306 
SWABEY DIARY. 
most certainly turn ourright flank, I hope the guns there will be 
able to get away.’ 
By this time the French cavalry had gained much upon us 
and the cowardly scoundrels of Portuguese put about and 
set off as hard as they could go, leaving only 20 of the 
German cavalry to protect us. We of course limbered up 
and away we went at speed; by the time we had galloped 
300 or 400 yards the confusion became very great, the Portu- 
guese had given way in every direction and were flying before 
the enemy who were close upon our heels. At this time I 
was galloping about a dozen yards in rear of the last gun, and 
had continued abouta quarter of a mile further, when, whether 
my horse made a trip, or whether one of the cowardly scoun- 
drels in crossing me upset him, I know not, but certain it is 
that we came head over heels together, and away he went 
leaving me upon the ground. I was hurt a little by the fall 
and had one of my shoes nearly torn off my foot. How I 
escaped being ridden over I know not for the dust was so 
great it was impossible to see a yard before one, however, as 
soon as I got upon my feet and had run about 50 yards, I found 
the enemy had got in upon one of our right guns, and I saw 
them cut the drivers from their horses. I thought I had no 
business there and so ran on and came upon the second right 
gun which the French had been at; the three drivers were 
lying dead by their horses’ side. I then ran away to the 
right, when I discovered the gun I had left was not in the 
hands of the enemy but had been upset, and our poor fellows, 
my friend Bombardier Morgan at their head, had dismounted 
to right it. I returned towards them, but before I had gone 
many yards, I heard a terrible shriek of ‘ Avanti, Avanti, ah 
traditor inglese, I looked behind me and discovered about 4 
squadrons not more than 50 yards in my rear. The officer 
commanding them rode and made a cut at me but I made my 
bow and escaped. As soon as he could pull up his horse he 
came at me again. When I saw this I sang out ‘ Ufficiale 
inglese prigiomere, he then came up brandishing his sword 
over my head saying ‘Mi dia la sua spada, Mia dia la sua 
spada, all I had to say on this subject was ‘st, si si. 
A staff officer then rode up and asked me what country I came 
from? ‘Hngland,’ says I, ‘Signor,’ which seemed to please 
him mightily, and he took me off to a General officer who 
was near at the time, who addressed me in English, at least 
ib was nearer our language than any other. He asked me 
what cavalry we had in the field, I said 8000, he told me I 
told a lie and desired I would speak the truth. I said Lord 
Wellington had that number with him, but that perhaps he 
had not at the moment more than 8000 in the field, (though 
I knew his Lordship had not more than the latter number 
altogether with this part of the army). The General then 
rode away shaking his fingers ab me and saying I was a bad 
one. 
