Much fatigued, we returned, and reached the cloisters of the convent, in search of our servants and baggage. While we were debating on the best method of securing a place of rest for the night, an athletic figure came stalking towards us, enveloped in the garments of a friar, having a fine dark countenance, and jet black hair cut short and shaved on the crown of his head, about two inches in diameter. He demanded how it was that we seemed wandering about at so late an hour of the night. We briefly informed him of our situation, when he most courteously invited us to follow him and led us through several passages and up many flights of stairs to a couple of small bed rooms at the very top of the convent; then retired for a short time, and re-appeared, loaded with wine and sweetmeats. My friend had previously been in the country, and therefore could make himself understood; and, as he was acting quarter-master (at eighteen) for the detachment, he was glad of this opportunity which now offered to be near the men, to enable him to superintend the serving out of rations early on the following morning. Our host proved to be the abbot, and after a short conversation he wished us a sound repose to follow our sea voyage, and retired.
During our stay at Lisbon, we made a point of seeing the handsome churches, the opera, the grand aqueduct and other curiosities. The night previously to our quitting this place, the Consul gave a ball, to which we were invited; and I was surprised to observe the Portuguese gentlemen in coloured clothes, with pink and various-coloured silk stockings. The costume of the ladies was gaudy, but their dresses were ill made and worse put on. We only danced one set, and, some hours having elapsed without any appearance of supper, (which was of serious consideration to us, as we were ordered to be on the banks of the Tagus the next morning at day light for the purpose of embarking in boats for Villada, some distance up the river,) I explored a suite of rooms at the extremity of which I espied on a sideboard a huge dish filled with wafer cakes: but, not wishing to attack such a prize without an ally, I hastened to my companion to communicate my good luck, who, without further ado, assisted at their demolition. Although they were the largest of the kind I had ever before seen, our young teeth cracked them with an extraordinary rapidity; smash! smash! they went, and two layers had now disappeared, when a Portuguese attendant out of livery, observing such dreadful havoc, advanced to their rescue, assuring us with solemn physiognomy that they were reserved for the ladies. Hostilities ceased on their protector's consenting to procure us a bottle of wine, two goblets of which we hastily swallowed, and instantly sallied out into the odoriferous streets. "Agua fresca, agua fresca" resounded from all quarters, while buckets of the most nauseous contents fell with a splash from the upper stories of houses into the space below—like the bursting of water spouts. "Conceal yourself," cried my friend, "or you will be scented and sprinkled all over." In this manner, running the gauntlet at every turning, we proceeded until we reached the dark and narrow flight of stairs leading to our heavenly apartments, where we had no sooner entered than I put my foot on the body of a man, who lay stretched at full length across the doorway. I hung back, and we regroping our way down into the court yard, and alarming the guard, lights were procured: the rays of the lamp fell on the face of my drunken snoring servant, encircled with bottles—having emptied the contents into his own stomach. From the effects of this he had scarcely recovered at the hour of our departure, leaving me the agreeable task of packing up, and seeing my mule safe off, as the baggage and animals were to cross the grand lines of Torres Vedras, and meet us at the place of disembarkation.
Passing through the principal streets, we entered the boats for our conveyance (after a stay of eleven days at Lisbon) and landed in the evening at Villada.
CHAPTER IV.
March to Santarem and Abrantes—Scenery and incidents at Aronches—Junction with some other regiments—Military scene in a wood—Anticipatory reflections on the fate of some of the author's comrades—Quarters at Portalagre, Castello de Vida and Marvao—Bridge of boats across the Tagus—Contiguous scenery—Horrors of travelling for invalids in the Portuguese cars.
Our animals and baggage having joined us the next day, we took the road towards Santarem, and about dusk reached the causeway leading up a steep hill into the town, where the French, previously to their retreat under Marshal the Prince of Essling[11], had thrown the dead from their hospitals into the wells,—the idea of which caused such horrible thoughts, that we could scarcely summon up sufficient resolution to drink while at that place.
The excessive heat of the following day having somewhat subsided, towards the cool of the evening we began our march, but, by some unaccountable accident, took the wrong road for upwards of a league before the mistake was found out. Retreading our steps, we at length regained the identical spot from whence we had previously started nearly three hours before; glancing my eye towards the battlements of the town, a smile prophetic passed my countenance, that I should not again behold its turrets. Turning our backs, and pursuing the right road, we gaily tramped along toward Golegam; and, as the morning dawned, I was loudly knocking for admittance at the door of a small house, on the confines of the church-yard, that was strewed with skulls which had been torn from the sepulchres and graves, in search of gold, by the French soldiery.
After the usual halt we pursued our march through Punhete to Abrantes, where two of us were nearly carried away amongst the quicksands, while bathing in the river Tagus, and only reached the shore by making the greatest efforts. Various individuals had been drowned at this place by the current.