122 SWABEY DIARY. 
were obliged to lead. Finding no signs of forage in the town, and 
having visited a convent whose fair inhabitants had fled the insolence - 
of the invaders, and is now only tenanted by an old priest whose appear- 
ance and sanctity well answers all the descriptions we find in romance, 
we undertook, though dissuaded by the people, to go to Gonzalo over 
the mountains. ‘The snow soon covered the track, for it was nothing 
more, and Crawley and myself having previously dismissed a corporal 
and two men who were of the party, were left to our wits; but as we 
were pretty certain of the points of the compass, after two hours hard 
labour, our horses being led all the while, we reached that place which 
looks over the valley of the Zezere. 
This is a fertile and highly advantageous foraging district, but ex- 
cepted in my instructions as being destined to be occupied by Captain 
Bull. We went from there to Avala and Seche Moulla and returned 
just before dark to Aldeia de Moite where Sutton, who had been des- 
patched in the morning, had prepared an excellent repast, viz.: sowpe 
and bouills and bowllt and sowpe. We had a good billet and were well 
housed, but at about 12 o’clock I was wakened by the clash of swords 
in the street and lost no time in finding some of my men who were pur- 
sued and outnumbered by the Portuguese; my interference was fortunate, 
though being undressed and unknown it cost me a few stones at my 
head. The men being in the wrong were confined. A sword was lost 
but during the night it was thrust by a Portuguese into a door where 
they were billeted. This day I wrote to Brigade-Major May requesting 
HO Le CNED HOVE CHB IO. 5 9 4G 6 lo) G6 oe ol Bs 
10th January.—Returned through Caria to Salgueiro, passing over 
two bridges that had been carried away last year by the water in the 
rainy season ; the report of my excursion was unfavourable to a move. 
L1lih January.—Passed all day at Salgueiro. Major Downman and 
his adjutant still with us Sige rel eee we bode creer, 
12th Janwary.—At 1 o’clock last night came a route to move up to 
the front halting at any place on our side of Sabugal. We fixed un- 
luckily on Castaneros, distant only two short leagues. The road was 
rocky and difficult. We marched at 9 o’clock leaving our store carts 
behind, I remained on the road with the wheel car till 9 o’clock at 
night, when it became so dark that I left a guard with it and got to 
Castaneros where we all were without baggage, our servants having 
reached another village where the troop was intended to halt. I gota 
beef-steak, and being in this instance lucky enough to find a chimney, 
we made a large wood fire and slept in our cloaks before it . . . 
13th Januwary.—The road if possible worse to-day than yesterday. 
I did not get to Sabugal with the wheel car till dark, and being left to 
my discretion and not knowing how far we might march the next day, 
I demolished several spare shafts and perches and ordered it to proceed 
in the morning. I then set off without a guide to get to Quadrazaes 
following the track of the wheels. To do this I was obliged to walk 
and lead my horse, there being unluckily no moon, I crossed the track 
where Bull had marched the same day and arrived at the wrong town 
