an 
ce 
— 
SWABEY DIARY. 
quarters, he is improved so much as a companionable creature that he: 
is really exceedingly pleasant. 
6th January.—-Our forage is somewhat nearer than at San Payo, but 
still scarce, and we have 50 men in hospital; about 7 horses to one 
man, the only possibility of exercising them is to turn them out. 
Fortunately the weather though cold has ceased to be wet. 
7th January.—Rode with the commissary to find bullock wains ; 
these are so difficult to obtain that we take them by force, and their 
owners are so expert at running away that we can scarcely ever retain 
them. 
Sih January.—Ascended the Sierra de Estrella in pursuit of forage 
by a road scarcely passable, I found a considerable quantity carried 
there by the inhabitants to elude our search. 
Sth January.—Foraged from Figuerio, but with little success, some 
cars were sent to the mountains, but the people took them from the 
escort. I to be sure was not in a passion when they came without 
them ! 
Vth January.—The first snow fell on the mountains. Although we 
are posted at their foot we did not feel it the least; which proves that 
it certainly falls on the mountains when it is not seen anywhere else. 
11th January.—Foraged from Linhares, a town on the edge of the 
mountains. J found there that the commander-in-chief’s order for 
laying up a store of forage for the use of the troops had been attended 
to, but this was a rare instance and the quantity was so small as to be 
of little use. 
12th Janwary.—Macdonald arrived on his way to England, Frazer 
and Jenkinson! with him. He is so rapidly recovered that his wounds 
are nearly closed but it is feared he never will recover the use of his 
right leg. He goes poor fellow to England, not to meet the satisfaction 
of seeing his family surrounded by happiness, but to encounter great 
domestic sorrow. 
13th Janwary.—Macdonald being in excellent spirits we passed the 
day very pleasantly. Jenkinson and Frazer contributed their share 
to our enjoyment. 
14th January.—Our friends still with us, but rain prevented any out 
of door amusements. Towards evening Frazer, to whom such scenes 
are new, lugged me up the side of the mountain till I was ready to faint. 
When there, he was surprised to find I had no enthusiasm in my praises 
of pine trees, stony ravines and fir-clad precipices ; these are grown so 
familiar that they cease to be objects of surprise. 
15th January.—Macdonald, after being very generous in the distri- 
bution of his effects, left us with his party in a spring waggon. Icould 
not help contrasting his situation, surrounded by conveniences, with 
poor Craster’s. These are certainly more within the reach of an artillery 
officer than any other. 
1 Captain George Jenkinson (Kane’s List, No. 1032) served with “‘A” troop throughout the 
Peninsular war. 
