_October 12._--Arrive at Badajoz, and the day following get half a
league onwards. Meet some peasants on the road to Merida, who ask for
our passports. Show them English ones from General Hope, and continue
our way, but they pursue and carry Bernardo and myself back to Badajoz.
I told them that an English passport was good enough, and one fellow
said that it might be in England or Portugal, but not in Spain. I
congratulate myself that it occurred so near Badajoz. Get a passport
from D’Arcy and start again.
Six bitter long leagues to Albuquerque; thirty miles at least of most
uninteresting country.
On arriving at the town I find Colbourn, who has been very near shot
for a Frenchman several times, and thinks I shall be also. He was going
to Salamanca to-morrow.
_October 14._--Start for Salorino, scale a great wood, and find in the
midst a castle. I stop here, and dine with the keeper of these woods
and domains regal, and he promises to give information, and also to
accompany me in finding a road passable for carriages.
He is to take me to Cantillano, but loses his way, and takes me across
the mountains of Piedrabuena to Herreruela over an immense plain.
A very civil good man, and a nice little wife. He told me at parting
“these were neither roads nor times to go without an escort,” and
strongly pressed me to apply for one to the Alcalde.
We arrive at last at Herreruela, twenty-four miles from Albuquerque.
The Alcalde is a dirty artisan.
All the town come into my room and smoke and spit and make me show them
my maps.
A miserable town, and I was glad to leave my abominable host the next
day and start for Alcantara, the carriage road leading us by Villa del
Rey and Cartillano.
_October 16._--All the people marvel at the wonders of my toilette. My
comb, my brush, my tooth-brush and nail-brush, my shaving-brush and
soap were all as much objects of wonder to these peasants as the comb
and watch of Gulliver to the people of Lilliput.
I start from the Cam di Cartillano at eight o’clock, and arrive at
Alcantara at half-past two.
The Tagus here flows between two great mountains, and the bridge is
about 120 feet high.
At the house where I am billeted they are dancing the ballora--very
curious. A handsome youth and lively girl, and another couple, then the
old gentleman joins, others singing and playing the guitar. One pretty
girl, looking half ill-natured, half--I do not know how--bewitching,
sang, and I gazed and tried to find out her lover. As I sit at dinner
the Alcalde (Mayor), dressed excellently with a scarlet cloak, says
he is come to fetch me to his house, sends for wine, cheese, etc.,
and invites me to breakfast to-morrow. They all treat Bernardo as a
gentleman.
Visited the bridge before dinner; go down a mountain to it, and up one
from it.
_October 17._--Take chocolate and biscuit with the Alcalde (Mayor)
and start for Salvatierra, pass the bridge over Tagus and ascend the
Estremadura mountains. Go to Zarza la Mayor, a large town on the high
road to Ciudad Rodrigo, turn westward and go to Salvatierra, a small
Portuguese village, and then on to Segura, a miserable place, but
lodged comfortably in an old priest’s house. On the road we met a man
who said, “Is that an Englishman? I’m very glad of it. I wanted to see
the face of one, for they are fine fellows.” Yesterday, at Alcantara,
the Alcalde, hearing me speak Italian to Bernardo, took me for an
Italian. “I am an Englishman.” “Aye, aye, your passport tells me so.
Yes, yes, English.”
I hope I shall get a good dinner, not having eaten since eight, when I
took a thimbleful of chocolate and a biscuit. It is now six. Bernardo
bought a partridge on the road, and plucked it as he rode along, saying
it was to gain time. He has bought another here. Both now on the fire,
besides cabbage, pork steaks, and fried eggs. The acorns of the cork
trees make this country famous for pork. Bernardo a capital cook. The
priest pulls a partridge to pieces with his fingers!!
_October 13._--Get up at five. Arrive at Rosmaninhal and proceed to
Monforte, four leagues farther, and a prettier place. Start before four
o’clock for Lentiseves, and the guide, as it grows dark, declares he
has lost the road, and does not know which of the two to take. We take
the right, and are so long in finding the place that we are sure of
being wrong. Arrive at Lentiseves by half-past six. The Judge in his
hovel issues his billet and leads us to a miserable cot. I ask for a
better house. There is none. Go with the horses to an excellent stable,
full of wheat straw, and in the house find a good man and woman and a
blazing fire, with fried eggs and bacon and a roast chicken. Sleep in
the corn chamber.
