the ground, and the water from the eaves of the jail
poured through it into the dungeon, whenever it rained. The straw
given them to sleep on was frequently wet in this way, and the
confined air. dampness and filth, not to be avoided, made their suffer-
9:2 niSTOllY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
ini^s of the severest kind. "While they -were confined here, another
phxce was prepared for them, to -which they Avcre transferred after
the dungeon suffering of seventy-two days. This place was oppo-
site the guard room, and upon being removed to it, they were told,
' you damned rebels, you can't get out of this.' Here the father
and son were again put together in the same room. " The place was
not however so impregnable as was supposed, for in about six weeks
tlie prisoners made anexcavation under the wall, in the night, and
made their escape. There were six prisoners in the room at this
time. Upon escaping, the parties separated, Mr. Ferris and* his
son remaining together. They went up the river nearly opposite
Sorcl, vrhere, two days afterwards, they crossed the St. Lawrence
in a canoe, and took to the woods. Their design was to reach
New Hampshire, but having lost their Vi-ay in the woods they
struck jSIissisque Hiver, down which they went a few miles, and
Avcre again retaken hy a British guard, who were with a party
getting out timber, and by them were carried again prisoners to
St. Johns. They were taken twenty-one days after their escape,
and had been nineteen days in the woods, during all vfhich time
they had only a four pound loaf of wheat bread,