594, SWABEY DIARY. 
takes two days, whereas supplies from thence are frequently a fortnight 
reaching Villa Nova. 
21st May.—Marched at 8 o’clock and arrived early at Villa Della, 
where the roads cease to be bad and our horses will begin to recover. 
In this day’s march there was both iron ore and coal to be picked up. 
22nd May.—Our route was to Sindin, but we found means to go to 
Duas Jgrejas, a place better suited to our purposes of foraging and 
getting away from the division. Hearing that the road to Miranda 
was very difficult, after dinner I rode to that place to ask for instruc- 
tions from General Graham. Never having seen the place before, it 
must not be wondered at that in the dark I could scarcely find my way 
back; I left it entirely to my country horse who took me up to the 
stable door. It not being our first intention to march to Duas Jgrejas 
all the baggage except my own strayed to Villa Cham, and some of it 
did not find its way home till 11 o’clock. 
23rd May.—Marched with instructions to halt in the neighbourhood 
of Malhadas, but to avoid the society of our friends the infantry, we 
proceeded to Constantin, two leagues in front of the rest of the army, 
where we got well put up. 
24th May.—Some doubt existing as to the safety of our being so 
far in advance; Gardiner, by General Graham’s consent, volunteered 
my services last night to explore the front to gain information, and 
likewise to ascertain the position of the Spanish cavalry with whom 
there had been no communication. I accordingly started at 5 o’clock 
in the morning and traversing 10 leagues of the front returned by 12 
having been enabled through the civilities and assistance of the 
Spaniards to obtain the necessary information. 
25th May.—Wrote my report to General Graham stating where I 
had been, viz. to Ceadea, Saneir, Vide, Losilla, Carvajales, and also that 
the Count de Penne Villemur was at Alcauizas with 800 cavalry, and 
had posts on the left at Tabara and the right at Carvajales; that the 
French had no parties on our side the Hsla; that some part of the 
Spanish cavalry had marched on Astorga to cover the advance of part 
of the Galician army; and enumerating the different fords as I was 
enabled to learn their names, from Benevente to where the Hsla falls 
into the Douro. ‘The principle ones are Abnendra, San Vicente, 
and San Pedro de las Acevas, besides others passable only by indi- 
viduals; the former the Spaniards have endeavoured to render impass- 
able by building a sort of stone wall along the middle of the stream ; 
none of them appear to be very good. I likewise understood that the 
French left Benevente the day before yesterday. The Spaniards in- 
formed me that they had only 800 cavalry and infantry at Zamora by 
way of a corps of observation. The abandoning of this place by them 
is the first effect of our movement. The 6th division Pontoons, and 
the brigade of 18-pounders are now up; we expect the Portuguese 
cavalry, the brigade of hussars, and Webber-Smith’s troop! imme- 
diately. 
1 <¥F” troop (now “D” Battery) R.H.A. which had arrived lately from England. 
