to step over from their Islands in
the Dniester, and assist in defending their Religion [true Greek, of
course]; who at once did so; and not only extinguished the last glimmer
of Confederation there, but overwhelmed the Country, thousands on
thousands of them, attended by revolted peasants,--say a 20,000 of
peasants under command of these Zaporavians,--who went about plundering
and burning. That they plundered the Jew pot-houses of their brandy,
and drank it, was a small matter. Very furious upon Jews, upon Noblemen,
Landlords, upon Catholic Priests. 'On one tree [tree should have been
noted] was found hanged a specimen of each of those classes, with a Dog
adjoined, as fit company.' In one little Town, Town of HUMAN [so called
in that foreign dialect], getting some provocation or other, they set to
massacring; and if brandy were plentiful, we can suppose they made short
work. By the lowest computation the number of slain Jews and Catholics
amounted to 10,000 odd [Hermann, v. 444; Rulhiere, iii. 93.]--Rulhiere
says '50,000, by some accounts 200,000.'" This I guess to have been at
its height about the end of June; this leads direct to the Catastrophe,
as will presently be seen.

Foreign States don't seem to pay much attention,--indeed, what sane
person would like to interfere, or hope to do it with profit? France,
Austria, both wish well to Poland, at least ill to Russia; Choiseul has
no finance, can do nothing but intrigue, and stir up trouble everywhere:
a devout Kaiserinn goes with Holy Church, and disapproves of these
Dissident Tolerations: it is remarked that all through 1768 the
Confederates of Bar are permitted to retire over the Austrian Frontier
into Austrian Silesia, and find themselves there in safety. Permitted to
buy arms, to make preparations, issue orders: at Sulkowski's Bilitz, in
the Duchy of Teschen, supreme Managing Committee sits there; no Kaunitz
or Official person meddling with it. About the beginning of next year
(1769), it is, ostensibly, a little discountenanced; and obliged to go
to Eperjes, on the Hungarian Frontier [See Busching: for Eperjes, ii.
1427; for Bilitz, viii. 885.] (as a more decent or less conspicuous
place),--such trouble now rising; a Turk War having broken
out, momentous not to the Confederation alone. March, 1769, the
ever-intriguing Choiseul--fancy with what rapturous effect--had sent
some kind of Agent or Visitor to Teschen; Vergennes in Turkey, from the
beginning of these th