I have seldom looked upon scenery more romantic than that which
surrounded the spot where we were now halted. For the last four or five
hours we had been gradually ascending the mountains, and at length
found ourselves on the top of a green hill, which, when contrasted
with the bold heights that begirt it, might be deemed a valley, though
itself many thousand feet above the level of the sea. One side of this
grassy platform appeared perfectly perpendicular. In this direction
it was separated from a steep ridge by a narrow ravine, so deep and
so rugged that all attempts to trace its base were fruitless. On
another side it connected itself with the Quatracone; on a third,
that by which we had advanced, it sloped gradually downwards till the
view became lost in hanging forests; whilst behind us, only a little
green declivity divided it from other similar hills, which afforded a
comparatively smooth passage to the Foundry of St Antonio.
It was here that, during the succession of battles which Soult had
hazarded about a month before, one division of the French army made
several daring efforts to break the Allied line; and where, in truth,
the line was for a time virtually broken. To this the appearance of all
things around bore testimony. Not only the ground of our encampment,
but the whole of the pass, was strewed with broken firelocks, pikes,
caps, and accoutrements; whilst here and there a mound of brown earth,
breaking in upon the uniformity of the green sod, marked the spot
where some ten or twelve brave fellows lay asleep. In the course of my
wanderings, too, I came upon sundry retired corners, where the remains
of dead bodies--such remains as the wolves and vultures had left--lay
still unburied; and these, by the direction in which they leaned
towards one another, led me to conclude that the contest had been
desperate, and that the British troops had been gradually borne back to
the very edge of the precipice. That some of them were driven beyond
its edge is indeed more than probable; for, at one place in particular,
I remarked a little group of French and English soldiers lying foot to
foot close beside it.
I need not inform my reader that eagles, vultures, and kites are
faithful followers of an army. They were particularly abundant
here--whether because a more than ordinary supply of food was
furnished to them, or that their nests were built among the rocks of
the Quatracone, I know not; but they wheeled and careered over our
heads so daringly as almost to challenge a pursuit. I took my gun
accordingly, on the morning after our arrival, and clambered up the
face of the mountain; but all my efforts to get within shot of these
wary creatures proved abortive. The fatigue of the excursion was,
however, more than compensated by the glorious prospect which it opened
to my gaze; and which, though it may perhaps be equalled, cannot, I
firmly believe, be surpassed in any quarter of the world.
From the top of the Quatracone the traveller looks down, not only upon
the varied scenery which all mountainous districts present, but upon
the fertile plains of Gascony, the waters of the Bay of Biscay, and the
level fields of the Asturias. The towns of Bayonne, St Jean de Luz,
Fontarabia, Irun, St Sebastian, Vittoria, and many others, lie beneath,
diminished, indeed, into mere specks, but still distinguishable;
whilst, southward, forests of pine and groves of cork-trees, rugged
precipices and dark valleys, present a striking contrast to these
abodes of man. The day on which I scaled the mountain chanced to
be particularly favourable; there was not a cloud in the sky, nor
the slightest haze in the atmosphere; and hence, though I failed in
obtaining the object in quest of which I had quitted the camp, I
returned to it in the evening more than usually delighted with the
issue of my ramble.
We remained in this delightful position only two days; and on the
morning of the 6th of September, once more struck our tents. Noon had
passed, however, before we began to move; when, taking the direction of
the Foundry, we ascended the chain of green hills before us, till we
had attained an eminence directly over the Bidassoa, and consequently
within sight of the enemy's camp. Our march was by no means an
agreeable one. We had scarcely left our ground when the rain began
to fall in torrents; and as the baggage travelled more slowly than
ourselves, we were doomed to wait a full hour upon the side of a bleak
hill before any shelter against the storm could be procured. But such
things in the life of a soldier are too common to be much esteemed.
The baggage arrived at last. Our tent was speedily pitched, our cigars
lighted, our wine mulled, our cloaks and blankets spread upon the
ground, and ourselves as snug and light-hearted as men could desire to
be.
