ht south;
the Elbe, till meeting it, has run rather southeast; but after joining
they go south together, augmented by the Metau, by the Adler, down to
Pardubitz, where the final turn to west occurs. Jaromirz, which lies in
the very angle of Elbe and Aupa, is the left wing of Friedrich's Camp;
main body of the Camp lies on the other side of the Elbe, but of course
has bridges (as at Smirzitz, where that straw sentry did his pranks
lately); bridges are indispensable, part of our provision coming always
by that BOHEMIAN Neustadt, from the northeast quarter out of Silesia;
though the main course of our meal (and much fighting for it) is direct
from the north, by the Pass of Schatzlar,--"Chaslard," as poor Valori
calls it.

Thus Friedrich lay, when Valori escaped being stolen; when Tauenzien
was assailed by the 10,000 Pandours with siege artillery, and stood
inexpugnable in the breach till Friedrich relieved him. Those Pandours
"had cut away his water, for the last two days;" so that, except
for speedy relief, all valor had been in vain. Water being gone, not
recoverable without difficulties, Neustadt was abandoned (September
16th, as I guess);--one of our main Silesian roads for meal has ceased.
We have now only Schatzlar to depend on; where Franquini--lying westward
among the glens of the Upper Elbe, and possessed of abundant talent in
the Tolpatch way (witness Valori's narrow miss lately)--gives us trouble
enough. Friedrich determines to move towards Schatzlar. Homewards, in
fact; eating the Country well as he goes.

Saturday, 18th September, Friedrich crosses the Elbe at Jaromirz.
Entirely unopposed; the Austrians were all busy firing FEU-DE-JOIE
for the Election of their Grand-Duke: Election done five days ago at
Frankfurt, and the news just come. So they crackle about, and deliver
rolling fire, at a great rate; proud to be "IMPERIAL Army" henceforth,
as if that could do much for them. There was also vast dining, for
three days, among the high heads, and a great deal of wine spent. That
probably would have been the chance to undertake something upon them,
better than crossing the Elbe, says Friedrich looking back. But he did
not think of it in time; took second-best in place of best.

He is now, therefore, over into that Triangular piece of Country between
Elbe and Aupa (if readers will consult their Map); in that triangle,
his subsequent notable operations all lie. He here proposes to move
northward, by degrees,--th