The towns are constructed of ancient massive buildings of stone or dingy brick, (the lower windows barred with iron,) intermixed with innumerable churches, convents, and religious edifices of the most ancient construction.
During the middle of the day all shops are closed by a pair of unwieldy doors, and the inhabitants enjoy their middle sleep or siesta. At this hour the streets may be traversed without meeting a single person, and the great monastic edifices stand in solemn grandeur as monuments of that superstition exercised by the monks at the time of their foundation in the darker ages. As soon as the scorching heat has somewhat subsided, the doors are thrown open, and towards evening the streets are thronged by merry dancers and songstresses; the tinkling of the guitar is heard from the casements, balconies, and verandas; the servant maids go chatting and laughing to the fountains; the muleteers lead their animals to water; the peasant girls bring in cans of goat's milk, and the shopkeepers sit at their portals without coats, having their shirt sleeves tucked up, and smoking cigars.
On the 25th we made a halt to enable the stragglers and stores of the army to come up. On the same day El Rey Joseph had arrived at Blasko Sancho, near Arevalo, with a reinforcement, principally composed of Spaniards, for the purpose of joining the Duke of Ragusa; but on gaining intelligence of the defeat his troops had sustained at Salamanca, he countermarched in the evening towards his capital, leaving a picquet of cavalry behind at Blasko Sancho, who were all taken prisoners, while carousing in a wine-house, by a corporal's party of the 14th light horse. About this time General Sir R. Hill had moved with the second division on Zafra, in Estremadura, to observe a French force in that quarter.
On the 28th our division bivouacked round the ancient town of Olmedo, where the Earl of Wellington gave a ball, with a general invite to all those officers who liked to attend. The Alcalde selected the different ladies as usual, whose merry hearts and supple forms were always ready for the dance.
The following morning, an hour before daylight, we advanced, and it was a droll sight to see the officers sleeping as they rode along after the fatigues of the previous night, still dressed in their ball attire, such as crimson, light blue, or white trowsers, richly embroidered with gold or silver, velvet and silk waistcoats of all colours, decorated in a similar manner: dandies ready alike for the dance and the fight; most of them had received a wound, and others more, nor can I call to mind one of the officers present at this time, including the senior officer, who had reached twenty-five years of age. Owing to the heat of the weather, it was the fashion of the times to wear the jacket open, which was the only particle of dress left to denote to what nation we belonged; as to any other uniformity for the officers, it was quite out of the question: the fantastical dresses of those days would have confounded the most ancient or modern disciplinarians.—The enemy still continued their flight across the Douro through Valladolid, which city the Marquis of Wellington entered on the 30th, at the head of a large body of horse. The country on the banks of the Douro is remarkably sandy, and highly cultivated with vines; we forded to the left bank of the river on that day within two leagues of Valladolid. While our baggage was crossing, a batman and pony got out of their depth, and were carried down the stream a considerable distance; and so determined was the soldier to hold on, that he disdained, at the risk of his life, to quit his charge, and continued swimming until a rope was thrown to him, by the assistance of which he conveyed the little animal and his master's portmanteaus safe on shore.
We had no sooner heard of the large town in the vicinity, than we began to prepare for the visit; however, it struck me that it would be very refreshing to enjoy a swim first, and also wishing my horse to participate in the luxury, I stripped myself and mounted its back, and together we plunged into the stream; but, as ill luck would have it, for a moment, the provoking animal hardly made any exertion, so down he went, and thinking there was no time to be lost, I sprang from his back; but owing to his plunging I received a slanting kick on my chest, such as most probably would have proved fatal, had the full weight of the blow struck me direct. The animal, however, soon recovered itself, and swimming with the current, it was with considerable difficulty I succeeded in getting it on shore.
Valladolid is a fine old city, (with a spacious square,) the inhabitants of which were glad to see us, but evinced none of those rapturous and warm expressions of delight displayed by those of Salamanca.
The next morning we crossed the river, and branched off in the direction of Madrid. Having halted a day or two, we again became in motion, and struck on an excellent road, leading to the capital. Many exclaimed, "Is this the road to Madrid? are we really going to the capital of Spain, the centre of romance"? My mind was filled with all sorts of illusions, and various anticipations of pleasure; my rest was disturbed, and my dreams were of Madrid; every day's march was counted, every object brought something new, and I made up my mind to dance every night when I should arrive. Continuing our route, we had reached within two days' march of the city of Segovia, in the kingdom of old Castile, and occupied a pine wood. On seeing an officer pass, who was likely to give me every information relative to the movements of the army, I issued from my small Portuguese tent, and entered into conversation with him, which lasted a considerable time. Being without my cap, I felt the top of my head extremely hot from the rays of the sun, and was about to withdraw several times for a covering, which unluckily I failed to do. When the dinner-hour arrived, composed of rice and boiled beef, (without any bread or biscuit,) my appetite failed, and I laid me down, in hopes that a few hours' sleep would restore me. At daylight, the following morning, we were again en route, and had just cleared the sandy wood, enveloped in dust, when a sudden giddiness seized me, and I fell from my horse. On recovering my senses, I found myself supported by an officer. There was no water to be procured, and, on overtaking the division, I was advised to ride gently on to avoid the dust.
For the first time in Spain, I observed a Spanish grandee travelling in a carriage drawn by eight mules, escorted by fourteen servants, clothed in long yellow coats, with cocked hats, and all regularly armed, like horse soldiers. The costume of the peasantry now became somewhat different; one of that class was walking by my side, with a sort of spiral cloth cap, and clad in dark brown, who asked me if I did not admire a little girl passing on the road, whom he called a Wappa Chica; she wore also a stiff spiral cap of cloth, perched on the top of her head, with round balls of different colours up each side of it: her hair was plaited on each side of her head, ending in a huge pig-tail, about eight inches long, and precisely similar to those worn by British sailors; the jacket was brown, laced up the front; a yellow petticoat, reaching just below the knee, blue stockings, red clocks, shoes, and silver buckles. Having travelled some leagues, I came to a village, where I observed one of the commissaries of our division standing at the door of a cottage, who remarked that I looked very ill, and asked me where I was going. I told him "about half a league farther on, when I intended to lie down under a tree until the troops came up, as I concluded they would not proceed much farther that day." He politely begged that I would partake of breakfast with him, as it was already prepared, which offer I thankfully accepted. My fever continued rapidly to increase, so that I could scarcely sit upright, and I soon began to talk very incoherently, which induced him to put me to bed; the division shortly afterwards filed through the village, and bivouacked half a league in advance. In the evening, the two other officers of the company with whom I messed, paid me a visit, and said, "Why, what is the matter?" when I replied, "That the commissary had used me very cruelly, and had been smothering me in blankets, to prevent my going on to Madrid." The assistant-surgeon having felt my pulse, asked whether I would permit him to throw some water on my head? which I readily assented to, entreating him to do any thing to make well. Then, being lifted out of bed, and divested of my linen garment, I was placed in a chair, while the doctor, standing on a table, emptied two pitchers of spring water on my crown; which produced a most painful sensation.