pointing to the
devastated country. "But, Mr Hurry, do not be mistaken. Those who
come to conquer us little know the amount of endurance possessed by the
Anglo-Saxon race, if they fancy that we are about to succumb because
they have laid waste our fields, cut down our fruit-trees, and burned
our villages, or because our undisciplined troops have in some instances
been compelled to retreat before them. I tell you, Mr Hurry, we shall
be victorious in the end."

Soon after this we came to a spot where three roads branched off before
us. We hesitated which to take, and not a person was to be seen to
inquire our way. That to the right led, it appeared to me, in the
direction we wished to proceed. We took it, and shortly began to ascend
a steep hill among trees, now richly tinted with the varied hues of
autumn, though many of the leaves had already fallen, and thickly
strewed the ground. Never had my eye rested on such gorgeous colouring
as that wooded height presented. Madeline and I could not refrain from
reining up our horses, and turning round to enjoy the superb view which
lay spread out before us over the country across which we had lately
passed. At our feet was a broad valley, with a succession of undulating
hills beyond, and fields and orchards and cottages sprinkled about.
There were to be seen groves of the delicate straw-tinted beech, and the
ruddy maple, with its shades of brightest yellow and green, and oak
forests of a dark copper hue, as if changed into metal by an enchanter's
wand, and in the hollows, dark patches of the sombre cypress of North
America, which delights to grow in the stagnant marsh; nor was the
graceful birch with its white stem, or the willow, wanting to add
variety to the woodland scene. To our right the majestic stream of the
broad Delaware wound round from the north-west towards the city of
Philadelphia, now the head-quarters of General Howe's victorious army.
While we were looking across the valley at the wood into which the
Hessian troops had passed, we saw several men appear at the outskirts.
After looking about them, it seemed to us, they descended rapidly the
hill. Others followed, and it appeared as if the main body were making
a retrograde movement, and perhaps might march along the very road we
were taking. At all events I was anxious not to expose my charges to
any fresh insults, and therefore once more put the party in movement.
Spinks volunteered to ride back to asce