The Col de Maya comprised several passages in a space of four miles, all of which were menaced by D’Erlon from Espelete and Urdax; and he had twenty-one thousand men, furnishing about eighteen thousand bayonets. His communications with Soult were maintained by cavalry posts through the Val de Baygorry, and his orders were to attack the allies when the combinations in the Val Carlos and on the Houssa mountain should cause them to abandon the passes at Maya; but he was especially directed to operate by his left, so as to secure the passes leading towards Reille with a view to the concentration of the whole army. Thus if Hill retreated by the pass of Bellate D’Erlon was to move by Berderez and the Alduides; but if Hill retired upon San Estevan D’Erlon was to move by the pass of Bellate. Such being the dispositions of the French general, those of the allies shall now be traced. [Sidenote: Wellington’s Morning States.] General Byng and Morillo guarded the passes in front of Roncesvalles. Their combined force consisted of sixteen hundred British and from three to four thousand Spaniards. Byng’s brigade and two Spanish battalions occupied the rocks of Altobiscar on the high road facing Chateau Piñon; one Spanish battalion was at the foundry in the valley of Orbaiceta on their right; Morillo with the remainder of the Spaniards occupied the heights of Iroulepe, on the left of the road leading to the village of Val Carlos and overlooking the nearest houses of that straggling place. [Sidenote: Wellington’s Morning States.] These positions, distant only four and five miles from the French columns assembled at Venta de Orrisson and Arnegui, were insecure. The ground was indeed steep and difficult of access but too extensive; moreover, although the passes led into the Roncesvalles that valley did not lead direct to Pampeluna; the high road after descending a few miles turned to the right, and crossing two ridges and the intervening valley of Urros entered the valley of Zubiri, down which it was conducted to Pampeluna: wherefore after passing Ibañeta in retreat the allied troops could not avoid lending their right flank to Reille’s divisions as far as Viscayret in the valley of Urroz. It was partly to obviate this danger, partly to support O’Donnel while Clauzel’s force was in the vicinity of Jaca, that the fourth division, about six thousand strong, occupied Viscayret, six miles from the pass of Ibañeta, ten miles from Morillo’s position, and twelve miles from Byng’s position. But when Clauzel retired to France, general Cole was directed to observe the roads leading over the main chain from the Alduides district, and to form a rallying point and reserve for Campbell, Byng, and Morillo, his instructions being to maintain the Roncesvalles passes against a front attack, but not to commit his troops in a desperate battle if the flanks were insecure. [Sidenote: Ibid.]