It is an invariable custom, when armies are in the field, for such
corps as compose the advanced line to muster under arms every morning
an hour before daybreak. On the present occasion we formed the advance,
a few Spanish pickets being the only troops between us and the enemy;
and we were consequently roused from our comfortable lairs and put
under arms long before the dawn appeared. A close column was then
formed, in which our men stood still as long as the darkness lasted;
but when the eastern sky began to redden, they were permitted to pile
their arms and move about. And, in truth, the extreme chillness which
in these regions accompanies the first approach of daylight, rendered
such an indulgence extremely acceptable. We could not, however, venture
far from our arms; because, if an attack should be made at all, this
was exactly the hour at which we might look for it; but we contrived,
at least, to keep our blood in circulation by running round them.
The approach of day among the Pyrenees in the month of September is
a spectacle which it falls not to the lot of every man to witness,
and it is one which can hardly be imagined by him who has not beheld
it. For some time after the grey twilight breaks, you behold around
you only one huge sea of mist, which, gradually rising, discloses, by
fits, the peak of some rugged hill, and gives to it the appearance of a
real island in a real ocean. By-and-by the mountains become everywhere
distinguishable, looming, as a sailor would say, large through the
haze; but the valleys continue long enshrouded, the fogs which hang
upon them yielding only to the rays of the noonday sun. Along a valley
immediately beneath our present position a considerable column of
French infantry made their way during one of the late actions; and so
perfect was the cover afforded by the mist, that, though the sun had
risen some time, they penetrated, wholly unobserved, to the brow of the
hill. On the present occasion no such attempt was made; but we were
kept at our post till the fog had so far dispersed as to render objects
half-way down the gorge distinctly visible. As soon as this occurred
the column was dismissed, and we betook ourselves each to his favourite
employment.
For myself, my constant occupation, whenever circumstances would
permit, was to wander about, with a gun over my shoulder, and a dog or
two hunting before me, not only in quest of game, but for the purpose
of viewing the country to the best advantage, and making, if possible,
my own observations upon the different positions of the hostile armies.
For this purpose I seldom took a direction to the rear, generally
strolling on towards the advanced pickets, and then bending my course
to the right or left, according as the one or the other held out to me
the best prospect of obtaining an accurate survey of both encampments.
On the present occasion I turned my steps toward the heights of San
Marcial. This was the point which Soult assailed with the greatest
vigour, in his vain attempt to raise the siege of St Sebastian, at the
time when the assault of that city was proceeding. It was defended
on that day by Spaniards, and Spaniards only, whom Lord Wellington's
despatch represented as having repulsed the enemy with great gallantry.
For my own part, I could not but admire the bravery of the troops who,
however superior in numbers, ventured to attack such a position. The
heights of San Marcial rise so abruptly over the bed of the Bidassoa,
that it was only by swinging myself from bough to bough that I managed,
in many places, to descend them at all; yet a column of fifteen
thousand Frenchmen forced their way nearly to the summit, and would
have probably succeeded in carrying even that, but for the opportune
arrival of a brigade of British Guards. These latter were not, indeed,
engaged, but they acted as a reserve; and the sight of them inspired
the Spanish division with courage enough to maintain their ground, and
check the farther progress of the assailants.
From the brow of these heights I obtained a tolerably distinct view of
the French encampment, for a considerable distance, both to the right
and left. The range of hills which it occupied was in some points less
lofty, in others even more rugged and more lofty, than that on which I
now stood. Between me and it flowed the Bidassoa, through a valley,
narrow indeed--not more, perhaps than a gunshot across--but rich and
beautiful in the extreme; not only on account of the shaggy woods
which in a great measure overspread it, but because of the luxuriant
corn-fields, meadows, and farmhouses, which lay scattered along both
banks of the river. The outposts of the French army occupied their own
side of this glen, their sentinels being posted at the river's brink:
ours--that is, the Spanish pickets--were stationed about half-way down
the hill, and sent their vedettes no farther than its base. For the
white tents of the British army I looked round in vain. These were
generally pitched in woody hollows, so as to screen them entirely from
the gaze of the enemy, and to shelter their inmates as much as might be
from the storms; but the well-built huts of the French soldiers were in
many places distinguishable. Certainly a Frenchman is far more expert
in the art of hutting himself than a soldier of any other nation. The
domiciles upon which I now gazed were not like those lately occupied
by us, composed of branches of trees only, covered over with twigs and
withering leaves, and devoid of chimneys by which smoke might escape.
