ssing-place (Browne's Messenger settles) can
be Thurmsdorf Hamlet, opposite the Lilienstein, opposite the Hamlets of
Ebenheit and Halbstadt there. Konigstein fire will cover your bridge and
your building of it.

"Monday night next, I say, post yourselves there, with hearts resolute,
with powder dry; there, about the eastern roots of the Lilienstein
[beautiful Show Mountain, with stair-steps cut on it for Tourist people,
by August the Strong], and avoid the Prussian battery and abatis which
is on it just now! You at Ebenheit, I at Lichtenhayn, trimmed and braced
for action, through that Monday night. Tuesday morning, the Konigstein,
at your beckoning, shall fire two cannon-shots; which shall mean, 'All
ready here!' Then forward, you, on those Prussian posts by the front;
I will attack them by the rear. With right fury, both of us! I am
told, they are but weak in those posts; surely, by double impetus, and
dead-lift effort from us both, they CAN be forced? Only force them,--you
are in the open field again; and you march away with me, colors flying;
your hunger-cage and all your tribulations left behind you!"--

This is Browne's plan. The poor Saxons accept,--what choice have
they?--though the question of crossing and bridge-building has its
intricacies; and that inevitable item of "postponement till the 11th"
is a sore clause to them; for not only are there short and ever shorter
rations, but grim famine itself is advancing with large strides. The
"daily twenty ounces of meal" has sunk to half that quantity; the "ounce
or so of butcher's-meat once a week" has vanished, or become HORSE of
extreme leanness. The cavalry horses have not tasted oats, nothing but
hay or straw (not even water always); the artillery horses had to
live by grazing, brown leaves their main diet latterly. Not horses any
longer; but walking trestles, poor animals! And the men,--well, they are
fallen pale; but they are resolute as ever. The nine corn-mills, which
they have in this circuit of theirs, grind now night and day; and all
the cavalry are set to thresh whatever grain can be found about; no
hind or husbandman shall retain one sheaf: in this way, they hope, utter
hunger may be staved off, and the great attempt made. [PRECIS DE
LA RETRAITE DE L'ARMEE SAXONNE DE SON CAMP DE PIRNA (in _Gesammelte
Nachrichten, _i. 482-494).]

Browne skilfully and perfectly did his part of the Adventure. Browne
arrives punctually at Lichtenhayn, evening of the 11