all his sons to swim, for which I have often had to
thank him; since by means of this art, which is easily learnt in
childhood, I had on various occasions preserved my life, and was more
bold in danger. Princes who wish to make their subjects soldiers, should
have them educated so as to fear neither fire nor water. How great would
be the advantage of being able to cross a river with whole battalions,
when it is necessary to attack or retreat before the enemy, and when time
will not permit to prepare bridges!

The reader will easily suppose swimming in the midst of December, and
remaining afterwards eighteen hours in the open air, was a severe
hardship. About seven o'clock the hoar-fog was succeeded by frost and
moonlight. The carrying of my friend kept me warm, it is true, but I
began to be tired, while he suffered everything that frost, the pain of a
dislocated foot (which I in vain endeavoured to reset), and the danger of
death from a thousand hands, could inflict.

We were somewhat more tranquil, however, having reached the opposite
shore of the Neiss, since nobody would pursue us on the road to Silesia.
I followed the course of the river for half an hour, and having once
passed the first villages that formed the line of desertion, with which
Schell was perfectly acquainted, we in a lucky moment found a fisherman's
boat moored to the shore; into this we leaped, crossed the river again,
and soon gained the mountains.

Here being come, we sat ourselves down awhile on the snow; hope revived
in our hearts, and we held council concerning how it was best to act. I
cut a stick to assist Schell in hopping forward as well as he could when
I was tired of carrying him; and thus we continued our route, the
difficulties of which were increased by the mountain snows.

Thus passed the night; during which, up to the middle in snow, we made
but little way. There were no paths to be traced in the mountains, and
they were in many places impassable. Day at length appeared: we thought
ourselves near the frontiers, which are twenty English miles from Glatz,
when we suddenly, to our great terror, heard the city clock strike.

Overwhelmed, as we were, by hunger, cold, fatigue, and pain, it was
impossible we should hold out through the day. After some consideration,
and another half-hour's labour, we came to a village at the foot of the
mountain, on the side of which, about three hundred paces from us, we
perceived two separate h