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wretched habitations, on the cold and damp earth, have the unhappy soldiers (destined to take up their quarters here) endured the last rude winter. Passing by one of them, I looked in, from curiosity, to discover its contents, and do suppose it must have been the infirmary hovel; for I perceived several sick wretches stretched out upon palliasses, who seemed ready to expire, and whom it had been more merciful to have shot at once through the head, than thus sacrifice them piece-meal to agues and dead palsies, for the Glory of Lewis the Beloved.
Our conductor, after relating to us the very great difficulties they had combated during the last winter, in particular that the heavy snows had prevented their receiving provisions from Savoy, and their Swiss neighbours had refused to sell them any, added, that the garrison of B. (from which they are a detachment) obliged them (the officers) to subscribe twelve livres a month each to the comedy at that garrison. This is something so highly preposterous, and at the same time so unjust, that it is scarcely credible.
The Lake in this part is very rough, and frequently so dangerous in winter, from the eddy winds caused by the surrounding mountains, that none of their little vessels could lie at anchor in safety, if unprotected by walls, which form a regular port (I believe I forgot to tell you, that there is a very good port at Morges, though none at Geneva), in shape a square of about two hundred
