cool, and particularly skilful at penetrating the intentions of the enemy, and always ready to oppose him in the very nick of time; and as to his gallantry, no man was more conspicuous for intrepid conduct. William has a high opinion of his abilities as an officer and has mentioned him highly in his history of the Peninsular war.

About three weeks after William left me, I had been sitting up late in a room adjoining my bedroom and trying to write with my left hand and to mend pens, but being fatigued, I left the lamp burning, and my penknife on the table and went to bed, hanging up my watch and sword over my pillow. About an hour or two afterwards I awoke, thinking I heard a noise in the room, and listening attentively I heard something which I supposed was a rat; but as the lamp was gone out in the other room and it was quite dark, I could not distinguish anything. In a few minutes I distinctly heard a noise as if my clothes were being dragged about. I then was certain someone was in the room and stealing my things, so I got up softly and taking down my sword, which was in a steel scabbard, I went gently to the door, listened very attentively, but could hear no sound and was on

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the point of returning to bed, when I thought I would just cross the other room and try if the passage door was open. In doing this I suddenly came in contact with a man, who instantly seized me round the waist and made every effort to throw me down. Thinking he was a Portuguese I expected every moment to have a stiletto plunged into my body, well knowing that a Portuguese thief would not come unprepared for assassination in case of discovery. I struggled hard with the fellow, and recollecting that I had left one of the windows open which was very high from the ground I attempted, as well as I was able, with only one hand (the other being bound up and the bones not knit together again) to get him with his back against it, so that I could then throw him out into the street, which would have settled him for ever. But in this, from weakness, I failed. I then made an effort to approach the table, where I had left the penknife open, with which I might stab him before he stabbed me; but I had not strength to push him along; and finding that he had not made any attempt to kill me, I began to suspect that he must be an English soldier, and therefore struck at him with the hilt of my sword

in the face, and calling to him said that if he would speak I would let him go. But speak he would not, and suddenly, as if recollecting himself, he seized my wounded arm in his teeth, and gave me such pain by tearing at it, that I let go my sword, and being exhausted by so long a struggle, I had no more power, and the fellow immediately picked it up, drew it out of the scabbard, and began cutting at me as well as he could in the dark. However, I got under the table, and by that means avoided his blows. Finding he could do nothing more and that by this time a medical officer, who lodged opposite me, was up and alarmed by my calling out for assistance, he cut open a glass door with my sword, which opened into a balcony and from thence let himself down into the street and got off just as my servant came into the room, who immediately ran to the window and levelled his musket at him, but it missed fire and my friend escaped. As soon as we got a light, we found he had removed my trunk and all my clothes into the passage and had everything piled up ready to carry off. When I went to my bed I found the rascal had taken my gold watch, which I was very much vexed at, as it was an old family one, given

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me by poor William Craig before he died. I never could trace this robbery, or get the least clue to the perpetrator of it; and, indeed, I was very glad of it, for had I found him out he would have been hanged, and as he certainly had no intention of doing me any bodily harm when he first entered my room I should never have felt comfortable if he had been hung. The struggling and the laceration of the wound by his teeth, in my weak state, brought on fever and I was laid up in bed for some weeks after and my recovery much retarded, and I was prevented joining my regiment as soon as I had hoped to have done.

CHAPTER V.

Promotion-General Craufurd refuses to let me join the Portuguese Army-Lord Beresford-Portuguese Army-Colonel Ross, 52nd Regiment-Siege of Ceudad Rodrigo-Assault of the Lesser Breach-Lieutenant Gurwood, 52nd Regiment—Wounded— Prince of Orange-General Vandeleur-Arm Amputated-Medical Etiquette-Colonel Colborne, 52nd Regiment—General Craufurd-His Death-The Light Division-Craufurd's CharacterWellington's care of his Sick and Wounded-Return to England. BEFORE I left Coimbra I received a letter from Lord Wellington's military secretary, to inform me that his lordship had recommended me as well as my brother William for the brevet rank of major in the army, in consequence of our conduct, and particularly on the day we were last wounded. This was a pleasing communication, as I had been a captain eight years and began to fear I never should be promoted, although I never was a moment absent from my duty except when disabled by wounds. When I joined the army the Light Division was on the march towards the south. I wished at that period very much to be allowed