I was on thorns.

To make matters worse, the young lady stumbled, one of her shoes slipped off, and presenting me her pretty foot she asked me to put the shoe right.

I knelt on the ground, and, very likely without thinking, she lifted up her skirt....

she had very wide hoops and no petticoat....
what I saw was enough to strike me dead on the spot....

When I rose, she asked if anything was the matter with me.
A moment after, coming out of one of the casemates, her head-dress got slightly out of order, and she begged that I would remedy the accident, but, having to bend her head down, the state in which I was could no longer remain a secret for her.