e of the river for nearly two miles, the
rocks on each side gradually expanded into another valley, lovely as
the one we had left, and where we found the fifth division of our army
lying encamped. They were still asleep; and the rising sun, and a
beautiful morning, gave additional sublimity to the scene; for there
was nothing but the tops of the white tents peeping above the fruit
trees; and an occasional sentinel pacing his post, that gave any
indication of what a nest of hornets the blast of a bugle could bring
out of that apparently peaceful solitude.

Our road now wound up the mountain to our right; and, almost satiated
with the continued grandeur around us, we arrived, in the afternoon,
at the town of Medina, and encamped a short distance beyond it.

We were welcomed into every town or village through which we passed,
by the peasant girls, who were in the habit of meeting us with
garlands of flowers, and dancing before us in a peculiar style of
their own; and it not unfrequently happened, that while they were so
employed with one regiment, the preceding one was diligently engaged
in pulling down some of their houses for firewood--a measure which we
were sometimes obliged to have recourse to, where no other fuel could
be had, and for which they were, ultimately, paid by the British
Government; but it was a measure that was more likely to have set the
poor souls dancing mad than for joy, had they foreseen the
consequences of our visit.

June 17th.--We had not seen any thing of the enemy since we left the
neighbourhood of Burgos; but, after reaching our ground this evening,
we were aware that some of their videttes were feeling for us.

On the morning of the 18th, we were ordered to march to San Milan, a
small town, about two leagues off; and where, on our arrival on the
hill above it, we found a division of French infantry, as strong as
ourselves, in the act of crossing our path. The surprise, I believe,
was mutual, though I doubt whether the pleasure was equally so; for we
were red hot for an opportunity of retaliating for the Salamanca
retreat; and, as the old saying goes, "there is no opportunity like
the present." Their leading brigade had nearly passed before we came
up, but not a moment was lost after we did. Our battalion dispersing
among the brushwood, went down the hill upon them; and, with a
destructive fire, broke through their line of march, supported by the
rest of the brigade. Those that had passed