470 LIEUT.-GENERAL THOMAS DYNELEY, C.B., B.A. 
diately and make me a watch exactly the same as my last, excepting 
the stop-hand, which must be in front of the watch; having to open 
the watch behind to stop it was very inconvenient. Tell them to let 
it be as good as the last and I shall be contented, for a better watch 
was never carried than the scoundrels took from me. I wrote to you 
from the camp, but you have not got the letter, telling you I was well and 
wishing you would ask Miss Scott if she would speak a good word for 
me to my only stand-by, her father, in case anything could be done 
for me to get an exchange on my arrival in France. I cannot say 
much about a trophy for her this time; a shrubbery of laurels were 
within our reach if those cowardly scoundrels of Portuguese would 
have stood by us. Most happy should I be to meet the same party in 
half-an-hour with 200 swords short of the number we had, but it should 
be English and German blood, no Portuguese. 
I shall want directly a sword and sabretasche complete; tell Hawkes 
to let the sabretasche be of his last pattern, with ink-stand, lock and 
key, etc. with two knots. The sword must be the light dress Horse 
Artillery, the others are too heavy for me. I wish you would let him 
be paid, he has written to me for his money, as you will see by my 
letter. 
It is now the 25th. I have only been once out of my room since my 
return and that was to dine with Robe the day before yesterday. I 
have had some hundred invitations, but I refuse them all, though I 
certainly never was better in my life. The weather is dreadfully hot. 
Iam up every morning at the peep of day and get plenty of air by 
walking about the house, which is very large and exceedingly com- 
fortable. Madrid has one of the finest markets in the world and I 
have plenty of money. Now, my dearest mother, what would. you 
wish me to have more ? 
I think now, having filled the 40th side of paper, I have kept you all 
quite long enough. I will give you a few lines by the next packet, 
that is to say if I am within reach of head-quarters, but at present a 
move is talked of. Joseph, we cannot follow, he must be in Valencia 
by this time, but Marshal Marmont wants another dressing it appears. 
I forgot to mention Reed poor fellow ; he was very much annoyed to 
hear I was gone, he told Harding he should not have cared if he had 
been taken too. 
The enclosed cards are of people who have called upon me since my 
return to enquire if I knew anything of their families who had gone 
away with King José. I saw 500 carriages marching with him, most 
of them belonging to gentlemen who found themselves obliged to quit 
Madrid with their families, and when I left they were nearly all 
starving to death. I hope you will admire their cards; I think Mr. 
Brook in the Strand should see them. 
Remember me kindly to General Mcleod, tell him I hope he thinks 
the “ corps of communication and observation” have cut a dash. Ask 
him to answer my letter of the 9th. I thought of him when I was 
communicating with General D’ Armagnac. 
(To be continued). 
