bad ones, scanty food, cold, and
disease."

"Not a very bright lookout, major," Forbes laughed. "I hope it
won't be as bad as that."

"Then I advise you to give up hoping, and to make up your mind to
realities, Forbes. There is a good deal of illness in the camp now,
and there will be more and more as the time goes on. There is
nothing like inaction to tell upon the health of troops. However,
we certainly shall not stay here. It would be impossible to victual
the army, and I expect that, before long, we shall march away and
take up quarters for the winter.

"As to operations on a great scale, they are out of the question.
After the thrashing they have had, the Russians will be months
before they are in a condition to take the offensive again; while
we are equally unable to move because, in the first place, we are
not strong enough to do so, and in the second we have no baggage
train to carry provisions with us, and no provisions to carry if we
had it."

On the 13th of December, the king quitted Narva with the army, and
on the 19th arrived at Lais, an old castle six miles from Derpt,
and here established his headquarters. A few of the troops were
stationed in villages, but the greater part in rough huts in the
neighbourhood, and along the frontier.

It was not long before Major Jamieson's predictions were verified.
A low fever, occasioned by the fatiguing marches and the hardships
they had endured, added to the misery from the cold and wet that
penetrated the wretched huts, spread rapidly through the army. Many
died, and great numbers were absolutely prostrated.

The king was indefatigable in his efforts to keep up the spirits of
the troops. He constantly rode about from camp to camp, entering
the huts, chatting cheerfully with the soldiers, and encouraging
them by kind words and assurances that, when the spring came, they
would soon gain strength again.

At Narva the four young officers had all purchased horses. Most of
the Swedish officers were mounted; and the king encouraged this,
as, on occasion, he could thereby collect at once a body of mounted
men ready for any enterprise; but their own colonel preferred that,
on the march, the lieutenants and ensigns should be on foot with
their men, in order to set them an example of cheerful endurance.
Those who wished it, however, were permitted to have horses, which
were, on such occasions, led in the rear of the regiment.

Captain Jervoise had approved of the p