ed regular cavalry
and a battalion of eight hundred trained infantry; the rest of his force
consisted of Spanish militia. The town itself was fairly strong and
contained a large population. It was separated from a wide plain by a
river, on the banks of which redoubts mounted with artillery had been
thrown up.

Here the Valencian road wound through a pass, above which, on the
crest of a lofty overhanging hill, were the ruins of ancient Saguntum.
Peterborough had no artillery save a few Spanish field guns; the enemy's
position was formidable both by formation and art, and his force was
altogether inadequate for an attack upon it. So hopeless did the attempt
appear to be that Peterborough's officers were unanimous in the opinion
that it would be better to make a wide circuit and avoid the place, and
to march directly upon Valencia and give battle to the Duke of Arcos
under its walls. Peterborough, however, simply told them to wait and see
what would come of it, and in the mean time he continued to bewilder his
foes by the most surprising romances.

His agents were for the most part a few sharp witted dragoons, and some
peasants whose fidelity was secured by their families being held as
hostages. He had already contrived to bewilder the division of Las
Torres before it reached the main body under the Duke of Arcos. A spy
in his pay had informed the Spanish general that the British were close
upon him, and he had accordingly at once broken up his camp and marched
all night.

In the morning the spy again presented himself and stated that the
British were pushing on over the mountains to his left to occupy an
important point and to cut off his retreat to the Valencian plains. As
it seemed absolutely impossible that they could have pressed forward
so quickly, Las Torres refused to credit the story. The spy, as if
indignant at his truth being doubted, pledged himself at the hazard of
his life to give proof of the assertion to any officer who might be sent
to ascertain it.

Two officers in plain clothes were accordingly sent with him in the
direction where he stated the English to be; but when they stopped for
refreshment at a village on the way they were suddenly pounced upon by
a picket of English dragoons, who had been sent there for the purpose.
After a time the spy pretended to the two officers that he had made the
guard drunk and that they could now make their escape, and leading them
stealthily to the stable showed th