“There was a part of the court which surrounded the barracks, about the size of that which lay between the building and the river. This was on the north side of the prison, and was comparatively cool, from the shade afforded by the building; when, on the other side, the heat from the southern sun, and the reflection from the walls, was almost intolerable. But there was no palisade, on the side of the road to prevent the escape of the prisoners. There was a sufficient number of these for the purpose, among the stores belonging to the fortification; and I offered, out of the funds sent me by the committee at Verdun, having previously consulted them, to defray an expence so essential to the health and comfort of the men, which was estimated at fifteen pounds. “This proposal the director immediately forwarded to the Bureau de la guerre, and received an immediate permission to grant us this accommodation; which he lost no time in completing. But when I came to pay the expence, I was agreeably surprised to find, that he had represented to the minister the inconsistency that there would be in allowing this expence to be borne by individuals; and he would not hear of my paying a farthing. I then applied to him for a large grenier, which was the only place sufficiently capacious for the purpose of divine worship. This again required some expense, and was attended with some difficulties. The colonel, however, made none. He gave immediate orders to the person who supplied bread for the barracks, to whom he had given this place as a storehouse, to empty it of the stores which he had laid up in it, and give up the key. And now the only fault that we had to find, was the reverse of that which we had before complained of. The place would have held several thousand persons; and being very low and unceiled, the heat in the summer was excessive, and the winter’s cold was not less severe. The men, however, did not complain; they were seeking the glory that shall be revealed, to which the light afflictions of the present, which are but for a moment, are not to be compared. “We were now enabled to meet together in as large numbers as would; and as many as were so inclined, had full power of seeking, in the ordinances of God, and the hearing of the word, the grace which bringeth salvation. And they were not backward in availing themselves of the means which were thus offered to them. I was very anxious that they should not come there under any feeling of constraint, or for filthy lucre’s sake; that they should understand that it would be no advantage to them, as to the loaves and fishes. Yet the congregation increased; and there were few instances of those that had begun to run well, looking back, or returning into the way of carelessness and sin.