On the contrary, they were good, substantial cottages, with clay walls
and regularly-thatched roofs, which the builders had erected in long
straight streets; the camp of each brigade and battalion presenting
rather the appearance of a settled village than of the temporary
abiding-place of troops in active service. By the aid of my telescope I
could distinguish French soldiers, some at drill, others at play, near
their huts; nor could I but admire the perfect light-heartedness which
seemed to pervade men who had been so lately beaten.
At this period the right of the French army occupied the high ground
above the village of Handaye, and rested upon the sea; while our left,
taking in the towns of Irun and Fontarabia, rested upon the sea also.
The French left was stationed upon a mountain called La Rhune, and was
supported by a strongly-fortified post upon the hill, or rather the
rock of the Hermitage. Our right, on the other hand, was posted in the
pass of Roncesvalles, and along the mountains beyond it; but from the
spot which I now occupied, it could not be descried. Thus the valley
of the Bidassoa alone separated us from one another, though that may
appear a barrier sufficient when the extreme steepness of its banks is
considered.
Having remained here long enough to satisfy my curiosity, I turned my
steps homewards, taking the direction of the deep valley which lay
beneath our camp. It was not without considerable difficulty that I
succeeded in reaching its base; and when there, I was particularly
struck with the extreme loneliness, the more than usual stillness,
of all things about me. I looked round in vain for game. Not a living
creature seemed to tenant the glen: there was not a bird of any kind
or description among the branches; but a deathlike silence prevailed,
the very breezes being shut out, and the very leaves motionless. I sat
down by the edge of a little stream, somewhat weary, and oppressed
with thirst, yet I felt a strong disinclination to drink; the water
looked so slimy and blue, I could not fancy it. I rose again and
pursued its course, hoping to reach some linn, where it might present
a more tempting appearance. At length thirst overcame me; and, though
there was no improvement in the hue of the water, I had stooped down
and applied my lips to its surface, when, accidentally casting my
eye a little to the right, I beheld a man's arm sticking up from the
very centre of the rivulet. It was black and putrid, and the nails
had dropped from some of the fingers. Of course I started to my feet
without tasting the polluted element; nor could I resist a momentary
squeamishness at the idea of having narrowly escaped drinking this
tincture of human carcasses.
In this manner I continued to while away four or five days, strolling
about amid some of the wildest scenes which nature is capable of
producing, as often as the weather would permit; and amusing myself,
the best way I could, under cover of the canvas when the rains
descended and the winds blew. Among other discoveries effected in
the course of these rambles were two remarkable caves, having the
appearance rather of deserted mines than of natural cavities. I had
not, however, any opportunity of exploring them, for on the morning
which I had intended to devote to that purpose we once more abandoned
our camp, and moved to a new position. This was a little hill at the
foot of the mountains which we had lately occupied, distant about two
miles from Irun, and a mile from the highroad; and it proved one of
the most agreeable posts of any which had been assigned to us since
our landing. There we remained stationary till the advance of the army
into France; and as the business of one day very much resembled that
of another, I shall not weary my reader by going much into detail, but
state, in few words, only some of the more memorable of the adventures
which gave a character to the whole space of time in its progress.
In the first place, the main business of the army was to fortify its
position by throwing up redoubts here and there, wherever scope for a
redoubt could be found. Secondly, frequent visits were paid, by myself
and others, to Irun and Fontarabia--towns of which little could be
said in praise at any time, and certainly nothing then. They were
both entirely deserted, at least by the more respectable of their
inhabitants; indeed, the latter was in ruins, crowded with Spanish
soldiers, muleteers, followers of the camp, sutlers, and adventurers.
