Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-02-20

seemed TO cOnspre against
hlm.** Had Bourmont not iraitorously de-
serted, he would have annihilaed his enc
mics at the opening Of the campaign,he would
have crushed them at Ligny, had Ney done
his duty-he would have destroyed them at
Waterloo, if Gruchy had not left his task
undone, OF if the ground had been dry C.
nough TO have permitted the commence
ment Of hostilities few hours earlier.
1t is a pleasant two hours walk from
Brussels TO Waterloo; We passed A, the
suburbs tho residence OF Beroit, the violnisi
and soon entered the tangled forests OF Solg-
ny, which is fast falling boseaih the axe, the
ground it occupies being sold, in small lots
to the poor, under the direction of National
Society for tho protection of industry. %
the other side of this is the village of Wa
terloo, in whose neat church are quite
number of beautiful tombs, erected TO the
memory of those who fell in the conflict
"The s'a,eiest monument of public pride,
Enriched with all magnfcence OF art,
To honor cheftans who III victory died,
Would wake the stronger feelings IN the heart
Than those plain tablets, by the soldiers hand.
Raised to his comrades IN foreign land.
Dsengaging ourselves with some difficult
~ from horde of guides and relic sellers,
we proceeded on to the scene Of action.
Rich crops of grain covered the blood-fa,-
ened field, whose Typographical appearance
has been entirely changed by the iemova! Of
the earth used in constructing an immense
mound or tnmulus, on the spot where the
prince of Orange was wounded crowned
BY a Belgian lion, cast from cannon taken
IN the battle, whose head is turned towards
France, as inviting the army Of Antwerp
The farm house of Hougoumont still retains
marks of the conflict, and in its chapel where
the flames were supernaturally extingushed
on reaching the altar are to be seen the
autographs of Byron and Sou,hey. So says
the guide-book but our party were expell-
ed before | could discover them, by three
burly peasants, who insisted upon the pay
ment Of two francs head. Having already
been ileeced by man who had politely in
vied US into his garden, TO see the tomb e.
eected over the leg Of Lord Uxbridge, we
demurred, and made our escape under a
running fire of D." hot wolds" which came
near being exchanged into a combat of cold
steel. By way Of vengeance, Pierre gave
cl,as, to flock OF ducks, and virago, who
came 10 the rescue with a knife in her hand :,
encountered verdant Englishman, whom
she seized by the collar, thinking he belong
ed to our party. lie protested his inno-
cense in choice cockneyisms, which, with
our hcals OF laughter a, the scene, add
lily believe lie would have been entitled to
the pension granted for those wounded a,
Waterloo 2 had possee OF his friends not
arrived in time to save his ears.
counted upwards Of forty Enelshmen
during the half day | was on tho field, for
they appear 10 regard it as Mecca to
which all should perform a pilgrimage, and
listen to the "vOnderful achievements of
their harmy," as narrated by Sergeant Ma
jor Cotton, teller Of most improbable sio-
ries, who walks about in an undress Uniform,
and who is recommended by he all-power-
full Murray. AT his house is museum of
relics for sale, duly authenticated, 10y his
certificate, and he is cunning enough to re-
qnire every purchaser 10 inscribe his resi-
dcnce IN register, that no two of the same
sort may be sold to neighbors. OF
his swords had genuine appearance, but
the smaller articles had such a Birmingham
look that could not be pursuaded to pay
him ten francs for an eagle from cartridge
box, particularly as the recent rains had
enabled me to find several fragments Of
shells in the ravnes-gratis. The hote
was miserable, and to add to our discomfort
we were kept awake until the small hours Of
morning, by praty Of tipsy fellows in the
next room. who periodically persisted in
repeating the words of Rule Britannia. in a
most democratic manner-each one select
ing the tune and time that pleased him hest.
One of them was the Oldest son Of Peer
and another held a commission in the Guards
but mona had any idea ofmusic or of pro-
priety. S. p. p.