We then dined in the woods on a tongue and some cherry brandy we brought with us, and changed our stockings, which refreshed us much, out feet being very wet. We then travelled through a very fine country, missed our way and went to Southborough; we were obliged to turn back a mile to get the right road. We then passed through Shrewsbury, all a fine open cultivated country. We came into a pass about four miles from Worcester, where we were obliged to stop to sketch. We arrived at Worcester at five o'clock in the evening, very much fatigued; the people in the Town did not take notice of us as we came in, so that we got safe to Mr. Jones's Tavern; on our entrance he seemed a little sour, but it wore off by degrees and we found him to be our friend, which made us very happy; we dined and supped without any thing happening out of the common run.

The next day being Sunday, we could not think of travelling, as it was contrary to the custom of the country; nor dare we stir out until the evening, because of meeting, and nobody is allowed to walk the streets during divine service, without being taken up and examined; so that thinking we could not stand, the examination so well, we thought it prudent to stay at home, where we wrote and corrected our sketches. The landlord was very attentive to us, and on our asking what he could give us for breakfast, he told us Tea or any thing else we chose—that was an open confession what he was; but for fear he might be imprudent we did not tell him who we were, though we were certain he knew it. In the evening we went round the Town, and on all the Hills that command it, sketched every thing we desired, and returned to the Town without being seen. That evening about eight o'clock the landlord came in and told us there were two gentlemen who wanted to speak with us; we asked him who they were? on which he said we would be safe in their company; we said we did not doubt that, as we hoped that two gentlemen who travelled merely to see the country and stretch our limbs, as we had lately come from Sea, could not meet with anything else but civility, when we behaved ourselves properly; he told us he would come in again in a little time, and perhaps we would change our minds, and then left us;—an hour after he returned, and told us the gentlemen were gone, but had begged him to let us know, as they knew us to he officers of the Army, that all their friends of Government, at Petersham, were disarmed by the Rebels, and that they threatened to do the same at Worcester in a very little time; he sat and talked politicks, and drank a bottle of wine with us, and also told us that none but a few friends to Government knew we were in Town; we said it was very indifferent to us whether they did or not, though we thought very differently; however, as we imagined we had staid long enough in that Town, we resolved to set off at daybreak the next morning, and get to Framingham; accordingly off we set, after getting some roast beef and brandy from our landlord, which was very necessary on a long march, and prevented us going into houses where perhaps they might be too inquisitive.

We took a Road we had not come, and that led us to the Pass four miles from Worcester; we went on unobserved by any one until we passed Shrewsbury, where we were overtaken by a horseman who examined us very attentively, and especially me, whom he looked at from head to foot, as if he wanted to know me again; after he had taken his observations he rode off pretty hard and took the Marlborough Road, but by good luck we took the Framingham Road again to be more perfect in it, as we thought it would be the one made use of We arrived at Buckcminster's Tavern about six o'clock that evening; the Company of Militia were exercising near the house, and an hour after they came and performed their feats before the windows of the room we were in; we did not feel very easy at seeing such a number so very near us; however, they did not know who we were, and took little or no notice of us. After they had done their exercise, one of their commanders spoke a very eloquent speech, recommending patience, coolness and bravery, (which indeed they much wanted,) particularly told them they would always conquer if they did not break, and recommended them to charge us coolly, and wait for our fire, and every thing would succeed with them—quotes Cœsar and Pompey, Brigadiers Putnam Ward, and all such great men; put them in mind of Cape Breton, and all the battles they had gained for his Majesty in the last war, and observed that the Regulars must have been ruined but for them. After so learned and spirited an harangue, he dismissed the parade, and the whole company came into the house and drank until nine o'clock, and then returned to their respective homes full of pot-valour.

We slept there that night and nobody in the house suspected, us. Next morning we set off for Weston, had a very agreeable day, having fine weather and a beautiful country to travel through; we met nothing extraordinary on the road; nobody knew us, and we were asked very few questions.

On our arrival at Mr. Jones's, we met with a very welcome reception, be being our friend; we received several hints from the family not to attempt to go any more into the country; but as we had succeeded so well heretofore, we were resolved to go the Sudbury Road (which was the main Road that led to Worcester,) and go as far as the thirty-seven mile-stone; where we had left the, main Road, and taken the Framingham Road. We slept at Jones's that night, and got all our sketches together and sent them to Boston with our man, so that if they did stop and search us, they would not get our papers. The next day was very cloudy and threatened bad weather; towards twelve o'clock it snowed; we dined soon, in hopes the weather would clear up. At two o'clock it ceased snowing a little, and we resolved to set off for Marlborough, which was about sixteen miles off; we found the Roads very bad, every step up to our ankles; we passed through Sudbury, a very large village, near a mile long; the Causeway lies across a great swamp; or overflowing of the River Sudbury, and commanded by a high ground on the opposite side; nobody took the least notice of us until we arrived within three miles of Marlborough, (it was snowing hard all the while,) when a horseman overtook us and asked us from whence we came; we said from Weston; he asked if we lived there, we said no; he then asked us where we resided, and as we found there was no evading his questions, we told him we lived at Boston; he then asked us where we were going, we told him to Marlborough, to see a friend, (as we intended to go to Mr. Barnes's, a gentleman to whom we were recommended, and a friend to Government;) he then asked us if we were in the Army, we said not,—but were a good deal alarmed at his asking us that question; he asked several rather impertinent questions, and then rode on for Marlborough, as we suppose, to give them intelligence there of our coming, for on our entering the Town the people came out of their houses (though it snowed and blew very hard) to look at us; in particular a baker asked Captain Brown, where are you going master? he answered, on to see Mr. Barnes.

We proceeded to Mr. Barnes's, and on our beginning to make an apology for taking the liberty to make use of his house, and discovering to him that we were officers in disguise, he told us we need not be at the pains of telling him, that he knew our situation, that we were very well known (he was afraid) by the Town's people. We begged he would recommend some tavern where we should be safe, he told us we could be safe no where but in his house; that the Town was very violent, and that we had been expected at Colonel Williams's the night before, where there had gone a party of liberty people to meet us—(we supected, and indeed had every reason to believe, that the horseman that met us and took such particular notice of me the morning we left Worcester, was the man who told them we should be at Marlborough the night before, but our taking the Framingham Road when he had passed us, deceived him.) Whilst we were talking, the people were gathering in little groups in every part of the Town. Mr. Barnes asked us who had spoke to us on our coming into the Town? we told him a baker; he seemed a little startled at that; told us he was a very mischievous fellow, and that there was a deserter at his house; Captain Brown asked the man's name, he said it was Swain, that he had been a drummer; Brown knew him too well, as he was a man of his own Company, and had not been gone above a month; so we found we were discovered. We asked Mr. Barnes if they did get us into their hands; what they would do with us? he did not seem to like to answer; we asked him