SWABEY DIARY. 129 
in the room consisting merely of a paved excavation, two upright stones 
against the wall forming the grate. How it would surprise them to see 
a baron of beef turned by a smoke-jack ! 
7th February.—The troop marched into Belmonte. The stabling bad, 
and our quarters for stationary ones indifferent 
Sth February.— Went to examine the ruined castle a os place, but 
am not antiquary or architect enough to judge of the date of its build- 
ing, and there is very little to be learnt from the traditionary tales of 
these indolent people, even the priest could give us no other account 
than that it was “muito antigo.” There is on only one stone an in- 
scription, which is too much defaced to give any information, conjecture 
is the only ground for my thinking it to have been in part Moorish. 
There is a Roman Catholic chapel, but it is apparently of later date 
than the rest of the building. In this chapel many skeletons were dug 
up by the French, who expected to find the riches of Belmonte reposing 
with the ashes of its fathers. How far they succeeded I did not hear, 
but there is an inhabitant who, when the French were here fled like the 
rest to the mountains, previously burying his riches; but when'there, 
he found himself so uneasy without them, that every night in the dark 
he used to visit the place of their entombment to see if his darling 
dollars were safe. 
9th February.—Principally employed in foraging. By sending across 
the Zezere to Aldea de Mato we find much hay. ‘This is the same town 
where I was unable before to obtain an atom of forage. This proves 
that much is concealed in the mountains; our late move on Ciudad was 
I suppose the cause of its returning to rie town : 
10th February.—The centre and left divisions were son to remain at 
Aldea de Mato with a view of recruiting the horses with the good 
forage. The cavalry brigade we are attached to consists of the 3rd and 
4th Dragoons and 5th Dragoon Guards re 
1th Febrwary.—Rode to Aldea de Mato to see oy agian, Much 
hay had been found concealed in the houses in all the odd holes that 
can be imagined. Captain Ramsay dined, and Mr. Bridges of the 
Royals on his way from England to join General Slade as aide- de-camp. 
12th February.—Went shooting without success 
Lsth hE —Went to Consiello and dined and slept ai Coptein 
“Ramsay’s 5 
14th February. —Shet in ame 
15th February.—A report received vid head-quarters that General 
Lacy and the Spaniards had surprised the French in Tarragona, kill- 
ing 2000 men, taking many prisoners, and possessing themselves of the 
lace. } 
i The Ist division marched through Caria for Abrantes to-day, which 
is doubtless a preparatory movement to the siege of Badajos. 
“Ciudad Rodrigo being taken, Wellington’s eyes were now turned 
towards Badajos, which he was desirous to invest in the second 
week of March; because then the flooding of the rivers in 
1 This report was incorrect,—L,4.W, 
