officer, and give him to understand that, unless he kept his men under better discipline, I would report him to the Duke. Got nothing by this, for he persisted in not understanding English. Thus we have been obliged to be constantly on the alert, and to keep them out by main force. The poor farmer is very grateful, and loud in praise of _les bons Anglais_, whilst he _sacrés_, &c., their allies down to the bottomless pit--“aux enfers.” He admits the truth of what I said about retaliation, and turned up his eyes in horror at the account I gave him of the ravages committed by French troops in other countries. “Mais, monsieur, je le crois bien, les soldats Français sont de vrais brigands; ils pillent partout même dans la patrie; oui, monsieur, ici même;” and he related how a detachment of cuirassiers had quartered on him for three days, having only departed the morning of that in which we arrived. They had treated him cruelly; and not content with living on him all that time, were on the point of destroying everything that was left and burning the premises, when the unexpected appearance of some of our advanced corps obliged them to make a precipitate retreat. In the evening, a general parade of the Germans. They have formed a sort of diminutive tents for the night by striking two ramrods into the ground, crossed, to form each end; I forget how they form the ridge. A blanket is laid over, and the other two serve to lie under and over the three men the tent just holds. The different bands, all good, continued playing until after dusk, which we enjoyed sitting in the willow hedge smoking our cigars. The scene was remarkably pretty. Groups of men scattered about amongst the little tents, some preparing supper, &c.; the bands, with officers in picturesque costumes hovering about them; the town of Cateau in the background; and on either hand the picture shut in by bold naked slopes of the neighbouring heights. _24th._--Fine warm morning, but day promises to be rather too hot. Not a gun to be heard to-day by the sharpest ear; the business at Cambray must be settled somehow or other. Getting accustomed to our churchyard. To be sure, none of the graves are recent; it seems long since any one has been buried here. Hitchins and I have decided on breakfasting together; and as he is more at leisure than I am, he has undertaken the foraging department. This morning our repast consisted of bread (sour as vinegar), cheesy butter, and hard eggs, washed down with weak grog (Hollands)--table a grave. Ever since we passed Mons good bread is not to be had--all is of this horrid sour description. To the eye it is well enough. The peasantry make their bread in large flat loaves, 2 or 2½ feet in diameter--no mistake!--nearly circular. Sometimes the loaves are annular, and of the above diameter. Enter Lieutenant and Adjutant Bell, R.H.A., and I can write no more, for he no doubt brings news.