MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
DECEMBER 1, 1 1, 1807. 
No. 164. ]. 
(5 of Vou. QA. 
** As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and Of giving to their Opinions a Maximum of 
“ Influence and Celebrity, the moft extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay with ‘the greateft Effeck che 
** Curiofity of thofe who read either for Amutement or Inf@ruction,” 
JOHNSON, 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE following information has heen 
communicated by a person of the 
greatest respectability, lately arrived 
from the Continent, Perhaps it may be 
acceptable to some of your readers. 
VERUS. 
-© Tt was.on the 18th of October, of 
hast year, when I had the first opportu- 
nity of seeing any French troops. .'The 
eorps of Pres Bernadotte was then on- 
its march to Halle; and passed the night 
(bivagua) in the vicinity.of the town “of 
. Lhad often “sae ae read the 
French word bvaguer, or bivouaguer, 
-without attaching any other idea to it, 
than that of a number of tents, watele: 
sires, and groups of soldiers waiting for, 
the enemy; but now Iwas enabled to 
undeceive myself. There were at least 
thirty thousand men, occupying a Ger- 
mar square mile, who dined and took up 
their quarters in the open air... No pre- 
parations whatever had been made for 
them, nor had they any baggage. hey 
made no requisitions during day-light, 
and we should have ‘remained ignorant 
of their being so near us, had not Prince 
Bernadotte and his staff entered the 
town for the night. But when it grew 
dusk, we were alarmed with the general 
tumult of soldiers, rushing in on all-sides, 
and taking away any provisions, cattle, 
wine, brandy, beer, &c. which they could 
find. WNext they seized all the firewood, 
and every piece of furniture that might 
serve in its stead ; likewise all beds, hol- 
sters, &c. to sleep upon, and whatever 
-was required for their horses. All this 
“they carried off either themselves, or 
forced the poor inhabitants to carry it 
after them, into the fields. . What they 
did not actually use was destroyed. It 
will be readily imagined that such violent 
proceedings could not take place withont 
much ill-treatment; many ‘persons lost 
their lives either from immediate ilusage, 
or in consequence of the fright; those of 
the latter description were the most nu- 
merous, Nor was thatall. They begs 
Montury Mac., No. 164. - 
countries 
wcery 5 
— which vale 
afterwards to search for money and va- 
luables. It is weil known that the French 
soldiers have a’standing permission im an 
enemy’s country, to take any provisions 
or any money they can get at: hence 
they have not the least idea that in plun- 
dering they commit an act of injustice. 
They rather consider it as part of their 
duty, and proceed in the most systematic 
manner. Each has his respective task 
allotted to him. Some carry provisions, 
others fuel, and bedding; and others 
again look for hidden treasure, or plate, 
and jewels. In this latter art they are so 
expert, that the common people in the 
destroyed by these locusts, 
consider their skill in finding out what 
was carefully hidden, as the effect of sor- 
and the better-informed classes 
suspect collusion andtreachery. But the 
French themselves are anxious to excul- 
pate persons thus wrongfully suspected, 
by alleging their own superior dexterity 
in plundering, which, from Jong, experi- 
ence and practice, they have reduced to 
a sy stem. 
““ Usually a competent anther of them 
unite, for’ the purpose of searching a 
house for hidden treasure. First of alt 
they break open, from behind, ail chests 
‘and halt-chests‘of drawers, piang-fortes, 
‘trunks, &c. which not only saves time, 
‘but immediately Jays open any secret 
drawers, that otherwise might have es- 
caped discovery. After which they re= 
pair to the cellars, where they rummage 
‘all heaps of -potatoes, apples, &e. and 
stores of any. kind. If they be unsuc- 
cessful, they carefully look about whether 
there is any new wall in the cellar, behind 
ables might have been con- 
cealed. If any part -of the ground appear 
uneven, it is dee up i immediately ; but 
when that even is not the case, they a® 
certain by the following experiment whee 
ther the ground or fyoring of the cellar 
has recently been ‘dug up: Thev cast 
-water upon ‘different places, and observe 
‘whether it be absorbed in one place 
wherever that 
hey break up the ground. It 
may 
quicker than in another 
happens, t 
SE 
. 
