f^isit to Antwerp at the Capitulation q/*1833. 237 



unpretending being, who had taken up his long rest on the same spot, had 

 shared in its fate. 



The little village of St. Laurent, at hand, had suffered dreadfully. Those 

 who live in a country like England value but little the blessings of peace, 

 for they are happily ignorant of tlie miseries of war. The peasants were 

 returning to seek the remains of their habitation, no easy task, where all 

 alike had been involved in the terrible devastation. We do not in the 

 sliglitest degree exaggerate, when we say that we took note of one house 

 entirely razed, not one brick of the walls remained standing upon another; 

 a shell had even shattered the vault of the cellar, and blown it up with all 

 its contents from the foundation. 



Be it related, for the honour of the priesthood, that the Cur6 of St. 

 Laurent refused to desert his post, and actually remained on the spot 

 during the whole siege, with such of his. flock as were unable to move. 



Leaving St. Laurent, we proceeded towards Berchem, to see the graves. 

 We found them in the large open square, guarded by a sentinel ; they were 

 ranged in military order, four deep ; and at the head of what might be called 

 the column, was a plain black crucifix, and upon it, " Seigneur, donnez 

 leur le repos eternel. Amen." The individual epitaphs were few, and 

 much in the style of the following : 



" Les officiers du ISme du ligne a leur camerade Massy Lieutenant des Voltigeurs, 

 mort au champ d'honneur, le 16 xbre, 1832." 



There was no display of pomp or parade, but all was remarkably simple 

 and in excellent taste. 



We now returned to the city, purposing on the morrow to visit the 

 citadel. 



Finding letters of introduction of but little use, owing to the confusion 

 and bustle of the town, we determined to set forth without them, trusting 

 by our wits to gain admission into the citadel. 



The esplanade was guarded, but only by Belgians, so we coolly bribed the 

 sentinel with a vingtaine of cents, and in common with all who could pay 

 the same sum, found ourselves on the outside of the citadel gate. Here a 

 little negociation was necessary ; however, we pleaded and bribed so pa- 

 thetically, that on the one hand the officer, and on the other the sentinel, 

 found it impossible to resist, and a whole party accordingly entered the 

 citadel itself for about twenty-four pence sterling. 



The grand portal was wide open, the gates having been injured by the 

 shot : on cither side were smaller posterns, accessible by slighter draw- 

 bridges, opening from the main one. Such private entrances are common 

 to all citadels, being intended to avoid the danger attendant upon opening 

 the great gate. 



I'assing under a lofty archway, we came to a square, open above, aud 

 communicating by a second archway with the body of the place. This 



