servant in taking prisoner one of the Portuguese, in order that I might proceed under the management of a proper driver. This was soon done, but the fellow had not calculated upon being embargoed into my service in so rough a manner, and became very sulky. The bullocks were again put to rights and I was replaced upon the car. The driver did not pay attention to the road, so that I was jolted over large stones, which made me suffer extremely. My man Short observed his carelessness and gave him a good drubbing, which had a very good effect, and we jogged on afterwards quietly. My thigh was very painful from the shock I received when thrown out, when I arrived in the evening. [Sidenote: 31st] My thigh felt very painful, and I commenced my journey with great reluctance. My friend Pratt came and endeavoured to cheer up my spirits, telling me our miseries would end with this day's march, as we should then embark and go much easier in boats, and when we got to Lisbon we should be able to make up for all our miseries. The road on our approach to the Mondego was very narrow and down a very steep mountain; the least deviation on the part of the bullocks would have precipitated me some hundred feet. I was convinced that the driver had no good-will towards me; I was perfectly helpless, but not quite at his mercy. My servant drew his sword and told him that if any accident happened to me he would bury it up to the hilt in his bosom, and from what I know of his character he would have fulfilled his promise. I must say I breathed much more freely when we arrived on the banks of the Mondego near Lofrece. Tents were supplied, and we encamped for the night. Here now my miseries and suffering from travelling ceased. Several of the poor soldiers died upon the road. Each individual could not be supplied with a car, consequently the poor fellows suffered more. On two occasions I took one of them on the same car with me, and I found sad inconvenience long before the day's journey was finished. Soldiers in general are like children, and must be directed as such; although they were frequently told if they exposed their wounds, the flies would deposit their eggs upon them, still they took no notice, and there was no officer present to enforce this command, so their wounds became completely alive with myriads of large maggots, the sight of which made me really shudder again. Oil was found the best thing to take them away, as when applied it killed them, obstructing their breathing. We now got everything to eat we could have wished for: fruits, vegetables, bread, milk, and eggs. We had been generally living upon salt rations and bad biscuit. The people were afraid of the advance of the French army on our line of march, and most of them had retired to fastnesses in the mountains, taking away every article they could collect for their future support. [Sidenote: 1810 Aug. 1st]