eived eight dollars, and I believe the serjeants sixteen.

The Lisbon traders must have got scent of this, for a quantity of
boats laden with little requisites and luxuries ascended the river
from Lisbon to trade amongst the soldiers, and so we were soon enabled
to rid ourselves of our little spare cash. Our colonel was very
considerate to these people, and being determined as far as possible
to prevent all plunder, had their boats or stalls guarded by sentries.
This, however, did not altogether hinder some of the more daring from
getting things on the cheap now and then, but they were so trifling
that they are hardly worthy of mention.

CHAPTER X.

Opening of the year 1811 -- Surrender of Olivencia and Badajoz to
the French under Soult -- The French followed up in their retreat
from Santarem -- Engagements on the route -- Pombal -- Redinha --
Condexo -- Casal Nova -- Fatal results of having too large a head
-- Miranda de Corno -- Poz de Aroce -- Halt at Moira while the
French take refuge in Celorico -- The fourth division ordered to
Badajoz -- Halt at Portalegre -- Shameful instance of plunder and
sacrilege by Lawrence and his comrades -- Campo Mayor --
Outrageous theft from an unprotected female -- A stolen bird
turns evidence against its purloiner.

The remainder of the year 1810 was spent in these cantonments, the
French still lying in their position at Santarem. But the beginning of
1811 brought on us more and fatal work, for Soult's army had invested
Olivencia and Badajoz, and obliged them, not being garrisoned by the
British, but only by the Spaniards, to surrender. The way was thus
paved for one of the worst engagements in the whole Peninsular war; I
mean the storming of Badajoz.

The French did not move from Santarem till the beginning of March,
which we discovered on the 6th, and Lord Wellington, having received
fresh reinforcements from England, determined on following them up.
They had taken three routes, and consequently our army had to be
divided too. Our division, which was the Fourth, with the First and
Sixth divisions, commanded by Marshal Beresford, was to follow by way
of Thomar, and the main body of the army by way of Leiria and Pombal,
and so again to unite.

On our route we came up with the French at Thomar, but on our
appearance they retreated to Espinal, a short distance off Pombal, and
took up a strong position between these two la