SWABEY DIARY. 123 
at 9 o’clock. I missed my baggage terribly this night for I never was 
in such a cold billet, nothing but tiles overhead and no fire or bed. 
The people in this country appear to me only to build in the summer 
time, at least if I can judge from the attention paid to thorough 
draughts and a free circulation of air . . . . 5 oO 
14th Janwary.—Luckily found my place of destination, Quadrazaes, 
was only four miles off, and I reached it early, found myself in a house 
formerly occupied by the Commander-in-Chief, but cannot boast of the 
accommodation. We were fortunate enough to find two days forage, a 
rare thing in these parts. This morning the firing at Ciudad Rodrigo 
was to be heard in all directions . .. . 6 aa 
15th January.—The batteries opened on Ciudad this night, and a 
heavy fire was kept up. 
[The siege of Ciudad Rodrigo was undertaken very late in this 
season, of course with our light part of the service we were in the 
covering corps. I think it was during this time, the snow falling occa- 
sionally, that the wolves came down so thick at night from the wild 
mountains that the sentries over our guns applied to be doubled. I 
remember well that I superintended the shooting of a horse as I went 
to dinner about 6 o’clock, and passing by the camp about an hour after- 
wards there was not a remnant of him, except his bones to be seen ! 
The arm of the service to which I belonged was then commanded by 
a gallant old gentleman,! rather corpulent indeed, but of an indomitable 
spirit. When the relief from the trenches and batteries takes place, as 
all frequenters of such places can testify, the party relieved run off as 
fast as they can to get under cover; this gallant old veteran, however, 
neither could nor would run, so there he strode along in all his glory 
with shot and shell, musket and rifle, blazing at him, which occasioned 
Lord Wellington to designate him “ the walking target.”” Whilst those 
engaged in the trenches employed themselves in shooting at nobler 
game, I employed my leisure hours and my trusty “Joe Manton ” in 
supplying the table with woodcock and snipe. 
Cazilhas de Flores was the name of the village which we occupied. 
How poetical are the names of Spanish and Portuguese villages, 
Cazilhas de Flores, cottages of flowers, how can it be named without 
the expectation that some fair nymph, emulous of Flora herself, must 
rise up from behind every bush and shrub. Then close to this elysium 
we have Arroyo de Molinos, the mill brook, here too must be the envi- 
able locality which is gladdened by the presence of the maid of the mill. 
I have been happy enough likewise to tread the ground where is 
especially evidenced the natural taste of the inhabitants, somewhat, it 
is true, obscured by the fumes of garlic and bucellas, but that is the 
fault of their training and not of their nature]. 
L6th Januwary.—We received a letter from Major Downman to say 
that Dyneley was permitted to be employed in the batteries, and that 
half-an-hour after entering them his head was broke by a splinter ; 
1 Brigadier-General William Borthwick (Kane’s List, No. 552), he was wounded in the siege and 
returned to England. 
