I now proceeded on my way to London. When I came into Newbury, in Berkshire, I met with a recruiting party, beating up for recruits. The sergeant saw me going through the town, and called out to me to stop; he asked me what services I had been in; I told him I had been in Portugal of late, in the Queen’s service; and that I had formerly belonged to the 95th Rifles. He observed the medal on me, and asked me what brigade I belonged to; I told him the first brigade and second division, commanded by General Sir Frederick Adams. He then asked me if I knew what regiments belonged to the brigade; I told him the 52nd Light Infantry, the 71st Scotch, and the Rifles. He said, “I was in the 71st in the battle of Waterloo.” I observed the medal on his coat. I stopped with him two days; it did not cost me a farthing unless I wished. The sergeant was very partial to me, and wished me to enlist, but I did not comply with his wishes. During the two days I was with him and his recruiting party, he got me to go round the town with a drawn sword over my shoulder. When he pulled up at a tavern, and when the young men of the town would assemble round, he used to tell the inhabitants, pointing to me at the time, that I had been in the service and made an independency. I was the cause of picking up double the number of recruits that he could have got in any other way. I used to gammon the young countrymen they were all going to be made officers and gentlemen of, and they believed me. When I was about making my exit the third morning, he very kindly shook hands with me, and pressed me very hard to stay with him. “As you know a great many officers in the Portuguese service, I can recommend you to gentleman, a squire who lives about three miles from town.” I should come to a gate leading to a park where the squire resided; so I walked boldly up through the park and up to the front door and rang the bell; a servant came out to ask me what I wanted, and I told him I wished to see the squire. When the squire came he asked me what I wanted with him; I said I knew the squire’s brother in Portugal (Colonel Bacon, colonel in the Lancers). He looked at me very hard, and asked me a great many questions respecting him; also if I had been in any engagements along with him at any time. I told him I had been in two general engagements in one brigade with him. He asked me what engagements they were, and I satisfied him. He then enquired if I knew the colonel personally; I said I did, having often had conversation with him about Great Britain. He next asked me if I knew anything that took place at Velonga, and what it was. I informed him that we had liberty to plunder the town for two hours after we had taken it; and that I went into a gentleman’s apartment in the township of Velonga, where I found the colonel, who said to me, “Soldier, what brings you here?” I answered, “My legs, Sir. I have come on the same errand as yourself.” “What is that?” he enquired.