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of which all the soldiers were in favor, not only because of the alcohol, but also because of the 2 beauties who provided all kinds of passtimes for the soldiers[60].

worauf alle Soldaten zu sprechen thätten nicht nur um den Brandenwein halben sondern wegen seinen 2 schönen Maidten die den Soldaten alle Zeitvertreib machten.

As for our provisions, at present they were very good and each day consisted of a pound and a half of bread and 2 half-ounces of rice, as well as a pound of beef[61], this kind of food was sold at very high prices here: for a three-pound loaf of bread one had to pay 40 to 42 hold and even then one had to negotiate to have it.

Was unser Lebensmittel jetzt anbelangten waren sehr gut und bestunden aus 1 ½ Pfund Brod des Tages und 2 Loth Reiß nebst einem Pfund Rindsfleisch, dergleichen Lebensmittel hatte man alda sehr theuer verkaufft : ein 3 pündig Brod mußte man um 40 – 42 Hold bezahlen und noch gute Worte geben es zu bekommen.

Concerning the inhabitants’ money, it was made of paper, the size of a playing card; the stamp of the province was printed on it and was signed by the governor. On November 11th we entered into town to take our winter quarters; houses had been constructed to house the land army[62]; the naval troops, however, stayed on the ships. While we were in our winter quarters, our food consisted of 1 pound of bread and a half-pound of corn flour, and a bit of rice and a quarter pound of salt pork or beef. In this land, corn flour is eaten instead of wheat flour.

Was das Geld deren Einwohner anbelangte ware von Babier in der Größe als ein Karten-Blatt und hatte einen gedrückten Stempel von der Profintz und dabey vom Couverneur unter-schrieben. Den 11 9br rückten wir in die Stadt ins Winter-Quartier, allwo Häusser verferdigt waren die Land-Truppen darein zu loschieren : die See-Truppen aber blieben auf den Schiffen. Sobald wir im Winter-Quartier waren bestunden unser Lebensmittel aus 1 Pfund Brod und ein ½ Pfund Welschkorn-Mehl und etwas Reiß und ein ¼ Pfund gesaltzner Speck oder Rindsfleisch. In diesem Land wird das Welschkorn-Mehl anstatt Waitzen-Mehl genossen.

We got along quite well with the inhabitants, but we were only able to speak to them a little; each of us soldiers set about courting the girls so as to learn a bit of English; furthermore American women fawned upon us, as we enjoyed great popularity with the girls because we were German and they had a high opinion of the

Mit denen Einwohner konten wir uns sehr wohl vertragen aber gar wenig mit ihnen reden, jederman von uns Soldaten suchte anfangen zu caressieren um die engellische Sprache da-durch etwas zu lernen ; überhaupt waren die americanische Weibs-Bilder auch sehr schmeichelhafft, wir waren bey den Mädlen absonderlich beliebt, weil wir Teutsche waren und bey ihnen wird gar viel auf die teutsche

[réclame]

Nation

https://gallica.bnf.fr/iiif/ark:/12148/btv1b10110846m/f11/pct:50,0,100,100/,700/0/native.jpg

Strasbourg, Médiathèque André Malraux, ms f 15, p. 21.

[agrandir]


 Notes

60. An allusion tinged with mystery that suggests, beyond any doubt, prostitution.
61. The pound used in the modern Germanic world equals 16 ounces, or 560.012 grams.
62. During the winter, the troops were traditionally housed either in inhabitants’ homes, or in barracks that most often resembled wooden barns. This was most likely the case here.