The keepers of gaming-houses had remained, it is true, and they reaped
no inconsiderable harvest from their guests; but, with the exception
of these, and of other characters not more pure than they, few of
the original tenants of houses now occupied them. Again, there was a
capital trouting stream before us in the Bidassoa, of which my friend
and myself made good use. And here I cannot but again remark upon the
excellent understanding which prevailed between the hostile armies, and
their genuine magnanimity towards one another. Many a time have I waded
half across the little river, on the opposite bank of which the enemy's
pickets were posted, the French soldiers coming down in crowds to watch
my success, and to point out particular pools or eddies where the best
sport was to be had. On such occasions the sole precaution which I took
was to dress myself in a scarlet jacket, and then I might approach
within a few yards of their sentries without risk of molestation.
It fell to my lot one morning, while the corps lay here, to go out in
command of a foraging party. We were directed to proceed along the bank
of the river, and to bring back as much green corn, or rather ripe
corn--for, though unreaped, the corn was perfectly ripe--as our horses
could carry. On this occasion I had charge of twenty unarmed men, and
about fifty horses and mules; and I must confess that I was not without
apprehension that a troop of French cavalry would push across the
stream and cut us off. Of course I made every disposition for a hasty
retreat, desiring the men to cast loose their led animals should any
rush be made at us, and to make the best of their way to the pickets;
but happily we were permitted to cut down the maize at our leisure,
and to return with it unmolested. But enough of these details--as soon
as I have related the particulars of an excursion which a party of us
made to St Sebastian, for the purpose of amusing, as we best could, the
period of inaction.
I have already stated that the citadel, after enduring the miseries of
a bombardment during a whole week, finally surrendered on the 8th of
September. It was now the 15th, when I, with two or three others--who,
like myself, were desirous of examining the condition of a place
which had held out so long and so vigorously--mounted our horses soon
after sunrise, and set forth. The road by which we travelled was both
sound and level, running through the pass of Irun, a narrow winding
gorge, overhung on both sides by rugged precipices, which in some
places are hardly fifty yards apart. This we followed for about twelve
miles, when, striking off to the left, we made our way, by a sort of
cross-road, over hill and dale, till we found ourselves among the
orchards which crown the heights immediately above the town. We had
directed our course thither, because a medical friend, who was left
in charge of such of the wounded as could not be moved, had taken up
his quarters there in a large farmhouse, which he had converted into a
temporary hospital; and to him we looked for beds and entertainment.
Nor were we disappointed; we found both, and they proved to be greatly
superior in quality to any which had fallen to our lot since we landed.
The reader will easily believe that a man who has spent some of the
best years of his life amid scenes of violence and bloodshed must
have witnessed many spectacles highly revolting to the more delicate
feelings of our nature; but a more appalling picture of war passed
by--of war in its darkest colours--those which distinguish it when
its din is over--than was presented by St Sebastian and the country
in its immediate vicinity, I certainly never beheld. While an army is
stationary in any district, you are wholly unconscious of the work of
devastation that may be going on--you see only the hurry and pomp of
hostile operations; but when the tide has rolled by, and you turn to
the spot over which it last swept, the effect upon your own mind is
such as cannot even be imagined by him who has not experienced it.
Little more than a week had elapsed since the division employed in the
siege of St Sebastian moved forward. Their trenches were not yet filled
up, nor their batteries demolished; yet the former had in some places
fallen in of their own accord, and the latter were beginning to crumble
to pieces. We passed them by, however, without much notice. It was,
indeed, impossible not to acknowledge that the perfect silence was far
more awful than the bustle and stir that lately pervaded them; whilst
the dilapidated condition of the convent, and of the few cottages which
stood near it, stripped as they were of roofs, doors, and windows, and
perforated with cannon-shot, inspired us, now that they were deserted,
with sensations somewhat gloomy. But these were trifles--a mere nothing
when compared with the feelings which a view of the town itself excited.
