knives, tied our few clothes up in
bundles, and one dark night we contrived to remain in the yard without
being perceived, when the prisoners were locked up; and raising a long
pole, which lay in the yard, to the top of the wall, with a good deal
of scrambling we contrived to get over it, and made off as fast as we
could for the Table Mountain."
"What was your reason for going there, Ready?"
"Why, Hastings, who was the oldest, and, I will say, the sharpest of
the three, said that we had better stay up there for a few days, till
we had made up our minds what to do, and try if we could not procure a
musket or two, and ammunition; for, you see, we had money, as, when the
Indiaman was first taken, the captain divided a keg of rupees, which
was on board, among the officers and men, in proportion to the wages
due to them, thinking it was better for the crew to have the money than
to leave it for the Frenchmen; and we had spent very little while in
prison.
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