village in the forest, four miles.

Here we fell in with a gang of gipsies (or rather banditti)
amounting to four hundred men, who dragged me to their camp. They
were mostly French and Prussian deserters, and thinking me their
equal, would force me to become one of their hand. But, venturing
to tell my story to their leader, he presented me with a crown, gave
us a small provision of bread and meat, and suffered us to depart in
peace, after having been four and twenty hours in their company.

March 9.--We proceeded to Lapuschin, three miles and a half; and the
10th to Thorn, four miles.

A new incident here happened, which showed I was destined, by
fortune, to a variety of adventures, and continually to struggle
with new difficulties.

There was a fair held at Thorn on the day of our arrival.
Suspicions might well arise, among the crowd, on seeing a strong
tall young man, wretchedly clothed, with a large sabre by his side,
and a pair of pistols in his girdle, accompanied by another as
poorly apparelled as himself, with his hand and neck bound up, and
armed likewise with pistols, so that altogether he more resembled a
spectre than a man.

We went to an inn, but were refused entertainment: I then asked for
the Jesuits' college, where I inquired for the father rector. They
supposed at first I was a thief, come to seek an asylum. After long
waiting and much entreaty his jesuitical highness at length made his
appearance, and received me as the Grand Mogul would his slave. My