French graves (Jurbarkas)

Old people say that in 1812 there was a big battle between the French and the Russians in Striplaukis. And there was a summer sheepfold to fold sheep during the rain. After the battle the sheepfold was found full loaded with frozen bodies of French. They were buried in the sand near the Mituva, but when the wind blew the sand away, the bones of tall people appeared. Once they were found by Duchess Vasilchikova, who was out for a walk. She ordered the workers of her estate to dig a large pit, collect the bones and bury them. A large wooden cross was placed on the grave, and the sandpit was planted with pine trees. The cross rotted, and a small cross was nailed to a willow tree by the road along the Mituva. The pine forest has grown up, the knolls are disappearing, but the memory is still alive.