The Rifle Men were ordered to proceed across the Coa to the villages of Cinco Villas, Villar Torpin, and Reygada, two leagues in advance of Pinhel. Cinco Villas is half a league nearer Pinhel, and stands close to the Coa, with a strong stone bridge over it.
17th
Marched and occupied the villages of Figueira, Mata de Lobas, and Escallion, close to the river Douro. The rest of the Brigade marched from Pinhel, taking up a line on our right. The banks of the Douro are extremely rocky, wild, and romantic—in short, the country all round, with few exceptions, is wild and stony. We have had a heavy fall of snow, in which I observed innumerable prints of wolves. I endeavoured to track them, but without success.
1810 Feb. 14th
Retired to Valverde Pereiro, in consequence of some information our Brigade received about the enemy.
15th
27th
Returned to our cantonments and continued very quiet until this day, when a company of Rifle Men were ordered to the Spanish village of Bouza. A party was sent forward to feel the enemy. It crossed the river Duas Casas, and proceeded to Barba del Puerco, which was found in the enemy's possession. The party fell back upon Bouza and the enemy followed and fired a few long shots, but did not cross the river. Two companies of Rifle Men now occupied Bouza, and two companies as a support at Escarigo, on the Turon. The Duas Casas rises near Castello Bom, on the Portuguese frontier; it passes between Bouza and Barba del Puerco, after which it falls into the Agueda.