_October 19._--Leave Lentiseves and traverse four tiresome leagues to
Villa Velha, an inconsiderable town, situated curiously on the side
of a lofty mountain, traversing in range the Tagus. In winter it must
roar through them properly, to be sure. There is a mine near, made by a
Moorish king to get to the Queen of Portugal, where she used to grin at
him from the other side.
We go over the mountainous country about two leagues and arrive at
Niza. The Judge, an old fool, and the people where I am quartered in
this large walled town are plaguing me a good deal, so shut up shop.
_October 20._--Start from Niza at three o’clock. Arrive at Alpalhao,
and on to Portalegre, sixteen miles, having passed several villages in
the way. Here we meet Mr. Parr, Commissary, who tells me that General
Moore is gone towards the frontier. General Hope still at Elvas;
General Paget at Estremoz. General Crawford commands.
Leave Portalegre, one of the best and most beautifully situated towns
of Portugal. At mid-day overtake a native of Osamar saying his “Ave
Marias.” Pass a great wood, twelve miles wide, and arrive at Osamar,
a pretty town. Lodge in a beastly house. A priest visits me, a
gentlemanlike man, who speaks French very well. We are now twenty-eight
miles from Elvas.
_October 21._--Start from Osamar and ride three leagues through a wood
and breakfast at Sta. Olaya. Pass through other villages and kintas and
arrive at Elvas. Go to Squire’s quarters. Get letters. Dine at General
Hope’s. Get a billet. Call at the Bishop’s, and sit up writing till
three o’clock. Woodchafers tumble upon and bite me. Go to bed under the
table.
_October 22._--Get up at seven. Write and give in my report of roads.
Dine with the General, and ordered to-morrow to Aliseda, _via_
Albuquerque. Pack up.
_October 24._--Start at seven on post-horses to Campo Mayor and arrive
at Albuquerque at two. The Corregidor not at home. Go to the Secretary,
who gives me a billet; but they won’t take me in. Another ditto;
another ditto. At last I go to Corregidor’s wife to upbraid, and she,
inviting me into the house when the Corregidor comes home, I get him
to press three beasts for me in the morning. While at dinner I hear
Bernardo frantic with rage, and on asking what was the matter, he said,
“Bella cosa, the Governor has commanded this man to bring his mules
to-morrow to carry sugar from Elvas for his consumption.” When the old
deaf Corregidor heard it he was quite raving, danced about and stamped,
his jaws toothless with age.
[Illustration]
The man at last said he would not go without the Governor’s permission.
The Alcalde said he would commit him to prison.
The fellow judged well enough, for he told the Governor that the
Alcalde had bound him in twenty dollars penalty. “And I bind you,”
said the Governor, “in thirty and a month’s imprisonment,” so the
muleteer kept to the strongest side, which in these warlike times was
the military Governor. This being the case, I saw that any trial of
strength between the two Governors would inevitably keep me here until
the decision, so I told Bernardo to bring me my hat and sword. “E dove
dudate,” said he. “To the Governor’s,” said I, “and mind that you
repeat my words to him word for word without a single addition of your
own.”
So I went to the Governor, and told him that I understood he had
pressed my beasts, and that if I found myself impeded in the execution
of my mission I should complain direct to my General, who would carry
it to the central Junta at Madrid.
The Governor then said that the Corregidor had only a divided
authority, and could not press beasts without his permission. Luckily I
caught the scope of what he said, and saw that the business was over,
for Bernardo began to enter into the argument with much spirit, and I,
with a certain amount of vehemence, desired him to interpret and not
converse, which made the immense fat lady die a-laughing.
When I heard where the shoe pinched I said I had nothing to do with
the disputes of Governors and Corregidors, but that these were my
passports, and I was sure that a military Governor would not be
behindhand with a civil one to facilitate the performance of his duty
to a British officer. This had the desired effect, and the fat lady
seemed delighted.
As we went away Bernardo applauded my moderation, and told me it was a
plot of the ladies to draw the Englishman to their house.
_October 25._--Rise and find that the muleteer had made his escape at
midnight. Go to the Governor’s. “In bed.” Send up to say “that I will
despatch a complaint to the General at Elvas.”
“Not his fault,” he says; “the Corregidor should have obtained his
permission to impress the beasts.” I return to my Corregidor’s house,
desire him to provide a man, and write a complaint to the General.
While writing it the Governor’s approach is announced.
“Don Jose Gonsalaz di Madrigal.”
