I met with my brother-in-law and his nephew at Paris, and hearing from them
that they had an intention of returning to England by the way of Bruxelles,
with the idea of visiting the plains of Waterloo, I was induced to
accompany them. We started on the 18th August, taking the exact route from
Paris that was taken by Napoleon. Passed the first night at St Quentin; the
second at a small village on the line between Mons and Charleroy in the
Belgian territory. The next morning, after breakfasting at Nivelles, we
proceeded to Quatre Bras and Mont St Jean. At the little cabaret called _a
la belle Alliance_ we met a host of Englishmen who had been to behold the
field of battle; Lacoste, the peasant who was Napoleon's guide on the day
of battle, was about to conduct them across the fields to Hougoumont. We
followed them. The devastation of the place, every tree being pierced with
bullets, and the whole premises being nearly burned to the ground, seemed
to astonish their _weak minds_; one of them was not contented till he had
measured the length and breadth of the garden and orchards.
Cuirasses, helmets, swords and various other spoils of war found on the
spot, were offered for sale by some boys and eagerly bought up as relics.
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