Thus, after a series of difficult marches, amongst a chaotic jumble of sterile mountains, the enemy were totally discomfited, with an enormous loss, by a series of the most extraordinary and brilliant efforts that had been made during the Peninsular War. For three days the French indeed had the vantage ground, owing to their superiority of numbers at a given point; but on the fourth day, the same divisions which had so heroically fought while falling back, sustained, with their backs to a hostile fortress, (whence the enemy sortied during the battle,) a most desperate assault made by the Duke of Dalmatia, over whom the Marquis of Wellington gained a memorable victory, and ceased not in turn to pursue the French marshal, until he was glad to seek shelter from whence he came. The standards of Britain again waved aloft, and flapped in the gentle breeze over the fertile fields of France. [Footnote 59: Pampeluna is about thirty-five miles from the extremity of the principal pass at Roncesvalles, forty-five from that of Aretesque, in front of Maya, and fifty miles from the pass of Bera; all these points it was necessary to occupy on the right of the Bidassoa; which clearly demonstrates the advantage the enemy possessed by attacking principally at Roncesvalles.] [Footnote 60: It was a frequent custom, when in want of a guide, to employ a peasant, who received a dollar at the end of his day's journey. These _Pizanos_, being accustomed to pastoral lives, were well acquainted with every inch of ground or by-path for leagues around their habitations, as well as the various fords across rivers and tributary streams, the depth of which depends on the season of the year, or the quantity of rain that might happen to fall at uncertain periods on these mountains.] [Footnote 61: On the 29th, at the end of four days' fighting, both Marshals desisted from hostilities in front of Pampeluna. The French employed themselves in edging off to their right to assist the Count d'Erlon, who had followed the march of General Hill by Lanz. The Marquis of Wellington, on the other hand, was drawing in the seventh division to insure a communication with General Hill, and also watching his adversary's movements, to take advantage of what might accrue on the morrow.]