256 Preface to the American Edition. 



tional delight in a canoe when she glides in safety, 

 and an imprudent indifference when she upsets. 



The verses at the beginning of this book were 

 written during the late war, in anticipation of an 

 attack from the Germans, which took place shortly 

 afterwards ; and I witnessed the combat for many 

 hours on the banks of the river, between Garibaldi,, 

 who defended Autun, and a strong body of Bavari- 

 ans who attacked it, — not exactly the moment for 

 descending the river in a paper canoe ! Another 

 chapter was added that day to the long history of 

 that ancient city by the Arroux ; and as I watched 

 the flight of the shells in the clear December air, 

 and saw, beneath the moon, the fiery tongues dart- 

 ing from the mouths of the enemy's guns, I thought 

 of many a former siege in times when war was less 

 noisy and less bloody, but more cruelly protracted. 

 How little I imagined, when writing the chapter 

 about Augustodunum in this book, that I should 

 see an army in battle-array drawn up against it, — 

 a dark, thick line of Germans, with cannon glitter- 

 ing at intervals ! Yet once again the Roman wall 

 rang in echoes to the war-trumpet, and once again 

 the river was stained with blood ! 



