long since in the grave; for did he
exist, the earth should not hide him from my sword.

I shall now continue my journal: deceived in the aid I expected, I was
obliged to change my plan, and go to my mother, who lived in Prussia,
nine miles beyond Konigsberg.

Feb. 28.--We continued, tired, anxious, and distressed, at Lettel.

March 1.--We went three miles to Pleese, and on the 2nd, a mile and a
half farther to Meseritz.

March 3.--Through Wersebaum to Birnbaum, three miles.

March 4.--Through Zircke, Wruneck, Obestchow, to Stubnitz, seven miles,
in one day, three of which we had the good fortune to ride.

March 5.--Three miles to Rogosen, where we arrived without so much as a
heller to pay our lodgings. The Jew innkeeper drove us out of his house;
we were obliged to wander all night, and at break of day found we had
strayed two miles out of the road.

We entered a peasant's cottage, where an old woman was drawing bread hot
out of the oven. We had no money to offer, and I felt, at this moment,
the possibility even of committing murder, for a morsel of bread, to
satisfy the intolerable cravings of hunger. Shuddering, with torment
inexpressible, at the thought, I hastened out of the door, and we walked
on two miles more to Wongrofze.

Here I sold my musket for a ducat, which had procured us many a meal:
such was the extremity of our distress. We then satiated our appetites,
after having been forty hours without food or sleep, and having travelled
ten miles in sleet and snow.

March 6.--We rested, and came, on the 7th, through Genin, to a village in
the forest, four miles.

Here we fell in with a gang of gipsies (or rather banditti) amounting to
four hundred men, who dragged me to their camp. They were mostly French
and Prussian deserters, and thinking me their equal, would force me to
become one of their hand. But, venturing to tell my story to their
leader, he presented me with a crown, gave us a small provision of bread
and meat, and suffered us to depart in peace, after having been four and
twenty hours in their company.

March 9.--We proceeded to Lapuschin, three miles and a half; and the 10th
to Thorn, four miles.

A new incident here happened, which showed I was destined, by fortune, to
a variety of adventures, and continually to struggle with new
difficulties.

There was a fair held at Thorn on the day of our arrival. Suspicions
might well arise, among the crowd, on seeing a strong tall youn