HISTORICAL AND ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES TO CANTO XII. The allusion at the commencement of this Canto is more especially to the admirable regulations established and enforced while our troops were upon the French territory. Never, since the days of the great Gustavus, was such discipline preserved in an enemy’s country. Captain Batty attests the excellent feeling produced amongst the inhabitants of St. Jean de Luz and its neighbourhood by the wonderful restraint observed by our army while stationed there in cantonments. (_Campaign of the Western Pyrenees._) The well-known General Order of Wellington enforcing this discipline can never be forgotten, as the brightest monument of civilized war--perhaps in certain circumstances an inevitable calamity, but by him softened to the smallest infliction of injury. An official letter written from Bayonne, and quoted by Napier, book xxiv. chap. 1, contains this splendid testimony;--“The English general’s policy, and the good discipline he maintains, do us more harm than ten battles. Every peasant wishes to be under his protection.” The principal battles are described in the order of their occurrence, and my impressions from recent visits are here recorded. The ravines which intersect the heights of Roriça are overgrown with the beautiful shrubs, which make the wild districts of Portugal so delightful. The arbutus and myrtle I noted especially. Near the top of the middle pass is a small opening in the form of a wedge, nearly covered with these shrubs, where the severest fighting took place. The principal column in the main attack advanced under cover of some olive and cork trees, the _ilex_ of the text. The name of this battle-ground (as remarked in my Introduction) has been frequently disfigured in English accounts. “Rolissa” is a common form of error; and the usual, but absurdly erroneous, form was for many years, “Roleia.” The true reading is that in the text. This battle was fought on the 17th August, 1808.