immediate Return. Nothing of any Moment occurr'd till our Arrival at our
old Quarters, the _Camerlins_, where we lay dispers'd amongst the
Country Boors or Farmers, as heretofore. However, for our better
Security in those Quarters, and to preserve us from the Excursions of
the neighbouring Garrison of Furnes, we were oblig'd to keep an
Out-guard at a little Place call'd _Shoerbeck_. This Guard was every
forty-eight Hours chang'd, and remounted with a Captain, a Lieutenant,
an Ensign, and threescore Men.

When it came to my Turn to relieve that Guard, and for that Purpose I
was arriv'd at my Post, it appear'd to me with the Face of a Place of
Debauch, rather than Business; there being too visible Tokens, that the
hard Duty of both Officers and Soldiers had been that of hard Drinking,
the foulest Error that a Soldier can commit, especially when on his
Guard.

To confirm my Apprehensions, a little after I had taken Possession of my
Guard, the Man of the House related to me such Passages, and so many
of'em, that satisfy'd me, that if ten sober Men had made the Attack,
they might have fairly knock'd all my Predecessors of the last Guard on
the Head, without much Difficulty. However, his Account administer'd
Matter of Caution to me, and put me upon taking a narrower View of our
Situation. In consequence whereof, at Night I plac'd a Centinel a
Quarter of a Mile in the Rear, and such other Centinels as I thought
necessary and convenient in other Places; with Orders, that upon Sight
of an Enemy the Centinel near should fire; and that upon hearing that,
all the other Centinels, as well as he, should hasten in to strengthen
our Main Guard.

What my Jealousy, on my Landlord's Relation, had suggested, happen'd