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has not been seen for a long time. And such a readiness for military organisation one would not have thought to see in our Toggenburg. I myself, who in the cause of fatherland and freedom am very much of the military disposition, was moved to tears and overcome with joy, to see so many young sons of the Toggenburg under so kind and mild a government, assembled so peacefully together and united as dear brothers. So willing and ready to swear the oath of loyalty to our dear fatherland and to such a good father of the land, so well turned out, come with such courage and eagerness carrying their weapons, and allowing themselves to be led so obediently, truly for a sensitive and patriotic Toggenburg heart it was a delight to see this festive assembly.

The more remote communes set off straight away and held their fraternal meal while on the road. The captaincies from nearer at hand, however, took lodging in Lichtensteig, one commune all in the same inn here and there, they stuck their banners out of the window and caroused in brotherly unity. All the inns were full to the rafters. Afterwards every captain again made his turns and manoeuvres through the alleys of Lichtensteig. In front of the Landvogt's building they fired a mighty salute. Each commune in turn gave our popular Herr Landvogt a few salvoes to his honour - one might see this noble friend to humanity smile with pleasure from the window to applaud those that did it well, and clap his hands. For he also is of a military turn and this gives the young lads courage and cheer. To me it was as if I was seeing Friedrich II on the Danhoffplatz in Berlin, calling out a bravo to one of his squadrons.

Lichtensteig was quite full of smoke and the reek of powder, so that one could hardly see a few paces ahead. At last one commune after another took leave and made their way cheerfully home, and out of all the assembled men, no-one ever heard that any met with the least hurt or vexation in the whole countryside, as often used to happen with only half-trained country militia, because they did not quite know yet how to deal with gunpowder, so that commonly one here and there was hurt or even badly injured, but one never heard the slightest of that kind of thing happening to our young men. O if only the French had such noble governors, such leaders and such honest, ready and faithful troops, and did not cherish such a countless host of rascals and thieves in their bosom, they would not have grown into so many hundred thousand enemies of freedom. Of course it's also true that we do not lack in this country minds as ignorant and suspicious as any Prussian, grumblers and continual argufyers, who when they meet with the best intentions and treatment will mistrustfully criticise, misinterpret and grumble at them, those who would have been delighted if rioting had broken out and disharmony between the authorities and the common people. But - -". [Voellmy, v 2 pp 228-233]

31st May The weather has been wet and cold all month, fodder is running out and there are fears that the harvest will be destroyed by frost. In June snow is still lying and cattle cannot be driven to mountain pastures.

In early July the weather changes to heat and drought. On the 2nd Bräker complains that his expenditure is always higher than income and he has continual battles with Salome. He has to hide his misery even from good friends, to keep up his creditworthiness. As his children are all hired out to work for other people's harvests, Bräker and Salome have to harvest their own without help. [Chronik, p 395]

July (no exact date) [Voellmy dates this as July 1794, the Chronik, p 395, as 1793.]

"A journey - very hot weather" "On one of these very hot days I again made a little journey to St. Gallen, intending to dispose of my pitiful little store of yarn and make a few thalers cash for it. I chose to leave very early in the morning, with the dawn, so as to evade the greatest heat at full noon. But already at eight o'clock the heat was scorching. I felt as if I were walking on glowing coals and hot dust on the roads. I remembered vividly those hot days of August 56, when we were marching out of Berlin. [...] For five hours I journeyed fasting, but drank water at every cool spring. At last I began to feel faint from heat and weariness. So I went into the first dramshop that I came to. Coaches and carts were passing by in thick clouds of dust, for there

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