." [TOURIST'S NOTE (Autumnn, 1852).]

From the Knolls of Trettin, that Saturday afternoon, Friedrich takes
view of the Russian Camp. All lying bright enough there; from Muhlberg
to Judenberg, convenient to our glass; between us and the evening Sun.
Batteries most abundant, difficulties great: Soltikof just ahead here,
72,000: Loudon at the Red Grange yonder, on their extreme left, with
18,000 more. An uncommonly strong position for 90,000 against 50,000.
One thing strikes Friedrich: On front in this northern side, close by
the base of the Russian Camp, runs--for the present away FROM Oder, but
intending to join it elsewhere--a paltry little Brook, "Hen-Floss" so
called, with at least two successive Mills on it (KLEINE MUHLE, GROSSE
MUHLE); and on the northern shore of it, spilling itself out into a
wet waste called ELSBRUCH (Alder Waste), which is especially notable
to Friedrich. ALDER Waste? Watery, scrubby; no passage there, thinks
Friedrich; which his Peasant with the water-jug confirms. "Tell me,
however," inquires Friedrich, with strictness, "From the Red Grange
yonder, where General Loudon is, if you wished to get over to the HOHLE
GRUND, or to the Judenberg, would you cross that Hen-Floss?" "It is not
crossable, your Majesty; one has to go round quite westward by the
Dam." "What, from Rothe Vorwerk to Big Hollow, no passage, say you; no
crossing?" "None, your Majesty," insists the Peasant;--who is not aware
that the Russians have made one of firm trestles and logs, and use it
daily for highway there; an error of some interest to Friedrich within
the next twenty-four hours!

Friedrich himself does not know this bit of ground: but there is with
him, besides the Peasant, a Major Linden, whose Regiment used to lie in
Frankfurt, of whom Friedrich makes minute questioning. Linden answers
confidently; has been over all this tract a hundred times; "but knows
it only as a hunter," says Tempelhof, [Tempelhof, iii. 186.] "not as a
soldier," which he ought to have done. His answers are supposed to
have misled Friedrich on various points, and done him essential damage.
Friedrich's view of the case, that evening, is by no means so despondent
as might be imagined: he regards the thing as difficult, not as
impossible,--and one of his anxieties is, that he be not balked of
trying it straightway. Retiring to his hut in Bischofsee, he makes two
Dispositions, of admirable clearness, brevity, and calculated for two
contingencies: [G