cultivation; though, instead of the maize
and wheat which we had hitherto seen, the fields were covered
with an abundant and luxuriant crop of tobacco. This plant
seems, indeed, to be at all times the staple commodity of that
district; for, besides what was growing and unripe, we found
numerous barns filled with the remains of last year's crop; the
whole of which was, of course, seized in the name of His Majesty
King George the Third. But in the main object of our pursuit we
were disappointed. The flotilla, which had been stationed
opposite to Nottingham, retired, on our approach, higher up the
stream; and we were consequently in the situation of a huntsman
who sees his hounds at fault, and has every reason to apprehend
that his game will escape.

MARLBOROUGH

In this posture the army continued during the night, having its
right defended by the river, and its left extending considerably
beyond the town, and secured, as usual, by a connected chain of
outposts; nor was it put in motion, as had been done the day
before, as soon as there was sufficient light to distinguish
objects. There seemed, indeed, to be something like hesitation
as to the course to be pursued,--whether to follow the gun-boats,
or to return to the shipping; but, at last, the former proceeding
was resolved upon, and the column set forward about eight
o'clock, in the direction of Marlborough, another village, about
ten miles beyond Nottingham. The road by which we travelled, as
well to-day as during the whole of the excursion, was
remarkably good; in some places rather heavy, from being cut
through a sandy soil, but in general hard, dusty, and, to use an
expressive phrase, having a sound bottom. Running, as it did for
the most part, through the heart of thick forests, it was also
well sheltered from the rays of the sun; a circumstance which, in
a climate like this, is of no slight importance. To-day, our
whole journey was of this description, nor did we reach a single
cultivated spot till we approached the vicinity of Marlborough;
when we found ourselves in a country not more fertile than
beautiful. The ground, which had been hitherto perfectly flat,
was now broken into the most graceful swells, generally cleared
of wood to within a short space of the summits, and then crowned
with hoar and venerable forests. The village itself lies in a
valley formed by two green hills; the distance from the base of
one hill to the base of the other may b