Battle (not) of Vitoria 



were hostile towards her offspring, and, turning her heels, 

 backed towards him, launching out furiously. The Moor, 

 losing his temper at this unkind reception of his com- 

 plimentary overtures, also turned his heels and backed 

 towards her, snorting and kicking in like manner. I, on 

 the other hand, in great bodily fear of being smashed to 

 atoms in the encounter, kicked and spurred with great 

 vehemence to get him out of harm's way, and just suc- 

 ceeded in escaping a shower of armed hoofs flashing in the 

 immediate vicinity of my head and shoulders. 



Turning round, I saw that Harry and the peaceable Cid 

 ^who had never uttered an offensive remark) were falling 

 heirs to the catastrophe which the Moor had so nearly drawn 

 down upon himself and his master. 



I saw Harry fly off, and fall entangled among the heavy 

 drapery of his cloak in the middle of the muddy road. The 

 Cid retreated in great terror. I was considerably alarmed, 

 thinking Harry must be killed by the kick, which seemed to 

 have shot him off his saddle like a cricket-ball from a cata- 

 pult. However, he jumped up in a moment, and finding a 

 great stone, flung it at the mare, who, satisfied with victory, 

 now returned to her foal. 



But the mare's owner appearing in the nick of time, far 

 from pitying Harry in his fallen and muddy plight, or con- 

 gratulating him on his escape, began to use vituperative 

 language to him for throwing stones at the mare. Here- 

 upon Harry, whose feelings had been doubtless roused by 

 the sudden emergency, immediately replied, that if he did 

 not hold his tongue, he would throw a bigger stone at him ; 

 so, as there was nothing more to be said, he mounted the 

 Cid again, and we rode on. 



It was dark before we descended to Salinas, which, as 

 far as we could see, appeared to be situated on one side 



385 



