n it, breaks off to north, and
saunters along, irregularly parallel to Oder, for twenty miles farther,
before it can fall fairly in. To this circumstance both Breslau and a
Town of Ohlau owe their existence; Towns, both of them, 'between the
waters,' and otherwise well seated; Ohlau sheltering itself in the
attempted outfall of its little river; Breslau clustering itself about
the actual outfall: both very defensible places in the old rude time,
and good for trade in all times. Both Oder and Ohlau Rivers have split
and spread themselves into islands and deltas a good deal, at their
place of meeting; and even have changed their courses, and cut out new
channels for themselves, in the sandy country; making a very intricate
watery network of a site for Breslau: and indeed the Ohlau River here,
for centuries back, has been compelled into wide meanderings, mere
filling of rampart-ditches, so that it issues quite obscurely, and in an
artificial engineered condition, at Breslau."

Ohlau had been expected to make some defence; General Browne having
thrown 300 men into it, and done what he could for the works. And Ohlau
did at first threaten to make some; but thought better of it overnight,
and in effect made none; but was got (morning of January 9th) on
the common terms, by merely marching up to it in minatory posture.
"Prisoners of War, if you make resistance; Free Withdrawal [Liberty to
march away, arms shouldered, and not serve against us for a year], if
you have made none:" this is the common course, where there are Austrian
Soldiers at all; the course where none are, and only a few Syndics sit,
with their Town-Key laid on the table, a prey to the stronger hand, we
have already seen.

From Ohlau, proper Detachment, under General Kleist, is pushed forward
to summon Brieg; Jeetz from the other side of the river (whom we saw
crossing at Breslau the other day, interrupting his Majesty's dinner)
is to co-operate with Kleist in that enterprise,--were the Country once
cleared on his, Jeetz's, east side of Oder; especially were Namslau once
had, a small Town and Castle over there, which commands the Polish
and Hungarian road. Friedrich's hopes are buoyant; Schwerin is swiftly
rolling forward to rightward, nothing resisting him; Detachment is
gone from Schwerin, over the Hills, to Glatz (the GRAFSCHAFT, or County
Glatz, an Appendage to Schlesien), under excellent guidance; under
guidance, namely, of Colonel Camas, who has just come