When you spoke to them, they answered you without either good or ill nature, and without any appearance of reluctance or hesitation ; but they subjoined neither questions nor remarks of their own ; proving to your full conviction, that they felt no interest either in the conversation or yourself. Both their countenances and their motions had lost every trace of animation and of feeling. The features were smoothed, not into serenity, but apathy ; and, instead of being settled in the attitude of quiet thinking, strongly indicated that all thought beyond what was merely instinctive, had fled their minds for ever.

" Their houses, in the meantime, were in a great measure scenes of desolation. Their furniture was extensively plundered, or broken to pieces. The walls, floors, and windows were injured both by violence and decay ; and were not repaired, because they had not the means to repair them, and because they were exposed to the repetition of the same injuries. Their cattle were gone. Their enclosures were burnt, where they were capable of becoming fuel ; and in many cases thrown down where they were not. Their fields were covered with a rank growth of weeds and wild grass.

" Amid all this appearance of desolation, nothing struck my eye more forcibly than the sight of the high road. Where I had heretofore seen a continual succession of horses and carriages, life and bustle lending a sprightliness to all the environing objects, not a single, solitary traveller was seen, from week to week, or from month to month. The world was motionless and silent ; except when one of these unhappy people ventured upon a rare and lonely excursion to the house of a neighbor no less unhappy ; or a scouting party, traversing the country in quest of enemies, alarmed the inhabitants with expectations of new injuries and sufferings.