160 SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 



Fauxbourg, where we met a peasant on horseback. Mr. A- — asked him the 

 name of the small town or village we had just passed ; he replied, Neuville. 

 We thanked him, and continued on our route We travelled a considerable 

 distance this night ; having fruit to abate our thirst, which was in general 

 very great ; we often experienced a scarcity of water. 



(September 4, 180r). At about three, finding a convenient wood, we halted, 

 and refreshed ourselves with a small quantity of biscuit, &c. which, by the 

 bye, notwithstanding the greates economy, was getting very low; provided 

 some heath, small branches, grass, &c. to lie upon, the dew being very heavy 

 on the ground, and then went to rest. I found myself happy beyond expression, 

 in consequence of my knee getting better daily. At the usual hour quitted 

 our covert; our fruit out, not a drop of water in our possession. We moved 

 forward, perishing with drought, but in momentary expectation of finding 

 some brook or rivulet to relieve our anguish. We travelled nearly seven 

 hours in this horrible situation without being able to discover any water, 

 except in one place, a large ditch, in which llax was deposited. I had much 

 pain to prevent myself from drinking some of this stinking water, my thirst 

 was so intolerable; but my companions assuring me the consequence would 

 be immediate death, I proceeded without attempting to taste it. I have been 

 in all climates, almost in ail parts of the universe — have suttered excessive 

 thirst at difterent periods of my life— have drunk vinegar, salt water, and 

 even sucked the tarry sails on board a ship to endeavour to assuage that 

 calamity ; but I solemnly declare, that I never felt any thing equal to what I 

 Butiered during this night from thirst. 



Finding no chance of getting water feasible, at least in our direct course, 

 we unanimously agreed to approach the first village we should discover, for 

 the purpose of procuring a supply from some of the inhabitants' wells. An 

 opportunity soon occurred, and we directed our steps with the greatest eager- 

 ness to this nmch desired spot ; but previously to our arrival at the village^ 

 we descried a small orchard. My fritnd Tuthill, always on the alert, and 

 naturally active and expert, scaled the orchard wall in a very short time, 

 notwithstanding the constant barking of a dog in the orchard, and returned 

 with a supply of apples; they were very small, and of the wilding kind, but 

 they answered our purpose, and alleviated our distressed state. We passed 

 through one extremity of the village, got a suppl/ of what we stotxi so much 

 in need of, and proceeded, keeping more to the westward than we had lately 

 done, in consequence of the discovery respecting Charleville, &c. We now 

 got on apace, having plenty of water. 



(September 5. 180r). Nothing particular occurred. At daylight, having 

 found a convenient wood, we concealed ourselves as usual, during the day— at 

 night, we again resumed our peregrination; and, at about 11, we arrived on 

 an immense broad road : imagining it led to Casttlet la Capelle, agreed to 

 keep it some time, as it was nearly in our direction, and the night was beau- 

 tiful and serene. About midnight, we were all of a sudden in a street : the 

 buildings large, and it had the appearance of a place of some respectability. 

 This discovery astonished us the more, as the place had neither rampart no»' 

 fortification of any description ; and hitherto we had been of opinion, that 

 there was no town of this magnitude in France, without being well fortified. 

 We perceived lights in several of the houses ; we, however, had very little 

 time to consider — heard men's voices in ditterent directions, dogs barking, &c. 

 &c. At that moment we happily observed an opening, which we instantly 

 made towards, and found it a bye lane, which we followed, and which 

 conducted us clear out of the town ; but we had several canals, mills, &c. to 

 pass in tl'.e suburbs, before we got into a direct track. However, we at 

 last sue; ec'dei, and had the felicity of congratulating each other on so fortunate 



