94 SWABEY DIARY. 
villages are full of infection, which shews in the shape of typhus, 
they call it maligna; their state of starvation and natural filth com- 
bine in cherishing this disorder. 
I have learnt since writing the above that the rich who can afford it 
repose their ashes in sumptuous coffins. . ..... 2... ~~. 
15th October.—Rode by Captain M.’s order to investigate a road, an 
occupation I shall henceforth dignify by the appellation of “ fool 
practice.” I lost my dinner in consequence of having the Commandant 
as a companion, for he did not reflect that his state of health made his 
appetite no fair one by which to weigh mine. It is here to be under- 
stood that I do not grudge my time or labour when usefully employed, 
but I do not conceive that buying goats and surveying cattle are at all 
essential to what is called ascertaining a road. . .. . 
_ 16th October.—I was engaged again in a party of “ fool practice,” 
but knowing that bullock wains were much wanted, and that all the 
attempts to procure them had hitherto failed, I volunteered the task 
and returned two hours after dark with four well loaded with forage. 
Of all the duties I have hitherto performed, this is perhaps the most 
disagreeable. One cannot but sympathise with those who are obliged 
to leave their farms, children, wives, &c. to join the commissariat train, 
but such is the unavoidable state of affairs, and the army cannot 
starve. ‘I'he pay of the drivers of these wains is more than they could 
earn at home, and their provisions good, as they have the same rations 
as the soldiers, which are likewise those of the officers, viz. : 1 lb. meat, 
141b. bread, or more frequently 1 lb. biscuit, and 4 pint rum, or a 
pint of wine, which with the labour a cavalry soldier has, is mwito 
pouco. ‘To catch these drivers is not such an easy task as to feed them. 
My plan was first of all to bribe the Juiz de Fora or magistrate and 
compel him to come with me. I had two mounted men, no sword 
or arms myself. I then went to the top of a high hill, made my ob- 
servations where they were at plough, then crawled under cover of 
the hedges, or more properly speaking of the brush-wood, to the spot, 
and took them by surprise. In some instances I sent some men, hav- 
ing four others in reserve, round by one route and went myself another, 
keeping senhor Juiz, whose authority is indispensable, always at my 
elbow. On seeing you the peasants immediately unyoke their oxen 
and make for the mountains. I however had reconnoitred the roads 
and had my videttes, so that many did not escape on this occasion. I 
was at one time master of 20 beasts, but I let all the old men go, and 
also those that the Juiz assured me were very poor and had families. 
My difficulty now was to find wains, they all swore they had none, I 
took them however to the village they belonged to, Mineresa, and after 
much search and good usage they produced four, which were all I 
detained ; they were soon quite reconciled and did not think it a great 
hardship. The law excuses from these services such as have three sons 
soldiers ; for this the Juiz is responsible; this gentleman knocked up 
several times, but I went alone with him and kept him to it. My way 
this day was perfumed with gum cistus, arbutus, laurestinus, and other 
shrubs, and the mountainous scenery was highly picturesque, the cul- 
