confinement, they were strictly watched, and
treated more like spies than deserters. Instead of an easy
conquest, we had already met with a vigorous opposition; instead
of finding the inhabitants ready and eager to join us, we found
the houses deserted, the cattle and horses driven away, and every
appearance of hostility. To march by the only road was rendered
impracticable; so completely was it commanded by the shipping.
In a word, all things had turned out diametrically opposite to
what had been anticipated; and it appeared that, instead of a
trifling affair more likely to fill our pockets than to add to
our renown, we had embarked in an undertaking which presented
difficulties not to be surmounted without patience and
determination.

Having effected this change of position, and covered the front of
his army with a strong chain of outposts, General Keane, as I
have said, remained quiet during the remainder of the night, and
on the morrow was relieved from further care and responsibility
by the unexpected arrival of Sir Edward Pakenham and General
Gibbs. As soon as the death of Ross was known in London, the
former of these officers was dispatched to take upon himself the
command of the army. Sailing immediately with the latter as his
second in command, he had been favoured during the whole voyage
by a fresh and fair wind, and now arrived in time to see his
troops brought into a predicament from which all his abilities
could scarcely expect to extricate them. Nor were the troops
themselves ignorant of the unfavourable circumstances in which
they stood. Hoping everything, therefore, from a change, they
greeted their new leader with a hearty cheer; whilst the
confidence which past events had tended in some degree to dispel,
returned once more to the bosoms of all. It was Christmas-day,
and a number of officers, clubbing their little stock of
provisions, resolved to dine together in memory of former times.
But at so melancholy a Christmas dinner I do not recollect at any
time to have been present. We dined in a barn; of plates,
knives, and forks, there was a dismal scarcity; nor could our
fare boast of much either in intrinsic good quality or in the way
of cooking. These, however, were mere matters of merriment; it
was the want of many well-known and beloved faces that gave us
pain; nor were any other subjects discussed besides the amiable
qualities of those who no longer formed part of our mess, and
never wou