I attended with much interest the collision of these two dignified
bodies, and it was a fine scene. They put their heads close together
and vociferated their claims of superiority.
The Governor was certainly wrong, and the rage of the old Corregidor
reasonable enough.
To me, however, the Governor knocked under, and told me he would punish
the man for making off; so I did not report him, but got one horse from
the Governor and two from the Corregidor.
The wife of the latter seemed rather to fancy me, as she begged me to
return that way, and if I knocked up the horses she would indeed be
angry. She tried to be handsome, but a complaint in her eyes was a most
formidable adversary.
Start, and in the course of the journey tell the guide he was more
stupid than his mule. “What!” says he, “did you say I was more stupid
than my mule?” “Yes,” said I, and he turned away and laughed as if he
could not restrain it. We arrive at four o’clock at Aliseda, six long
leagues from Albuquerque.
_October 26._--Leave Aliseda for Arroyo del Puerco, a large
good-looking town. Return to Aliseda, and then on to Zagala upon asses.
As the sun sets we get into the park of Zagala, thinly covered with
large cork trees and under-spread with smooth pasture. Here, having
the best animal, I, given up to my own thoughts, insensibly ran ahead
of my servant and guide, but the road turning suddenly to the right
and descending to the bed of the river, reminded me of the imprudence
of parting with my servants and baggage, who might take another road.
I therefore pulled up in the midst of the stream, and casting my eyes
upward and around, beheld one of the most beautiful nights that ever
etherealised the human mind. The woods were not breathed on, all was
still; the half moon rode high in heaven, frequently passed over by the
light blushing clouds with which the sky was chequered. The solemnity
of the scene was such as is not to be described.
I had talked some time ago with a sceptic, and been bothered with his
subtilties; how did they now all fly before the sublime soarings of my
spirit at this moment! Does this airy transport tend to nothing, and
must this mind with such an ardent curiosity to explore the heavens,
and such a celestial gratitude for the refinement it feels in itself,
perish with the body? Could I have made the sceptic take my feelings as
the best argument I could offer, he had been soon converted.
A sceptic should by analogy be of a sordid mind, but this man was
intelligent.
Having passed the river, we soon began to ascend through a thick wood
to the castle of Zagala, crowning the very summit of a rock-gnarled
mount.
When we were half up the hill my donkey started at the appearance of
an animal half as big again as itself, which advanced with a majestic,
deliberate step, and on going close up to it I found it was a beautiful
red stag that very politely came and kissed my hand--beautiful, elegant
creature.
On arriving at the gate of the old mouldering castle we thundered
for entrance, but for some time all was still. At length we thought
we heard the steps of some one dimly sounding through the echoes of
the castle, and ere long a hoarse voice demanded, “Who’s there?” “An
English officer with his servant and guide.” “What do you want?”
“Shelter for the night.” The steps were then heard to retire, and all
was still. Soon after, they were again heard approaching, and the
voice again asked, “How many are you?” “Three.” At last the grating
gate was slowly opened, and we beheld a snug village within, and at the
end of the street a fine-looking hall door with lamps, etc.
They took us to this house, and going upstairs the steward of the
estate of Zagala, belonging to the Marquis of Portachio, received
me with great cordiality and politeness. I was comforted to find a
most capital house with curtains, etc., the picture of cleanliness
and convenience, but how much more delighted when his most beautiful
wife entered the room, with long black mantilla, brilliant rolling
eyes, Roman nose, sweet mouth, jet black hair in short graceful curls
upon her neck, tall, polite, retired, conversable. Could not take my
eyes off her during supper, and feared the administrator would cut
my throat. There was an old priest who disputed with me concerning
Popery. Adventures romantic at first they told, as they had just killed
a large wolf, whose skin was brought in to show us. They then took me
into a nice little ante-room with a clean-looking bed, where I slept
delightfully.
Surely no man can live more happily than my host. This is his castle.
He is alike fearless of the wolves or thieves, for his peasants form an
ample garrison and he has plenty of arms. He lives in modest luxury, a
beautiful wife and fine children, what would he more? The man himself
was a fine black animated Spaniard.
_October 27._--Rise, and when dawn began, the view of the mountains was
grand, the rocky peaks tossing their wild forms above the foggy clouds.
Start for Villa del Rey and soon arrive, as the beast provided for me
was a good little animal. Go on to Campo Mayor and arrive at Elvas at
four o’clock.
