e of the life-guards concluded that every
thing in front of their camp must be a part of them, and they,
accordingly, apprehended some of the light dragoon horses, which
happened to be grazing near. One of their officers came to dine with
me that day, and he was in the act of reporting their capture, when my
orderly-book was brought at the moment, containing an offer of reward
for the detection of the thieves!

On the 27th, we encamped on the banks of the Tormes, at a ford, about
a league below Salamanca. A body of the enemy, who had occupied the
city, suffered severely before they got away, in a brush with some
part of Sir Rowland Hill's corps; chiefly, I believe, from some of his
artillery.

On the 28th, we crossed the river, and marched near to Aldea Nueva,
where we remained stationary for some days, under Sir Rowland Hill;
Lord Wellington having proceeded from Salamanca to join the left wing
of the army, beyond the Douro.

On the 2d of June, we were again put in motion; and, after a very long
march, encamped near the Douro, opposite the town of Toro.

Lord Wellington had arrived there the day before, without being
opposed by the enemy; but there had been an affair of cavalry, a short
distance beyond the town, in which the hussar brigade particularly
distinguished themselves, and took about three hundred prisoners.

On the morning of the 3d, we crossed the river; and, marching through
the town of Toro, encamped about half a league beyond it. The enemy
had put the castle in a state of repair, and constructed a number of
other works to defend the passage of the river; but the masterly eye
of our chief, having seen his way round the town, spared them the
trouble of occupying the works; yet, loth to think that so much labour
should be altogether lost, he garrisoned their castle with the three
hundred taken by the hussar brigade, for which it made a very good
jail.

On the 4th, we were again in motion, and had a long, warm, fatiguing
march; as, also, on the 5th and 6th. On the 7th, we encamped outside
of Palencia, a large rickety looking old town; with the front of every
house supported by pillars, like so many worn out old bachelors on
crutches.

The French did not interfere with our accommodation in the slightest,
but made it a point to leave every place an hour or two before we came
to it; so that we quietly continued our daily course, following nearly
the line of the Canal de Castile, through a country luxuri