ms early on the morning of the 25th; and, passing by a
mountain-path, to the left of Pampeluna, within range of the guns,
though they did not fire at us, circled the town, until we reached the
village of Villalba, where we halted for the night. Since I joined
that army, I had never, up to that period, been master of any thing in
the shape of a bed; and, though I did not despise a bundle of straw,
when it could conveniently be had, yet my boat-cloak and blanket were
more generally to be seen, spread out for my reception on the bare
earth. But, in proceeding to turn into them, as usual, this evening, I
was not a little astonished to find, in their stead, a comfortable
mattress, with a suitable supply of linen, blankets, and pillows; in
short, the very identical bedding on which I had slept, the night
before, in the chateau, three leagues off, and which my rascal of an
Irishman had bundled altogether on the back of my mule, without giving
me the slightest hint of his intentions. On my taking him to task
about it, and telling him that he would certainly be hanged, all that
he said in reply was, "by J--s, they had more than a hundred beds in
that house, and not a single soul to sleep in them." I was very much
annoyed, at the time, that there was no possibility of returning them
to their rightful owner, as, independent of its being nothing short of
a regular robbery, I really looked upon them as a very unnecessary
encumbrance; but being forced, in some measure, to indulge in their
comforts, I was not long in changing my mind; and was, ultimately, not
very sorry that the possibility of restoration never did occur.

CHAP. XV.

March to intercept Clausel. Tafalla. Olite. The dark End of a
Night March to Casada. Clausel's Escape. Sanguessa. My Tent
struck. Return to Villalba. Weighty Considerations on Females.
St. Esteban. A Severe Dance. Position at Bera. Soult's Advance,
and Battle of the Pyrenees. His Defeat and subsequent Actions. A
Morning's Ride.

June 26th, 1813.--Our division fell in this morning, at daylight, and,
marching out of Villalba, circled round the southern side of
Pampeluna, until we reached the great road leading to Tafalla, where
we found ourselves united with the third and fourth divisions, and a
large body of cavalry; the whole under the immediate command of Lord
Wellington, proceeded southward, with a view to intercept General
Clausel, who, with a strong division of