Find the General, and soon discover that I have left Squire’s map at
Villa del Rey. Borrow twenty dollars from Colonel Ross to enable me to
purchase the little horse that brought me from Villa del Rey, and pay
forty-three dollars for the same.
Army entering Spain ordered to wear red cockades.
_October 28._--Bernardo starts at seven o’clock for Villa del Rey to
retrieve Squire’s map.
Write my report upon the Aliseda road, which I take to the General when
he has dined. Confess my sins to Squire, who laughs and receives the
mortifying news with good-natured philosophy.
_October 29._--Breakfast with the General, who starts with his suite
for Badajoz at seven. I arrive at Estremoz at eleven and General Paget
in the afternoon. I begin to fret about Bernardo.
_October 30._--Sunday. Breakfast at the General’s. No Bernardo. Write
the General a copy of last report, and after dinner, to my great
satisfaction, Bernardo is announced, for the fellow has become
extremely useful to me, and I depend on his fidelity. On journeys,
also, as I ride before and he behind, he entertains me exceedingly with
the drollery of his anecdotes and remarks, which are extremely acute.
He has withal a very good judgment, is unobtrusive, and can bear a rub.
Thus, though I allow him to talk and laugh, he is not sulky when told
to hold his tongue. Then his cookery and providonata is so good and
his honesty undoubted, he is a perfect interpreter, and up to their
manners. I was glad of his return.
_October 31._--To march to-morrow to Arronches; only hear of it when I
go to dinner. Get a pair of velvet overalls.
_November 1._--On arriving at Arronches, seven leagues from Estremoz,
find Major Gilmore, who gives me soup. Sleep in the justice house.
Little Kickery[20] comes on well. Buy a blanket, of, I think, a rogue.
_November 2._--Start for Albuquerque and overtake the 95th Regiment,
having first passed the Spanish boundary and taken out the Portuguese
cockade. On arriving at Albuquerque we find the deaf Corregidor
disputing with the General’s staff in a great rage; they receive me
with smiles, to the astonishment of the others, and insist on my being
quartered there. At least fifty officers come in about quarters.
They make no hand of the deaf Corregidor, but I explain the matter to
the lady, and she soon arranges it, for she is, in fact, a very good
Corregidor. Find the 20th Regiment here, and Colonel Ross quartered at
the house of my friend the Governor.
_November 3._--Colonel Ross comes to induce the old Corregidor to swear
in the paymaster. The wife achieves it, otherwise the old man would
have first inspected the regimental accounts!!
_N.B._--The man who ran off with his mules before has never returned.
I am badly off here now, for the great room that I had before is
occupied, and I am in the family.
_November 4._--Start in the morning with the 20th Regiment for Aliseda.
Ready at three. No mule. Colonel Ross starts. The Corregidor in a fury.
I start at four, leave the column in the dark, and take a doubtful
road. Hear a dog bark, and ferret out a peasant, who rights us; but
soon after we were again _presque au désespoir_, when a dear dog not
far off began to bark. We made for the noise, holloaing, and at length
a peasant rights us. It now begins to rain like the devil. Lose my way
again in a great wood, but retrieve it, and arrive at Aliseda, wet and
tired, at eleven o’clock. Regiment arrives at two, after a wet, painful
march.
_November 5._--Fine fair day, and after breakfast we leave for Brozas.
_November 6._--Start again at daylight in excessive rain, and arrive
at Alcantara at nine, perfectly wet. Quartered on my old friend the
Alcalde (Mayor), who receives me with the greatest _bon cœur_. The
General is quartered at the Benedictine convent, the richest order in
Spain, and the Prior, who is chaplain to Charles IV., undertook to
prepare dinner for the General, his baggage not having arrived. So one
was rather disposed to expect something sumptuous, and at half-past
four go up to the convent to dinner; dismayed to see a little tabletto
with one glass and a pint of wine. For dinner there was a soup made
of bread, water, beans, and salt in a flat plate, and a light leg and
shoulder of goat--execrable; silver plates, and a few grapes after
dinner.
