SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 161 



myself with a suitable quantity of turnips, of wiiich I discovered an abun- 

 dance in the neighbourhood of this city, consequently was not very sparing 

 of my vegetable diet. After a little time I recommenced my search, and in 

 a little boat at a short distance, I observed two men pulling down a narrow 

 creek. 1 was quite elated at this discovery, as I made sure they were fisher- 

 men, and 1 therefore advanced towards them without any hesitation what- 

 ever ; I then called to them ; on discovering me, they instantly made towards 

 the bank on which I was standing. I need not say how happy I Jelt at this 

 moment, expecting in a few minutes to be on the German side ; but, my 

 God ! what was my astonishment, when as those men approached, 1 dis- 

 coveied ihey were armed with muskets and sabres! It was too late to 

 attempt a retreat, and as 1 had called them, I imagined it would in a great 

 measure do away with suspicion on their part. 1 therefore waited the result 

 of this rencontre. 



November, 1807. One immediately jumped out of the boat, and advanced 

 towards me ; 1 appeared quite pleased, and although I plainly saw be was 

 going to interrogate me, I very deliberately asked him, if he could give me t 

 passage across in his boat? He could not answer me, as he did not under- 

 stand a word of French, but the man in the boat heard me, and replied, 

 *' we cannot, but we are much at your service ;" 1 perceived he was a real 

 Frenchman, he jumped out also. 



" 1 suppose, Sir," added he, "that you have a passport, and proper papers 

 to entitle you to quit this country." 1 made answer, certainly, but who 

 authorized you to demand so impertinent a question ? "1 am authorized by 

 the mayor of Strasbourgh, and unless y«'U can produce them, 1 shall be under 

 the necessity of conducting you into his presence as a prisoner." I told him 

 1 was very willing to go with him, though it would be certainly a little incon- 

 venient ; 1 am a bnrgeoise of that city, and am under no apprehensions 

 about what his worship may do ; I have friends on the opposite side, whom 

 I promised to visit this evening, it will be too late if 1 take the round by the 

 bridge, and this was my motive for wishing to get across where 1 now am. 



This man appeared to be a very acute sort of fellow: '* 1 suspect," said he, 

 ** that you are a deserter from the ariuy, and 1 mu^t conduct you to Stras- 

 bourgh." I shewed him my dress, the quality of the cloth that 1 wore, 

 though a little the worse for the late usage, it was superfine ; and asked hina 

 when he had seen a Freucii soldier wear any thing to be compared to it? 

 Aye, aye, cried he, "French soldiers know how to disguise themselves in a 

 superior style, and you will have the goodness to come along with us." 1 

 remonstrat<;d on the hardship of being thus prevented from going to see my 

 friends. He stamped and said, " come along." The German, more cool and 

 phlegmatic, appeared to mutter something to the other. I embraced this 

 opportunity of altering my tone and plan altogether, and 1 addressed the 

 Frenchman nearly in the same words 1 had done to my late Russian guide 

 in the morning, and with respect to my opinion of his honesty, goodness of 

 heart, &c., but dittered widely with respect to my native place. 



1 was now one from Wcrtemberg, not far from the banks of the river, had 

 been educated at Paris, where I had relations. At the age of eighteen had 

 been removed to Hanover, when a friend of mine obtained me an ensigncy 

 in the king of England's service. When the French took that place 1 had 

 escaped into Prussia, where 1 got a lieutenancy, and had been made prisoner 

 at the late battle of Jena. 1 had recently received an account of the death 

 of my parents, who had left me a tolerably good property, and I felt anxious 

 to revisit my native country, from which 1 had been so long absent. Being 

 close confined at Chalons, our tlepot, 1 had made my escape, and had now 

 no obstacle to surmount, but what he could easily remedy (meaning the 



VOL. VII. — 1836. w 



