THE FRANCO -GERMAN WAR. 6/ 



waggons at the head of Rue St. Marcel, full of rusty, dirt- 

 begrimed French rifles. I suppose they were what Bazaine's 

 warriors had thrown into the Seille, and had been fished up 

 and just come in. 



8th. A horse came to our depot which had had its mane 

 and tail eaten ofT by another horse during the siege ; but 

 this does not give an idea of what they were reduced to. 

 One of the most shocking sights I ever saw, was one poor 

 skeleton brought up into the "Place" which had been found 

 in a cellar. It was simply sickening ; but it excited no pity 

 in the lookers-on, for what time have men who are engaged 

 in butchering one another to think of the sufferings of dumb 

 animals ? The poor wretch had been shut up many days 

 without food and forgotten by its inhuman master. The 

 trees inside the fortifications of Metz were in many places 

 completely barked by the famished horses ; while outside 

 whole groves of them were felled whenever they could inter- 

 fere with a cannon's range. Round the Redte. du Pate 

 the desolation was something extraordinary. Fortunately 

 the face of the country, far and wide, was wrapped in a 

 mantle of snow. This in a great measure concealed what 

 had happened, hiding up for the time being the dreary 

 spectacle. 



9th. Saw six of the captured mitrailleuses and their 

 carriages. The guns are brass, with centrepieces of steel 

 pierced for twenty-five bullets. They were not as efi'ective 

 as was expected. I believe the principal fault found with 

 them was that they drop their shot. 



Hitherto I have said nothing about ornithology, but I 

 had been wishing to see the Metz specimen of the Great 

 Auk, and was very glad when I found time to get to the 

 Museum. It proved to be not in good condition, and but 

 indifferently stufied, standing on its toes, with loose leg 

 wires and long neck (which appeared to have been cut 

 open) ; its attenuated frame was suffering much from mould 