Coming home we hear the Fandango playing and singing. Go to the door,
which is immediately shut. Complain to the Alcalde. “Do you wish to
see it?” said he quickly. “Yes.” “Vamos.” And away we went, and were
now highly received among the dancing peasants. I think it exceedingly
pretty, the girls seem so glorified, dizened out in all their finest
costume, and preserving such a gravity of modest dignity, that awes
the boors into distance and respect. They, on the contrary, with their
hats on, and in all their working dirt, dance with the fair, but never
touch them, both snapping their fingers all the time, and raising
their heads alternately with a graceful motion. When it was over we
retired to the Alcalde’s house, and entered into conversation, in
the midst of which he was called out to quell a disturbance in the
street. I asked what it was. “Nothing,” they said; but from the looks
of the women, who wished to detain me in the house, I suspected some
English were concerned, so I went out, and Bernardo followed me, and,
directed by the noise to a neighbouring house, we found two English
officers--Tilford and Falls--in a small room, bayed by about fifty
Spaniards with swords and fixed bayonets. I was going to inquire very
quietly what was the matter, and prevent mischief as skilfully as I
could, when that fool Bernardo, like a horse taking fright on the brink
of a precipice, darted on one of the peasants, dragging him away, and
calling him all the devils in hell, and cuffing him with all his might.
This immediately, as I foresaw, raised the fury of this disorderly
patrole to ungovernable bounds. They heeded neither corporal nor
Alcalde. They entirely threw off all authority, and seemed prepared,
with drawn daggers and swords and fixed bayonets, to take the most
plenary revenge. I seized Bernardo, stamped and bawled to him to be
quiet, but still the fool with his damned tongue and violent gestures
inflamed them so much, that, losing all distinction, having seized
him, they hemmed us in, and drove us backward into the room.
Seeing Bernardo pinioned, with a parcel of swords clashing about and
twenty bayonets ready, I expected fully every instant to see him
fall with fifty stabs, and pushed forward to the Spaniards, saying,
“Prighonera, prighonera,” meaning that they should take him prisoner
and not kill him. And perhaps this hint saved him, for they repeated,
“Yes, yes, prisoners; all of you prisoners.” Just then Bernardo broke
loose, and rushed to us within the room.
Immediately, with loud shouts and execrations, the mob from behind,
pushing the mob in front, came tumultuously and blackly towards us,
their bayonets thrusting open the door.
I entreated Falls and Tilford to be perfectly quiet and to use no
gestures nor loud words, and told Bernardo, with an angry frown, he
would be answerable for our lives. He seemed to have found his senses,
and to see the madness of his conduct. I then went quietly up to the
first rank (we were unarmed) and asked, “What do you want? To murder
your friends? Are we not your friends? What do you want?”
Immediately reason seemed to strike one of them, and he pulled off his
hat and said, “Yes, sir, we are friends, and we only want you to stay
here until the Governor settles the dispute.”
This was breath and blue sky, and I employed the interval in
conciliating them as much as possible, and, going close among them,
told them we were friends come to help them, that we had the same
cause, etc., and how silly it was to make ill blood owing to some
foolish mistake.
Still the storm clamoured from without, and through the windows I
perceived the street full of furious faces and glistening arms.
At length, however, the calm which I had obtained near me gradually
pervaded the others, and we entered into quiet conversation. Still,
however, they were bitter against Bernardo, and Tilford wished for the
Grenadiers of the 20th, if he could get them.
In the beginning of the fray our excellent little Alcalde (Mayor) had
been very active and bold, and pushed the fellows out of the room with
many a crack; but when Bernardo put them in such a fury, he was fairly
jostled to the outside, and could not get to us again until the calm
reached him from within.
He then settled the matter by taking Tilford, against whom the offence
was, into his own house. Bernardo made very handsome apologies, which
were accepted with good heart, and I went home very thankful that the
thing had ended as it did, and gave Mr. Bernardo very cogent hints
respecting the gallant fire he had so perniciously displayed.
The cause of the foolish affair was the spite of the beastly master of
the house because Tilford had come to join Falls in his billet, and he
had lyingly persuaded the patrole that he had insulted his wife.
_November 7._--I find that last night when Bernardo had followed me
the dangerous fellow had concealed the Alcalde’s long toledo under his
cloak, and made a thrust at one man, but the sword luckily only passed
through his coat.
The General after breakfast complains to the assembled authorities of
the town that the men are not received with sufficient friendship, and
that it may have a bad effect on the minds of the soldiers. The 20th
Regiment marches to Zarza, and Colonel Beckwith with the 95th marches
in.
