immeasurable extent; this, of itself, gave a very different
aspect to all around, because hitherto we had seen houses and
fields of corn on each side of the road, and now we could
discover nothing but wild savannahs, apparently untenanted by a
single human being. In the next place, we learnt from some of
the country people, who had been impressed as guides into our
service, that numerous detached bodies of riflemen lay in ambush
among the thickets; and the very expectation of having something
to do, created a degree of excitement which, till now, we had not
experienced. In consequence of that information, the flank
patrols were strengthened and commanded to extend to a greater
distance; the advanced guard marched at a greater interval from
the head of the column, and the whole army moved forward with
more caution and circumspection than had hitherto been used.

In the course of this day's march a little adventure occurred to
myself, which, in the illiberality of my heart, I could not but
regard as strikingly characteristic of the character of the
people to whom we were now opposed, and which, as at the time it
had something in it truly comical, I cannot resist the
inclination of repeating, though aware that its title to drollery
must in a great measure be lost in the relation. Having been
informed that in a certain part of the forest a company of
riflemen had passed the night, I took with me a party of
soldiers, and proceeded in the direction pointed out, with the
hope of surprising them. On reaching the place, I found that
they had retired, but I thought I could perceive something like
the glitter of arms a little farther towards the middle of the
wood. Sending several files of soldiers in different directions,
I contrived to surround the spot, and then moving forward, I
beheld two men dressed in black coats, and armed with bright
firelocks and bayonets, sitting under a tree; as soon as they
observed me, they started up and took to their heels, but being
hemmed in on all sides, they quickly perceived that to escape was
impossible, and accordingly stood still. I hastened towards
them, and having arrived within a few paces of where they stood,
I heard the one say to the other, with a look of the most perfect
simplicity, "Stop, John, till the gentlemen pass." There was
something so ludicrous in this speech, and in the cast of
countenance which accompanied it, that I could not help laughing
aloud; nor was my mir