ANDALUSIAN SKETCHES. 173 



position, which, being on neutral ground, or at all events within 

 range of the guns of the garrison, could not be permitted to become 

 a field of battle. He added that he had already communicated with 

 General O'Donel, who assured him that he should not make any at- 

 tack on the constitutional party until they moved from their bivouac, 

 when he should certainly follow and destroy them. Riego seemed 

 much agitated at the latter part of this statement. After a pause, he 

 desired the Englishman to acquaint his general that no breach of 

 neutrality would occur on our side ; that both parties were Spaniards. 

 ' Somos hermanos' (we are brothers), said our chief, and concluded 

 with declaring that in the course of the day the two hosts would em- 

 brace and make common cause for la liber tad (liberty). The English 

 officer looked methought somewhat incredulous, and took his de- 

 parture, cheered as before by the men. Notwithstanding Riego's 

 boast, no symptom appeared of such a desirable termination of our 

 dilemma. On the contrary, towards midnight, we, as silently as 

 possible, got under arms, and recommenced our march, keeping 

 close under the hills, and gaining the camino de Malaga. This 

 road was fortunately so much broken, that we were enabled to dis- 

 tance the cavalry, which could not attack us. On the 18th we 

 entered Malaga. Here we discovered, to our great dismay, that the 

 garrison, instead of joining us, as we had been led to expect would be 

 the case, had withdrawn from the town on our approach; nor did the 

 inhabitants shew any disposition to favour us. The following morn- 

 ing, O'Donel's cavalry made an attempt to dislodge us, which was 

 successfully repelled ; nevertheless we withdrew at night, and took 

 the road to the mountains. For three weeks we moved about the 

 Sierra in various directions, closely and hotly pressed by the pur- 

 suing force. Our sufferings were dreadful, and our men deserted in 

 large numbers. I was more than once on the point of following their 

 example, and endeavouring to reach the Boca. But I did not abandon 

 my colours. At length, on the 8th March (you see I refer to my 

 small worn-out pocket-book for dates they are all entered here), 

 we were at the foot of the Ronda mountains, near Moron ; the re- 

 mains of our 1,500 men could scarcely, on that morning, have 

 amounted to 300. Riego addressed us in a short speech, which con- 

 cluded with an order to disperse, each man to seek his individual 

 safety, and endeavour to rejoin the main army under Quiroga. I 

 had become our general's permanent orderly, and in this moment of 

 danger and difficulty I would not abandon him. One officer only 

 and myself remained with him. We made our way by the goat-paths 

 in the mountains, suffering indescribable misery and privation. We, 

 however, escaped O'Donel's scouring parties, and reached the Isla. 

 There joyful news awaited us. ' The Constitution' had been pro- 

 claimed in Madrid, and sworn to by the king. Quiroga and Riego 

 were made field-marshals. The former proceeded to court, and the 

 latter assumed the command of the army in the Cadiz district. I saw 

 no more of him at that period, but he rewarded my services by ap- 

 pointing me sargento ( serjeant). I was attached to the 10th regiment, 

 which marched forthwith for Madrid. There we remained until the 

 following summer (1821), when we were ordered to Saragossa, where 



