'Once across the bridge, our pace was a continual gallop. Even a steep hill, which we had to ascend soon after leaving the river, and heavy roads, made still heavier by muddy heaps of half-melted snow, had no effect in slackening the speed of the poor horses. The driver was unceasingly employed in shouting to them, or in lashing their jaded sides with a rope whip. The first stage, about fifteen English miles, through a hilly country, was completed in less than an hour and a half; the second, about the same distance, was traversed in about the same time, over a somewhat better road, and the country was more flat. Our luncheon, at the end of the first stage, consisted of brown bread and cheese with caviar and claret. There was a long building by the road-side, which served as a stable for the post-horses, four of which are required always to be kept in readiness for any emergency. Boards were laid in a sloping form for the horses to lie upon, but covered with a very scanty littering of straw; and little or no pains appeared to be taken to keep either stables or horses clean.
'We passed some good-looking farm-houses, in the second stage of our journey, and also some rich-looking fen land, which reminded me of the best parts of the border country of Norfolk and Lincolnshire.'
They made a round of visits to the relatives of the Count. All is described, with notices of the domestic habits of the families visited, with a naivete which shows that nothing political, much less anything treasonable, was in their thoughts.
While thus spending their time, and devoting much of their leisure to fishing and the chase, the insurrection which was being expected, broke out; and Mr Anderson records some of the cases of what he considered oppression which came under his notice, when he went with his friend, Count Bisping, to spend the summer months with him on his family estates in Lithuania, little imagining that like treatment was to be given to themselves. But such was the case. He was about to return to Bonn, where he was expected before the end of September, when, most unexpectedly, he and his host together were thrown into prison. Of his arrest and imprisonment he tells: — ' On Friday, the fourth of September, we came to Grodno from Wereiki, intending to proceed the following week to Wiercieliszki, and attend the harvest home which was to be there celebrated. We remained in Grodno the whole of Saturday and Sunday; and, on Monday afternoon, set out for the farm. The weather was beautiful; the Jew post-master had sent us his best team of four horses to convey us; and the Count, his German servant, and I left the hotel, about three o'clock, in high spirits; little dreaming of the events that were soon to befall us.
' Upon reaching the town barrier, where the passports are always examined, I saw two sentries of the Imperial Guard standing in their dress uniform, in honour of some grand festival. The Count hurried upstairs as usual, with the papers, whilst I remained in the carriage. Hardly had he left me, when a gensdarme came up, and asked whether the carriage in which I was sitting belonged to Count Bisping. On my replying in the affirmative, he told me to go upstairs with the luggage, which consisted of two portmanteaus and a carpet-bag. I was somewhat startled at receiving such an order; but, without making any remark, at once obeyed it. Count Bisping was even more astonished at seeing me enter the passport office, and asked what was the matter? I referred him for information to the gensdarme, who forthwith showed, that, in his opinion, something very serious was the matter; and that it was his duty to call us strictly to account for it. In a loud, dictatorial tone, he ordered the servant to open the boxes, and demanded from us our papers. Both these orders were instantly complied with; but, in surrendering my papers I took the liberty of retaining my English passport as long as I could. t
( After the boxes had been examined, and every article of their contents most minutely scrutinised, the officer turned to Count Bisping, and ordered him to undress. The Count immediately pulled off his coat and other garments. The contents also of his pockets were searched; his watch and purse seized, and all his money counted; even his boots were taken off and carefully examined by a soldier, to see if any piece of paper were concealed inside them, or between the soles. The German servant next underwent the same operation; whilst I quietly looked on. My turn then came. The gensdarme turned to me, and said, " Now, undress."