1^6 THE LIFE OF 



then ill the pay of Britain. This was a danger- 

 ous bufinefs, but the pleafure of outwitting the 

 wife heads of the place was irrefiftible; nor in- 

 deed did any confidcrations of danger ever pre- 

 vent a plan I had fonp-ed. 



In the evening, a non-commifTioned officer 

 .arrived, with an, apology for not attending 

 earlier to my meffagc, which was owing to the 

 abfcnce of the Commandant of the place. He 

 jiext enquired for the centinel, who was not to 

 be found, and as I could give no account of 

 him, it was immediately concluded that he had 

 defertcd through my pcrfuafions and affiftance; 

 but as the fecret lay between him and me, it was 

 in vain to make enquiries. 



I left Manheim and paffcd through IFbrms^ 

 where I faw my defer ter who had already put on 

 the Britifli uniform; but my chief reafon for 

 going that way was to folicit the protection of 

 that highly diftinguiflied General Field Marfhal 

 MollendorfF, who was in that neighbourhood, 

 [uftxhen fome affairs of pofts took place, not 

 far from where I was; curiofity induced me to 

 become a near fpcdlator, in confequence of 

 which I received a wound with a bayonet in my 

 brcaft, vv^hich detained me fome time at the 

 houfe of a friend near Bingen. 



When I was fo far recovered as to be able 



again to travel, I proceeded to Cologne^ and 



thence to Aix-Ia-ClmpcUe. 



At 



