82 EEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMAX. 



passed through a wild and sterile country totally unin- 

 habited. The weather was all we could wish in the 

 month of July. We had proceeded not more than 

 three or four miles when to our surprise we saw four or 

 five Spanish hussars galloping full speed towards us, 

 and they called out lustily as they passed us, "Los 

 Franceses vienen," the French are coming. However, 

 not having had any intelligence of the French having 

 crossed the Ebro, and putting little faith in this report 

 of the Spaniards, we decided on continuing our route 

 till we ascertained the truth. Two or three hundred 

 yards further brought us to a sharp turn of the road to 

 the left, when we found the Spaniards had spoken the 

 truth, for a detachment of French dragoons was pur- 

 suing at full speed the Spanish hussars. We instantly 

 halted, and the French officer who led on the dragoons 

 did the same to reconnoitre the strength of our party. 

 I advised Sir Charles, as we were no match for them, 

 to be off immediately, sailors not being the best horse- 

 men ; in two or three minutes we heard the French 

 officer call out " En avant ! " when we thought it high 

 time to retire as fast as. our horses' legs would carry 

 us. The pursuit lasted for about a mile and half, but 

 as the horses of the French were rather blown by their 

 gallop after the hussars, their speed began to slacken, 

 and the fire from their carbines proved fortunately 

 harmless. At no great distance behind me was an 

 orderly of the 20th Light Dragoons, mounted on an 

 old English horse, and I soon heard the poor fellow call 

 out, " I shall be taken prisoner, sir, as my horse is com- 

 pletely knocked up," and shortly after on looking back, 

 I saw a French dragoon had captured him, and we 

 heard afterwards that he had received a sabre wound in 



