Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 20.djvu/173

Rh The Muscovites and the Swedes alternately made use of these provisions; but they were not always to be found, and even then they were not sufficient.

The King of Sweden, who had foreseen these difficulties, had provided biscuit for the subsistence of his army, and nothing could stop him in his march. After having traversed the forest of Minsk where he was every moment obliged to cut down trees in order to clear the road for his troops and baggage, he found himself, on the 25th of June, 1708, on the banks of the river Berezina, opposite to Borisof.

In this place the czar had assembled the best part of his forces, and intrenched himself to great advantage. His design was to hinder the Swedes from crossing the river. Charles posted some regiments on the banks of the Berezina, over against Borisof, as if he meant to attempt a passage in the face of the enemy. Meanwhile he leads his army three leagues higher up the river, throws a bridge across it, cuts his way through a body of three thousand men who defended that pass and, without halting, marches against the main body of the enemy. The Russians did not await his approach, but decamped and retreated towards the Boristhenes, spoiling all the roads, and destroying everything in their way, in order, at least, to retard the progress of the Swedes.

Charles surmounted every obstacle, and still advanced towards the Boristhenes. In his way he met with twenty thousand Muscovites, intrenched in a place called Hollosin, behind a morass, which could not be approached without passing a river.