Page 243 - The Lost Ways

It could be that there were separate couriers for both the letter and the mask. It was
imperative that the mask and the letter went in different ways so that if the letter was
intercepted, it would just be an innocent letter stating general facts or exaggerating good
news.

The Clements Library was able to preserve one of the mask letters that Henry Clinton sent
to John Burgoyne. It is likely that to make everything easier, Clinton must have written
the secret message before adding words and sentences to create a letter that makes
sense if read without a mask. The content of the letter was mainly to inform Burgoyne of
their military success without making anything obvious.

Once placed under the mask, his real message appeared, which revealed a completely
different content. The actual letters were preserved in the Clements Library.

(From the collections of the Clements Library)

Despite the big names and history attached to the mask letter, it’s still a secret writing
technique that anyone can make today. Here’s how:

Materials

❖ Blank paper
❖ Cardboard/paper (it’s okay if it has print)
❖ Pen
❖ Envelope (optional)

Procedure

❖ Cut out your chosen shape of the mask on the cardboard.

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