SWABEY DIARY. 101 
forms the centre of the famous position defending the approach into 
Portugal from the Tagus to the the Douro. The city is large and 
respectable, but a great part has been burnt down by the French. Of 
the rest of the way to Freixadas I have only to say that it affords 
excellent quarters for cavalry, having much hay and straw. Guarda is 
occupied by the 5th division, Major-General Hay in command, and at 
this place, which is rare in Portugal, almost everything is to be pur- 
chased. There are some cloth mauufactories here and at Covilhio. 
27th October—Hnjoyed myself much this day. Walcott mounted me 
and we had great sport in riding over the stone walls; they consider 
themselves so settled here that they have built in the windows, and 
made stone chimneys for the purpose of fancying themselves in England 
by dint of looking at a fire, which at best-is but smoky and only of 
wood. Newland and Macdonald who are on an excursion, were of the 
party at dinner. I should have gone back to Salgueiro to-day, but 
Major Downman detained me on account of the weather. 
28th October—Set out for Guarda where I had left Sutton with my 
mare and taken to a mule; rained the whole way but my cloak and 
pelisse saved my body. I was however very wet below, and when I got 
to Guarda I went to dine with General Hay! and was obliged to sit all 
the day in my wet things, my saddle-bags, in which I had a change, 
being quite wet. I had this night neither bed or blanket, and was 
obliged to lay my head on my wet saddle-bags, but still I slept soundly 
and felt no inconvenience. sige Estee! Tis, ential Saectegs 
29th October.—After breakfasting with the General, where I met 
Moorhouse of the Guards, I returned to Salgueiro. The Moncul in 
the two days since I passed it, had swollen nearly enough to be dan- 
gerous, and was a good specimen of the means of defence in this 
country at different times. I found Dyneley arrived from Lisbon, and 
we received intelligence of the death of Gunner Lant at Abrantes. I 
shall repeat no more my horror at the system of hurrying to the rear: 
every case that requires hospital treatment. . . . . . 
30th October.—We received intelligence that in consequence of the 
wet, Corporal Batty who had gone some days before in charge of wains 
for corn to Cavilhao, had been taken ill and left there. In passing a 
rivulet one of the party only saved his life by good swimming. Corporal 
Millar with the heavy howitzer, broke down a league short of Salgueiro, 
and sent in for assistance, which I forwarded as soon as possible. I 
fear they will remain out all night. Wrote to Walcott and G. Smyth.? 
The arrival of this heavy howitzer is explained by the following 
letter from Lord Wellington to Brigade-Major May, R.A., on 
the 5th September, 1811 :— 
“T had thought of attaching to each troop of Horse Artillery one 
of the iron 5}-in. howitzers [weight 10 cwt.], instead of the 
small brass howitzers they have now. Let me know your 
opinion whether the carriages, &c. of these iron howitzers 
1 Major-General Hay was killed in the sortie from Bayonne on the 14th April, 1814. 
? Lieutenant George B. Smyth (Kane’s List, No. 1299), ‘A’? Troop, R.H.A. 
