The father of the Landgrave died; and Magdeburg now lost its governor. The worthy Reichmann, however, testified for me all compassion and esteem; I had books, and my time was employed. Imprisonment and chains to me were become habitual, and freedom in hope approached.
About this time I wrote the poems, “The Macedonian Hero,” “The Dream Realised,” and some fables. The best of my poems are now lost to me. The mind’s sensibility when the body is imprisoned is strongly roused, nor can all the aids of the library equal this advantage. Perhaps I may recover some in Berlin; if so, the world may learn what my thoughts then were. When I was at liberty, I had none but such as I remembered, and these I committed to writing. On my first visit to the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel I received a volume of them written in my own blood; but there were eight of these which I shall never regain.
The death of Elizabeth, the deposing of Peter III., and the accession of Catherine II. produced peace. On the receipt of this intelligence I tried to provide for all contingencies. The worthy Captain K--- had opened me a correspondence with Vienna: I was assured of support; but was assured the administrators and those who possessed my estates would throw every impediment in the way of freedom. I tried to persuade another officer to aid my escape, but in vain.
I therefore opened my old hole, and my friends assisted me to disembarrass myself of sand. My money melted away, but they provided me with tools, gunpowder, and a good sword. I had remained so long quiet that my flooring was not examined.
My intent was to wait the peace; and should I continue in chains, then would I have my subterranean passage to the rampart ready for escape. For my further security, an old lieutenant had purchased a house in the suburbs, where I might lie concealed. Gummern, in Saxony, is two miles from Magdeburg; here a friend, with two good horses, was to wait a year, to ride on the glacis of Klosterbergen on the first and fifteenth of each month, and at a given signal to hasten to my assistance.
My passage had to be ready in case of emergency; I removed the upper planking, broke up the two beds, cut the boards into chips, and burnt them in my stove. By this I obtained so much additional room as to proceed half way with my mine. Linen again was brought me, sand-bags made, and thus I successfully proceeded to all but the last operation. Everything was so well concealed that I had nothing to fear from inspection, especially as the new come garrison could not know what was the original length of the planks.
I must here relate a dreadful accident, which I cannot remember without shuddering, and the terror of which has often haunted my very dreams.
While mining under the rampart, as I was carrying out the sand-bag, I struck my foot against a stone which fell down and closed up the passage.
What was my horror to find myself buried alive! After a short reflection, I began to work the sand away from the side, that I might turn round. There were some feet of empty space, into which I threw the sand as I worked it away; but the small quantity of air soon made it so foul that I a thousand times wished myself dead, and made several attempts to strangle myself. Thirst almost deprived me of my senses, but as often as I put my mouth to the sand I inhaled fresh air. My sufferings were incredible, and I imagine I passed eight hours in this situation. My spirits fainted; again I recovered and began to labour, but the earth was as high as my chin, and I had no more space where I might throw the sand. I made a more desperate effort, drew my body into a ball, and turned round; I now faced the stone; there being an opening at the top, I respired fresher air. I rooted away the sand under the stone, and let it sink so that I might creep over; at length I once more arrived in my dungeon!
The morning was advanced; I sat down so exhausted that I supposed it was impossible I had strength to conceal my hole. After half an hour’s rest, my fortitude returned: again I went to work, and scarcely had I ended before my visitors approached.