house was fortified, every road blocked up, every
eminence mined with fieldworks, and every place swarming with
armed men. Nor was its aspect less striking by night than by
day. Gaze where he might, the eye of the spectator then rested
upon some portion of one huge circle of fires, by the glare of
which the white tents or rudely constructed huts of the besiegers
were from time to time made visible.

While things continued thus, the condition of the peaceful
inhabitant of this district could hardly fail to be one of
extreme discomfort. Of these the greater number had indeed fled
on the advance of the British army, leaving their houses and
effects a prey to the conquerors; but there were some who, having
probably no place of refuge to retire to, remained in their
homes, and threw themselves upon our mercy for protection. It is
not requisite that I should now inform the reader of the strict
discipline which Lord Wellington preserved in every division of
his army; his first step, on entering France, had been to inform
the people that against them no violence was intended; and the
assurance thus given, was in no instance, at least wantonly,
violated. But, however orderly the conduct of an invading force
may be, their very presence must occasion a thousand
inconveniences to those upon whom they are quartered; not the
least distressing of which is, perhaps, the feeling of
degradation which the consciousness of being in the power of
armed foreigners can hardly fail to produce. Then there is the
total destruction of all domestic comfort, which the occupation
of a man's house by large bodies of soldiers produces; the
liability to which the females, in particular, are exposed to
insult from the common troopers; and the dread of vengeance from
any delinquent on whom their complaints may have brought down
chastisement, all these things must and do create a degree of
misery, of which the inhabitants of Great Britain may thank God
that they know nothing except by name. In the vicinity of
Bayonne, moreover, the country people lived in daily and nightly
expectation of finding themselves involved in all the horrors and
dangers of a battle. Sorties were continually looked for, and
however these might terminate, the non-combatants felt that they
must be equally the sufferers. Nay, it was no uncommon ground of
complaint among them, that even the total defeat of our forces
would bring with it no relief, because, by remaining to