large farms, with a few dwellings of an inferior description, all, however, standing back in gardens, or in their large straw-yards, which are separated from the broad avenues constituting the village street by high walls, with a great gateway of entrance, and generally surrounded on three sides by orchards. Such quarters are quite a luxury; for although we are three troops in the village, yet all get under cover, man and horse, in houses, barns, stables, &c. The appearance of the place is not gay, and may truly be said to harmonise in tone with the dreary but fruitful plain around. The buildings are generally of a dark stone, with enormous thatched roofs, which, if not lively, has at least an air of substantial comfort that makes ample amends for everything else. I have established myself in a most comfortable farmhouse of the first class, and, to complete my good fortune, have an exceedingly pretty and most obliging hostess. Instead of the black looks an intruder like myself might have expected, I was received with smiles, and a welcome which sounded sincere. I was shown into their best room (the one which I now write in), my horses into the best stable, and everything done to make me most comfortable. My fair friend has let out one reason for all this, although I still believe genuine hospitality has a great share in it--she is delighted at having English instead of Prussians quartered on her; all the country are in dread of the latter. As may be supposed, we were soon quite at home--I say we, for my second captain (Newland) was with me. In the stable, men and boys have been at work helping our men to clean their horses, whilst in the house the women busied themselves in arranging our room, cooking dinner, and even asking for our dirty linen, which they are in the act of washing for us, so that to-day I can afford a clean shirt and still start to-morrow with a clean kit. The room we occupy is large and rather dark, for there are only two small windows looking out to the farmyard, and these rather obscured with the white draperies with which they are ornamented. The furniture is coarse and clumsy, made of walnut, and is as black as ebony. One side of the room is occupied by two sleeping-places, let into the wall, exactly like the berths on shipboard. The bedding in these, though coarse also, is very good, and, like everything else, scrupulously clean; the sheets have just been put in. Our servants have comfortable beds allotted to them, and have become as much at home in the kitchen as if they were old acquaintances. Whilst dinner was preparing, I sallied forth to see how my people were put up, and had scarcely left the yard when I encountered an old peasant wearing an enormous cocked-hat, and having a drum suspended from his neck by a broad band, on which he occasionally gave a sort of roll or flourish. His grotesque figure, as well as his employment, attracted my attention, and I was somewhat mystified on observing that every flourish on