JOURNEY HOME BY LAND. 171 



parly morninp^: and then, when within sight of that strong 

 fortress, our engine broke down, and we came to a stand- 

 still, which lasted two hours. We had ample time to look 

 out at the fortifications of Elvas, and to admire its impreg- 

 nable position ; and we could well understand its boast, that 

 it has never been taken though often besieged. Then once 

 again under way, we soon entered the Spanish territory, 

 where passports were examined, and luggage rigidly searched, 

 and then we reached Badajoz, that mighty fortress which 

 was stormed and carried under the eye of our great Duke, 

 and whose very name confers imperishable renown on the 

 British soldiers, whose indomitable courage and persever- 

 ance were never more severely tested than in that most 

 tremendous assault. We naturally gazed at the walls of 

 this strong city with a feeling of affection and pride, as if 

 in some measure it belonged to us : and then we passed on 

 by the side of the now diminished Tagus to the wide-spread- 

 ing plain of Talavera la Real, which at once suggested 

 other British victories, though in truth this is not the battle- 

 field, for that was at Talavera de la Reina, at some con- 

 siderable distance to the north-east, and nearer Madrid. 



And now, with thoughts of military operations, and pon- 

 dering on the fearful sieges and scarcely less destructive 

 victories which our gallant army achieved in the Peninsular 

 war ; calling to mind, too, the consummate generalship and 

 energetic actions of our conquering commander-in-chief, 

 we drew near to the old Roman town of Merida ; whose 

 ruined theatres, walls, and aqueducts attracted our atten- 

 tion Ions: before we reached them ; for this has been called 

 the Rome of Spain, and certainly contains more Roman re- 

 mains than any other town in the Peninsula. We had a good 

 general view of some of its more conspicuous ruins, as we 

 approached and left Merida, but we lamented that we had 

 not arranged to halt here for a day to explore them more 

 thoroughly; regrets which were not diminished by the an- 



