When he came to several moments later, he determined to make a run for it. He was a strong hobbite, and owing to his deep familiarity with the sea, he felt no hesitation to swim in it, even tied up – for his skill with ropes was already legendary, at least among his crewmates. He took a deep breath, leapt up with a bound, and plunged into the water; but just as he was doing a fair imitation of an aquatic Houdini, one of the guards reached in and grabbed him with an enormous claw, and the other guard knocked him out with an oar. When he came to a second time, he was even more thoroughly tied up than before, and the guards were pointing their blondrebousses at his heart.
"Make one movement," said the leader, "and your death will be unpleasantly swift."
For the rest of the journey, Gamgès was cramped and miserable, having nothing to do but stare at the sides of the boat and think of how poorly made this vessel was and how absolutely abominable his captors were at navigating. He resolved to keep his eye open for any opportunity, however remote, for an escape.
Unfortunately, none came until they hit land. None came afterwards, either, since Samouard was surrounded on all sides by his captors with their blondrebousses. They dragged him out of the boat, crossed the portcullis and penetrated the recesses of the dreadful prison through an iron gate that closed behind them ominously.
