WAR. 137 



officer or soldier should be a quarter of his pay. 

 Hence to beg quarter, was to offer a quarter of their 

 pay for their safety, and to refuse quarter was not 

 to accept that composition as a ransom. 



Stratagems. 



Gibbon says : In the field the Sclavonian infantry 

 was dangerous from their speed, agility and hardi- 

 ness ; they swam, they dived, and remained under 

 water, drawing their breath through a hollow cane. 

 In this manner a lake or river was often the scene of 

 their unsuspected ambuscade.* 



* This extract furnishes a valuable hint for the improvement 

 of modern tactics ; and the manoeuvre might be advantageously 

 practised by the Life Guards, (dismounted,) in the Serpentine. 



