454 LIEUT,-GENERAL THOMAS DYNELEY, C.B., B.A. 
in scarlet robes. With this state they conveyed him nearly half a mile 
to the market-place, where he was obliged to stand with his hat off 
until they had done “ vivaing”’ him. 
Navacerrada, dugust 9th.— We reached this place yesterday at 12 
o’clock, a march of six leagues, five of which was against the collar, 
being over the Sierra Guadarrama by the San Ildefonso pass. We are 
now within seven leagues of Madrid and four of the Hscorial; Joseph 
being three leagues in advance of us on the Madrid road. From a 
peasant who left that place yesterday we learn that there are very few 
French troops left in the town, that the inhabitants are ready to receive 
us with open arms, and that the Juramentados! are deserting Joseph 
by hundreds. Onour march here yesterday I remained behind for the 
purpose of visiting the palace, or rather the King’s hunting box at 
San Ildefonso, and very much gratified I was with the sight. It is 
a beautiful place and most magnificently fitted up, and, what is very 
singular, the French have not destroyed a single stick of it. Our 
head-quarters were to be there yesterday, and as I left the place I saw 
the mob getting together with their rusty swords and cocked hats 
ready to receive his Lordship in the palace. There was a suite of 12 
rooms communicating with each other, and stuck as thick as poor old 
“tuck-me-up”’ Grinton’s could have been with paintings of sorts. 
How you would ‘have enjoyed yourself there for two or three days! 
For my part I was very well satisfied in half-an-hour. 
How sorry I am the poor Close’s are to give up St. John’s Wood 
and the shrubs of all sorts. I shall miss the place most exceedingly, 
and the many pleasant half-hours I have spent there, or rather the 
many more I intended to spend there. I shall have no ducks to count, 
and shall lose my nice little ‘‘coze” with my friend Whitehead. What 
isto become of D ’s pony and the donkey, the cows, the pigeons, 
etc., to say nothing of the famous hay? In fact it must be a mistake, 
Mr. Willing cannot want the place. I can fancy I see Mrs. Close 
enjoying herself looking over the tops of the blinds in her house in 
town, and I shall have an opportunity of coming in shoes and stockings 
to dinner, which I never did at St. John’s Wood. In fact everything 
will be turned wrong side outward except the poor old white jacket 
which you will find some difficulty in doing. However, it will make a 
delightful pair of trousers for D to walk about the square in. 
So Master William wants to come soldiering again! Most happy 
shall I be to see him, only if he is not quite well he must recollect this 
is not the country to recover in, the fatigues and privations are too 
great. Tell him on his arrival at Lisbon, he must purchase a tall, 
stout mule for his baggage, they will ask about twice as much as they 
ought for him, but that he must not mind; a weakly one cannot go 
long marches, nora low one cross deep water. He must take great care 
he has his pack-saddles well fitted before he leaves Lisbon, or the mule 
will not be able to go two days owing to a sore back. I am very much 
obliged to you for the trouble you have taken about the greyhounds ; 
1 Spanish officers in the French service. 
