188 EEMINISCEXCES OF A SPORTSM.'^. 



three or four miles on our right, we saw, at the distance 

 of about a quarter of a mile, a large gallows, surrounded 

 by a high wall, and several objects on one flank which 

 we could not altogether distinguish. Our curiosity being 

 greatly excited, Lieut. Batson and myself determined to 

 gallop towards these objects. On our near approach to 

 the gallows the sight was really appalling. Four men 

 were hanging from it, who appeared to have not been 

 long executed. We were enabled, on horseback, just 

 to look inside the wall round the gallows, in which 

 were a number of skulls, skeletons, and human bones. 

 On one flank of it were three high poles, with iron 

 spikes, on which were fixed three human heads ; next to 

 these was a man crucified, and then came the most ghastly 

 sight I ever beheld — a man who had no doubt been 

 broken alive on the wheel ; and though it is above sixty 

 years since I saw this dreadful object, I can still bring to 

 mind his tortured and horrid features. We heard sub- 

 sequently that this wretch had suffered this cruel death 

 in consequence of having murdered his wife in a most 

 atrocious way.* 



On our return to join our regiment we unluckily met 



* One of our outlying piquets of infantry -was stationed at a short 

 distance from the gallows and the other disgusting olijects. It was a 

 cold night ; and the wind coming from that quarter, brought from it a 

 most disagreeable smell, which caused the officer and detacliment much 

 annoyance. After enduring this for some time, the serjeant inquired of 

 the officer whether he would allow the men to cut down the long poles, 

 the crucifix, and the rack ; adding that the wall was too high to get at 

 the foiu' fellows hanging on the gallows. He gare his consent, and the 

 men soon with their billhooks cut down all that was outside the wall 

 and threw the heads and bodies into the enclosure, and having now 

 plenty of wood, made a good fire. The municipality of Breda made a 

 complaint of this outrage to the Commander-in-chief, but I never heard 

 that any notice was taken of it. 



