had lately come from Smyrna. At midnight we
met at a public-house outside the town. The
road we travelled appeared to be dreary and
deserted. Here and there, one saw a wandering
artisan stealing along in the dim starlight.
These shadowy figures, which appear to conceal
themselves as soon as they are observed, belong
to that fay world which the National Government,
in the guise of its organs of safety, has called
forth. They are the safety-watch, to whom is
confided the oversight of the connecting roads
used by the national organisation, and which
it takes care to keep up. This network of
roads extends at the present time throughout
the kingdom. In this system of public service,
called the citizen post, every person authorised
as a member of the National Government is
obliged to take part. The postmaster appointed
by the National Government is responsible for
the safety of the roads. The safety of the roads
and their immediate neighbourhood is the object
of constant supervision. When we changed
horses for the first time, which occupied five
minutes, a mounted messenger was despatched
in advance to the next station. This new road
system, extending over the whole of Poland,
unites village with village, town with town,
and farm with farm, without at all making use
of the public highways.

When we reached the next station, there was
no carriage to take us forward. The horses,
therefore, were saddled, and we continued our
journey on horseback. A third Pole here joined
himself to us. He was a young officer of
Chmielinski's corps. He had been in as many
as twenty engagements against the Russians,
and had not been wounded. We rode for about
four hours, when we again obtained a carriage.
We were twice during our journey required to
show our National Government passports, which
each time received the little necessary stamp.

The journey occupied upwards of twenty
hours, and I was very weary when, at about
half-past eleven, we reached the little town of
L., in the waiwode Radom. The word
government has been introduced by the Russians,
who have divided the kingdom of Poland into
five governments—Augustowo and Plock in the
north, Warsaw in the middle, Lublin in the
west, and Radom in the east. The last-named
government consists of a portion of the former
waiwode of Cracow, according to the national
division of the Polish kingdom.

Entering the town, we received tickets for
our quarters. Mine, fortunately, were in a
family of the better class, who received me in
the kindest manner. It consisted of an elderly
gentleman and lady, and several young daughters;
the sons had been for the last three months at
the camp.

At four o'clock next morning I had to
continue my journey, the camp being a three hours'
walk distant from the town. When I again
rose, I found the family assembled, and we
breakfasted by candlelight. Before parting,
one of the young ladies requested me, in the
name of herself and her sisters, to accept a
pocket-handkerchief in remembrance of them.
My initials were embroidered upon it in black
and white. I was much affected, and would
have regretted the sleepless night which the
embroidery must have cost them, but I could
not say a word. I took my leave, and, going to
an appointed place, found about thirty young
men, who, like myself, were bound to the camp.
We set out, and passing the church, found a priest
waiting for us, who blessed the little troop.

At half-past eight we came in sight of the
first outposts, where chasseurs in green jackets,
with muskets on their shoulders, received us
with a volley. Our leader stepping forward and
giving the watchword, we were allowed to pass,
and reached a little hill, which afforded us a
view of the camp. They had been here three
days to recruit, and everything was in perfect
order. Tents, which resembled a coup of
playing-cards set up at an acute angle, were
ranged in six lines, but there were only sixty
tents for eight hundred men. Above small fires,
burning on little hearths, gigantic pieces of meat
were roasting and diffusing around a delicious
odour. Horses were tied up to wooden posts,
and soldiers were busied washing and rubbing
them down. All, with the exception of the
sentinels, the bakers, and cooks, hastened to
meet us, and joyous words of welcome were
mingled with mutual questions and vows of
vengeance against the Russians.

We were conducted to Major F., who
commanded this division, and one after another had
his audience. The major honoured me with
certain commissions, then offered me the use of
his bed, which I gratefully accepted, and so
slept till noon, when I was awakened, that I
might be present at drill. It was splendid; and
the major, coming up to me several times,
clapped me on the shoulder, saying:

"Now, have you any doubt whether, with
these devils of fellows, we shall kill the
Muscovites?"

The Poles generally call all the Russians,
Muscovites.

Three classes of military are represented in the
camp the scythemen (Kosyniory), chasseurs,
and cavalry. The scythemen in the Polish army
represent infantry; but the effect of their attack
is much more terrible. With the cry, "Jesus
Maria stand by us!" they hurl themselves on
the foe. What care they for all the bayonets
in the world, while the lance which is fastened
to the scythe is generally longer than the
musket and the bayonet together? When the
scythemen charge, the enemy is mown to the
earth. They leave none wounded; all are dead.

The Poles have to thank the scythemen for
the successful issue of most of their engagements;
and the greatest merit of their soldiers
is, that they are, for the most part, peasants
and men of the lowest class of the town
populations. It is frequently said that the
Polish peasantry does not take part in the
insurrection, and unfortunately it is true. At
the present time, however, the Russians have
by their cruelties in the villages thrown the