“The moon being again entirely hid, in consequence of the inclemency of the weather, prevented my knowing to a certainty what course to take. The risk was too great to venture on the high road: I knew this from sad experience, and yet I was so nearly perished with cold and wet, that it was impossible to remain still. I, therefore, kept running and walking onwards during the night, frequently impeded by the course of the Sarre, which confused me greatly. At length, being very much fatigued, from the commons, deserts, &c. which I had gone through, and finding a convenient wood, though destitute of leaves, I got into it an<l concealed myself in a tolerably good part, a little before day-light. I never recollect feeling or suffering so much from cold – it had rained incessantly all that day. I swallowed a few of my haws, and endeavoured to comfort myself by imagining that the ensuing night might be fine, and that I might possibly fall in with my comrades; which would indeed have been the greatest consolation. I also felicitated myself on not being much more than 15 leagues from the Rhine; that being the distance when I quitted my companions: admitting that had I been going in the opposite direction all night, I could not have increased the distance much.
“On the 16th, I was very much annoyed all day by moles, rats, and other small animals, somewhat like squirrels; the rats often approached so near, as to lick my shoes. Their tricks and advances rather amused me, and abated in some measure the lowness and disquietude of my mind. At the close of the evening, a swineherd passed by, conducting his hogs near my hiding place – I saw him very distinctly. One of them took flight exactly towards me; he sent his dog in pursuit of it, which providentially turned the hog, otherwise it would have absolutely ran over me. I need not observe how much I was alarmed, especially as I could not have been far from the place whence I had escaped.
“About 8 o’clock I quitted my retreat. The night was again very bad; it kept raining and blowing hard. I was equally at a loss which direction to take, not being able to see either moon or stars. About 9 o’clock, I discovered a hut; and imagined that would be a good opportunity to endeavour to procure a morsel of food of some kind. I reconnoitred it very attentively, and approached most cautiously the door. The struggle between the desire of procuring some sustenance (which I so much wanted) and the dread of being arrested in the attempt, is easier to be conceived than described. After deliberating some length of time, agitated alternately with different sensations, without coming to a determination (so powerfully did the fear of being again brought back operate) – -the want of sustenance at length preponderated, and I knocked at the door. It was opened by a woman. I asked for some bread in German, which is the language spoken by the peasantry of Lorrain. She made signs for me to enter, which I did. There were three men and another woman in the house; an elderly man, who was the only person that could speak French, instantly told me, that he was certain I was one