[Illustration: _Bridge of Alcantara._]
The Benedictine church is extremely fine inside; the bare stone in
Gothic arches extremely grand. We view the bridge. Nothing can exceed
it. Its venerable air, as well as the inscription over the triumphal
arch, declare its structure of antiquity. It was built by the Emperor
Trajan, and is about 150 feet high, stretching from mountain to
mountain. The stones are immense, and of nearly equal size, with all
the roundness of time’s rubbing. Standing on the bed of the river and
catching the wild mountains through the enormous arches, it appears
like the Bridge of Sin and Death striding over chaos. The piers seem
to have been exceedingly well clamped, and there is a triumphal arch
in the centre of the bridge. I should think it as fine and perfect a
Roman relique as any that exists, and being in this country it involves
a number of inferences very interesting to the antiquary and historian.
I wish some of them could see it. There is a striking grandeur of
rude yet elegant simplicity in this structure which must always have
rendered it most imposing; but that very venerable air that the whole
has acquired, from each great stone being mouldered by time, until
there are wide joints between them, and the whole inexpressible shade
cast over it by a thousand years, give it an impression on the mind
(while the light clouds dance over the top of the arch) that is not to
be described.
ALCANTARA, _November 5, 1808_.
MY EVER DEAREST DAD--The advanced division of the Army under
General Paget is now moving onwards by the shortest route towards
Burgos from the Alemtejo. The roads along the frontier into the
north of Spain by Alcantara, Ciudad Rodrigo, etc., are so bad that
all the artillery on the south side or left bank of the Tagus is
moving on by the high road to Madrid. The rest will go from Lisbon
to Almeida, and so on.
There has been a very irksome interval between the knowledge of our
destined entry into Spain and the commencement of the march.
The rainy season appears to have commenced, but I devoutly hope
that its effects will not be great before the arrival of this
division at Ciudad Rodrigo, from which place I believe the roads
are not liable to be broken up by bad weather.
If we get in time upon the theatre of war, the British Army has
every reason to be sanguine. I believe there is no man in the
Army who is not confident in Sir John Moore. He has under him as
generals as fine ardent fellows as ever breathed, and I believe his
particular attached friends. Then the troops are the best quality
of British troops, which is as much praise as can be given. So if
Buonaparte himself with 50,000 Frenchmen of his best bands will
please to oppose himself to the British corps of the Allied Army,
we can wish no more. I shall take care that you get a line from me
as often as is possible.
I rambled a good deal about this part of the country before the
division moved, and had some curious adventures. I have been
fortunate enough to get an invaluable servant, who is an excellent
cook, interpreter, and travelling companion, of tried fidelity and
diligence, and more entertaining and conversable on the road than
Sancho was with Don Quixote in the same relations and in the same
country. I have completed my stud for forty guineas. Two chargers
and a baggage pony make my establishment, and in these I have been
so fortunate that I would spurn sixty guineas for them, and was
offered twenty-five for one that cost me fifteen the other day.
However, by the end of the campaign I expect I shall have taken out
of them a little of their worth.
It is the greatest comfort to me to be with such a man as General
Paget. I consider myself as a part of his suite, and shall be very
proud if I gain the esteem of such a noble man.
This morning before we set off from Brozas it was not light, and
a man was smoking a little paper cigar in the hall. The General
said he should like one of all things, so I asked the man if he had
one, and one ready made was produced. There was some embarrassment
about which end was to be lighted, and which to be taken into the
mouth, so the man seized it very readily to show him the way. I
endeavoured to redeem it before it was, as I should have thought,
rendered unfit for service by being in the man’s mouth, saying
with impatience, “He’s going to put it in his mouth.” “No, now let
him alone; never mind,” said the General. “He knows nothing about
that sort of thing, you know, and I’d rather do that than offend a
fellow.”
It was said in such a natural, quiet, unaffected way as to be quite
delightful.
Do let me hear often. I received a letter from dearest Mamsey,
which gave me great delight. That Mr. Leckie is a very clever, but
rather wild gentleman, who treated me very hospitably at Syracuse.
I liked him very much. My friend Lefebure, to my great delight,
is in Spain, most creditably employed as a missionary on affairs
of very particular importance. The higher his employment is, the
more I am sure his energetic mind will do him credit. I have had
a very long communicative letter from him. I find he has applied
to Lord Chatham for me, among a few others, to assist him in his
occupation. I shall send this to headquarters by one of General
Paget’s staff, who happens to be going, and hope that it will tell
you very soon that I am well and happy.--With greatest love, ever,
dearest Dad,