The officers of our division were anxious to display their powers as actors to their beloved _señoritas_; therefore, among other things, they were occupied in ordering dresses, and studying their theatrical parts. "The Revenge" was fixed upon as the tragedy to astonish the Spaniards. Capt. Kent, of the rifle corps, played the part of Zanga, in _El Teátro del Principe_, with due solemnity, and the piece went off in silence, until he began to move backwards and forwards, like the pendulum of a clock, his sinewy arm and clenched fist, cased in a black silk stocking, or glove, encircled by a shining bracelet—which caused the muleteers in the gallery to roar with laughter. The _señoras_ tittered, and held their fans to their faces. During the remainder of the evening poor _Zanga_ was treated more like a comic than a tragic character, and whenever he raised his arm, which he had frequent occasion to do, the same round of salutations greeted him on all sides, such as "_Arré Múlo_," &c. &c. At the conclusion of the piece, a Spaniard and a girl danced a _bolero_, in inimitable style: both of them were habited in male attire; the black hair of the female was clubbed up behind, and tied with a bunch of ribbons hanging down her back; she wore a richly embroidered silk jacket, white kerseymere breeches, fitting tight to the shape, white silk stockings, shoes, and buckles. She rattled the _castanets_ exquisitely, and beat admirable time with her pretty little feet. On the 21st of October our division was hastily concentrated, and first moved to some lonely villages, and then to Alcala de Henarez, one of the principal universities of Spain. On the night of the 21st the Marquis of Wellington raised the siege of the castle of Burgos, and slowly retired on the Douro, followed by Gen. Souham. Joseph and the Duke of Dalmatia had also formed a junction, and were making various demonstrations on the line of the Tagus. On the 22nd, the second division was put in motion on that river to observe the enemy's movements. On the 24th, the third division, which had continued in Madrid, moved towards Pinto, on the road to Aranjuez, in support of the fourth and second divisions. On the 26th, the second division crossed to the right bank of the Tagus, and extended its left on the Jarama. On the same day we marched four leagues and a half from Alcala, and entered Arganda, which is situated on the high road from Valencia. The enemy continued to make such a variety of movements, that it was impossible to ascertain positively whether he would attempt his grand push on the south or east side of Madrid, which obliged General Hill to show front on two sides of a square, for the protection of the great roads leading towards the capital, across the rivers Tagus, Jarama, and Henarez.