every sense, a more gallant or excellent young

man.

Many instances of this treacherous violation of the rules of war, took place in Spain. They were not generally made known; but the French were glad, on any slight pretence, to have an opportunity of taking a shot at one of us; so that, could they "do it quietly," they might pass it off with the old cry of "la fortune de guerre.'

Talking of the 13th, brings to my memory the 23rd, since made lancers. Both as regarded men and officers, they were the "elite" of all our cavalry in the field. Cutcliffe, who was at one time at their head, was himself a man of soldier-like and commanding figure. His dark expressive countenance, well moustached, betrayed a mind of firmness and resolution. He would have risen to eminence in any station. At Talavera, the 23rd rode over each other into a deep ravine, or gulley, led on by Seymour, a fine officer, but wanting the coolness possessed by Arentschild, who, foreseeing the consequence of the desperate onset, reined up and saved his men.* If Dr. Johnson's meaning

* Col. Arentschild, of the German cavalry, very prudently pulled up upon the margin of the gulley, when the 23rd were madly rushing, with this exclamation—“I will not kill my poor mens."

54

LANDING IN ENGLAND.

of a dragoon be true, "that he is one who fights indifferently either on foot or horseback," his meaning was, in this affair, literally made plain ; for troop-horses were gallopping on the ridge in all directions, without their riders, who were probably cutting away at Victor's men, but to what extent it would be difficult to ascertain ; for few, if any, of the squadron that first got over, returned to tell the story.

Those who, by an awful struggle, had escaped the overthrow in the dyke, were plunging on into the midst of fire; when, large columns of the enemy advancing fast, they were, for the most part, cut to pieces, either by musketry or the sabre.

Waterloo, where the regiment proved its metal, put, as it did with many others, an extinguisher on their hopes; that splendid corps being, immediately on the termination of the "drama," sent to turn their sabres into ploughshares, or their lances into hop-poles.

CHAPTER III.

Quarters in Portalegre-Pleasant Walks-Wood CuttingSmall Value of Human Life in Spain-Volunteers-Commissaries-Sir Thomas Picton-Saint Lawrence-Taste for Dining-Bad Policy in Hanging Commissaries-The Second Majors-Fond of Good Living, and of Ogling-The Unfortunate H. P. in quest of a Dinner-&c.

PORTALEGRE.

THERE are many worse things in this world than an evening's carousal round a Spanish hearth, particularly when a knot of fellow-travellers meet in that locale.

While cantoned in Portalegre, our quarters were possessed of but few of those attractions that were likely to make us linger each round the fireside of his own domicile; on the contrary, we were the more disposed to congregate to

56

QUARTERS IN PORTALEGRE.

gether in small juntos, at the billet of one who, being more highly favoured, had got himself into a better lodging than his neighbour. The officers of the same company generally lived, and very often starved together; those of that which I belonged to, with two or three other kindred spirits, equally bent on taking a cheerful glass, made it a practice to assemble regularly in the way that I have stated.

The place of rendezvous was a wide gloomy looking chamber, which answered for kitchen, hall, and parlour, to an old fashioned building, something not unlike a barn, fitted up with iron gratings and balustrades, and with an abundant supply of folding doors, dark passages, and winding stairs. It was, in short, such an old rambling bundle of rubbish and timber heaped together that one reads of in some wild romance, and questionable enough to make it the scene of hobgoblins, fairies, or other suspicious gentry.

Night after night we closed round an ancient table of solid oak, that stood before a chimney of very unfashionable dimensions, where, upon a hearth of similar amplitude, blazed a pile of firewood, which threw a glaring light upon the rude furniture, as well as upon the weather-beaten features of the company.

On either side of this enormous cooking-place were stone benches, where some had taken up a hot position, either to superintend the cauldron, or keep the fire replenished from a mountain of dry fir branches lying close at hand.

The bleak and wintry noise that rattled through the shingle over head, or shook the wooden casements, produced a general movement nearer to the flame; when the trusty panniers being opened, a copious supply of brandy, cordials, and other delectable compounds was extracted. The louder the wind, the more the faggots were heaped on, and the closer round the blaze we gathered; while the bowl passing freely,

"Each took a smack of the cold black jack,
Whilst the fire burnt in his brain."

By means of castle building, marvellous tales, and some good songs, the heaviest part of a long and dreary night was pleasantly beguiled, and we returned to our own abodes, rejoicing that we had contrived a plan to relieve the monotony of our solitary billet, and to lighten those cares that, more or less, hang about the life of every

man.

There is no situation in life which may not at the worst have something to render the bit

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