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NARRATIVE OF A 



habitual stillness of the house where I staid was disturbed 

 at an early hour by the clattering of hoofs, and rattling of 

 arms, as soldiers and horses, and muleteers and mules, 

 came crowding into the court-yard. At length I took 

 leave of the gentleman who had so kindly entertained me, 

 and mounting my mule, we sallied forth amidst a crowd 

 of ragged boys who stared and wondered at us as we 

 passed. 



I will not undertake to say that the soldiers of the 

 escort were as brilliant in appearance as those of the 

 National Guard of Paris, but neither were they so dilapi- 

 dated and torn as the men with whom FalstarT refused to 

 march through Coventry. They were not encumbered 

 with havresacks, or baggage of any kind ; their firelocks, 

 accoutrements, and chamarras, being all they had to 

 carry. The dress, both of horse and foot, was of coarse 

 serge, with red cuffs and collars, and straw hats. Some 

 of them had neither shoes nor stockings ; others wore only 

 caycos, or sandals. The cavalry, to say the truth, were 

 miserably mounted, but with their long lances decorated 

 with bannerets of blue and white, they had a picturesque, 

 if not a very military appearance. The order of march 

 was the following : the comandante, or officer of the 

 escort, with the infantry, formed the head of the party ; 

 then came Mr. S. and myself, with our servants, then the 

 muleteers with the baggage, and, finally, the cavalry, who 

 brought up the rear. 



