outside the town. Along the routes frequently followed by armies
the country became a desert, the hapless people forsook their ruined
homes, and took refuge in the forests or in the heart of the hills,
carrying with them their portable property, and driving before them
a cow or two and a few goats.

How great was the general slaughter and destruction may be judged by
the fact that the population of Germany decreased by half during
the war, and in Bohemia the slaughter was even greater. At the
commencement of the war the population of Bohemia consisted of
3,000,000 of people, inhabiting 738 towns and 34,700 villages. At
the end of the war there were but 780,000 inhabitants, 230 towns,
and 6000 villages. Thus three out of four of the whole population
had been slaughtered during the struggle.

Malcolm was, with Lieutenant Farquhar, quartered upon one of the
principal burghers of New Brandenburg, and syndic of the weavers.
He received them cordially.

"I am glad," he said, "to entertain two Scottish officers, and, to
speak frankly, your presence will be of no slight advantage, for
it is only the houses where officers are quartered which can hope
to escape from the plunder and exactions of the soldiers. My wife
and I will do our best to make you comfortable, but we cannot
entertain you as we could have done before this war began, for
trade is altogether ruined. None have money wherewith to buy goods.
Even when free from the presence of contending armies, the country
is infested with parties of deserters or disbanded soldiers, who
plunder and murder all whom they meet, so that none dare travel
along the roads save in strong parties. I believe that there is