SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 161 



an escape ; but were entirely ignorant what town tliis could be : which made 

 us determined to inquire at the first house we should approach, and in a few 

 minutes an opportunity offered. We discovered several huts on the road side. 

 Mr. A. and myself advanced, leaving the others concealed, and knocking at 

 the door of one of the huts, a man (as "we supposed in bed) asked what we 

 wanted ? We answered, we were poor distressed travellers, quite hungry and 

 faint — would be glad to know what distance we were from the next town. 

 He told us not above a mile from Moncornet. We asked, if he would have 

 the goodness to sell or give us a little bread ? as we had travelled a long way, 

 and were quite weary. He, and a woman, replied, they would, if we would 

 call in the morning : they were determined not to open the door, so we 

 marched off, and joined our companions, having made the discovery we wished. 

 We then proceeded, anxiously wishing for day-light, that we might discover 

 on the map whereabout Moncornet was. 



Sunday, September 6lh, 1807. At a little before day-light, having crossed 

 the Serre, we halted in a wood not more than three leagues from this town — • 

 it was very thin ; we shifted and changed many times, before we could find 

 any part calculated to shelter us. At last pitched upon a spot, which we made 

 tolerably comfortable, by breaking branches, and placing them all round us. 

 We were very much disappointed on inspecting our map, to find that we 

 were not near so far advanced as we had supposed, notwithstanding we con- 

 sidered ourselves to have been very fortunate. The weather was hazy with 

 drizzling rain, which made us uncomfortable — we managed to sleep a little* 

 At about two in the afternoon we were alarmed by a fowler and his pointer ; 

 the latter approached us very near, and as soon as he perceived us began to 

 bark and yell. The master came also close to us ; and kept whistling and 

 calling to his dog, who at this time was a great distance from him, having 

 retired precipitately on discovering us. The man kept on in a direct line, 

 in pursuit of the pointer : we perceived his legs and feet distinctly, as he 

 passed, but, from our position, were certain he did not see us. This person 

 gone, we exclaimed, we are fortunate fellows, we certainly shall get clear 

 off. The joy felt at this haii'-breadth escape, can only be conceived by people 

 who have been in a similar situation. At the usual hour we quitted this place, 

 and had the happiness to find some apple trees, just ouside the wood, were 

 stocked with very excellent fruit. I need not observe, that we filled our 

 pockets and knapsacks with them. What little biscuit wo had now remaining, 

 was literally crumbled to dust; which made this supply more welcome. It 

 was excessively dark all this night, and we received a vast number of falls. 

 Lieutenant Essel was now getting very much fatigued, and could not keep up. 

 We apprehended, from the great alteration in his appearance, the two or 

 three last days, that he would be obliged to halt on the way : howevei*, we 

 resolved to continue with him as long as it appeared prudent. We crossed 

 the Oise this night, in two different places. This river is very serpentine, and 

 is divided into several branches. Our comrade, Essel, • getting worse, we 

 halted early in a very commodious wood. 



Monday, September 7th, 1807. We surveyed our stock of provisions, and 

 found it truly miserable ; not having a pound of biscuit, or dust, and not so 

 much sausage. What to do in this critical situation, we were very much at 

 a loss to know. It was evident that we could not exist long without pro- 

 visions ; consequently our plan of keeping away from houses, &c. coidd not be 

 adhered to much longer : it remained, therefore, to be considered, which was 

 the best method of acting. After a long discussion, we concluded that Messrs. 



Su— ell and A , being the most meagre looking amongst us, and of course 



the most like Frenchmen, should endeavour to procure some bread, &c. at the 

 first retired lonely habitation we should see early in the night ; fearing, if we 



VOL. VI.— 1835. W 



