ling the hill, opened so heavy a fire on the
French ascending it that five battalions fell back, without taking
part in the attack. This took place at the crisis of the
engagement, and had a decisive effect on its result."

At eight o'clock a staff officer rode up, with orders for the Minho
regiment to return at once to the pass of Banos, as the news had
come in that the enemy beyond the hills were in movement. Terence
was to act in concert with the Spanish force there, and hold the
pass as long as possible. If the enemy were in too great strength
to be withstood, he was given discretion as to his movements; being
guided only by the fact that the British army would, probably,
march down the valley of the Tagus.

If Soult crossed, "his force," the order added, "was estimated as
not exceeding 15,000 men."

Chapter 3: Prisoners.

On the 31st of July Terence reached the neighbourhood of Banos and
learned, from the peasantry, that a French army had passed through
the town early on the preceding day. No resistance, whatever, had
been offered to its passage through the pass of Bejar; and the
Spanish at Banos had retreated hastily, after exchanging a few
shots with the French advanced guard. The peasantry had all
deserted their villages, but had had some skirmishes with small
foraging parties of cavalry. Several French stragglers had been
killed in the pass.

Hoping to find some of these still alive, and to obtain information
from them, Terence continued his march for Banos; sending on two of
the best mounted of the Portuguese horsemen, to ascertain if there
was any considerable French force left there. He was within half a
mile of the town when he saw them returning, at full speed, chased
by a party of French dragoons; who, however, fell back when they
saw the advancing infantry.

"What is your news?" Terence asked, as the troopers rode up.

"Banos is full of French troops," one of them replied, "and columns
are marching down the pass. From what I can see, I should think
that there must be 16,000 or 20,000 of them."

In fact, this was Soult's second army corps--the first, which had
preceded it, having that morning reached Plasencia, where they
captured 400 sick in the hospitals, and a large quantity of stores
that had been left there, from want of carriage, when the British
army advanced. Terence lost no time in retreating from so dangerous
a neighbourhood, and at once made for the mountains he had just
left.