As we pursued the main road, and approached St Sebastian by its
ordinary entrance, we were at first surprised at the slight degree of
damage done to its fortifications by the fire of our batteries. The
walls and battlements beside the gateway appeared wholly uninjured,
the very embrasures being but slightly defaced. But the delusion
grew gradually more faint as we drew nearer, and had totally vanished
before we reached the glacis. We found the draw-bridge fallen down
across the ditch, in such a fashion that the endeavour to pass was not
without danger. The folding gates were torn from their hinges, one
lying flat on the ground, the other leaning against the wall; whilst
our own steps, as we moved along the arched passage, sounded loud and
melancholy.
Having crossed this, we found ourselves at the commencement of what
had once been the principal street in the place. No doubt it was in
its day both neat and regular; but of the houses nothing now remained
except the outward shells, which, however, appeared to be of a uniform
height and style of architecture. As far as I could judge, they stood
five stories from the ground, and were faced with a sort of freestone,
so thoroughly blackened and defiled as to be hardly cognisable. The
street itself was, moreover, choked up with heaps of ruins, among which
were strewed about fragments of household furniture and clothing, mixed
with caps, military accoutrements, round-shot, pieces of shell, and
all the other implements of strife. Neither were there wanting other
evidences of the drama which had been lately enacted here, in the
shape of dead bodies, putrefying and infecting the air with the most
horrible stench. Of living creatures, on the other hand, not one was to
be seen--not even a dog or a cat; indeed we traversed the whole city
without meeting more than six human beings. These, from their dress and
abject appearance, struck me as being some of the inhabitants who had
survived the assault. They looked wild and haggard, and moved about
here and there, poking among the ruins as if they were in search of the
bodies of their slaughtered relatives, or had hoped to find some little
remnant of their property. I remarked that two or three of them carried
bags over their arms, into which they thrust every trifling article of
copper or iron which came in their way.
From the streets--each of which resembled, in every particular, that
which we had first entered--we proceeded towards the breach, where a
dreadful spectacle awaited us. We found it covered with fragments of
dead carcasses, to bury which it was evident that no effectual attempt
had been made. I afterwards learned that the Spanish corps which had
been left to perform this duty, instead of burying, endeavoured to burn
the bodies; and hence the half-consumed limbs and trunks which were
scattered about, the effluvia arising from which was beyond conception
overpowering. We were heartily glad to quit this part of the town, and
hastened, by the nearest covered-way, to the castle.
Our visit to it soon convinced us that, in the idea which we had formed
of its vast strength, we were deceived. The walls were so wretchedly
constructed that in some places, where no shot could have struck them,
they were rent from top to bottom by the recoil of the guns which
surmounted them. About twenty heavy pieces of ordnance, with a couple
of mortars, composed the whole artillery of the place; and there was
not a single bomb-proof building in it except the governor's house. A
large bakehouse, indeed, which seemed to have been hollowed out of the
rock, had escaped damage; but the barracks were everywhere perforated
and in ruins. That the garrison must have suffered fearfully during
the week's bombardment everything in and about the place gave proof.
Many holes were dug in the earth, and covered over with planks and
large stones, into which, no doubt, the soldiers had crept for shelter;
but these were not capable of protecting them, at least in sufficient
numbers.
Among other places, we strolled into what had been the hospital. It
was a long room, containing, perhaps, twenty truckle bedsteads, all of
which were entire, and covered with straw paillasses. Of these, by far
the greater number were dyed with blood, though only one had a tenant.
We approached, and lifting a coarse sheet which covered it, we found
the body of a mere youth, evidently not more than seventeen years of
age. There was the mark of a musket-ball through his chest; but he was
so fresh, had suffered so little from the effects of decay, that we
feared he might have been left to perish of neglect. I trust we were
mistaken. We covered him up again, and quitted the place.
We had now gratified our curiosity to the full, and turned our backs
upon St Sebastian, not without a chilling sense of the horrible points
in our profession. This, however, gradually wore off as we approached
the quarters of our host, and soon gave place to the more cheering
influence of a substantial dinner, and a few cups of indifferently good
wine. We slept soundly after our day's journey; and, starting next
morning with the lark, returned to our beautiful encampment above Irun.