of his patriotism.

When we arrived at Almeida, I learned that the "Medea" sloop-of-war was
lying off Oporto, and expected to sail for England in a few days. The
opportunity was not to be neglected. The official despatches, I was aware,
would be sent through Lisbon, where the "Gorgon" frigate was in waiting to
convey them; but should I be fortunate enough to reach Oporto in time, I
had little doubt of arriving in England with the first intelligence of the
fall of Ciudad Rodrigo. Reducing my luggage, therefore, to the smallest
possible compass, and having provided myself with a juvenile guide for the
pass of La Reyna, I threw myself, without undressing, upon the bed, and
waited anxiously for the break of day to resume my journey.

As I ruminated over the prospect my return presented, I suddenly remembered
Frank Webber's letter, which I had hastily thrust into a portfolio without
reading, so occupied was I by Considine's epistle; with a little searching
I discovered it, and trimming my lamp, as I felt no inclination to sleep, I
proceeded to the examination of what seemed a more than usually voluminous
epistle. It contained four closely-written pages, accompanied by something
like a plan in an engineering sketch. My curiosity becoming further
stimulated by this, I sat down to peruse it. It began thus:--

Official Despatch of Lieutenant-General Francis Webber to Lord
Castlereagh, detailing the assault and capture of the old pump, in
Trinity College, Dublin, on the night of the second of December,
eighteen hundred and eleven, with returns of killed, wounded,
and missing, with other information from the seat of war.

HEADQUARTERS, No. 2, OLD SQUARE.

My Lord,--In compliance with the instructions contained in your
lordship's despatch of the twenty-first ultimo, I concentrated the
force under my command, and assembling the generals of division,
made known my intentions in the following general order:--

A. G. O.

The following troops will this evening assemble at headquarters, and
having partaken of a sufficient dinner for the next two days, with
punch for four, will hold themselves in readiness to march in the
following order:--

Harry Nesbitt's Brigade of Incorrigibles will form a blockading
force, in the line extending from the vice-provost's house to the
library. The light division, under Mark Waller, will skirmish from
th