Late in the evening we reached our cantonments in good spirits, though well tired, but not so much so as to prevent my making a good meal. Turning into a small recess, and getting into bed for the first time for weeks, after some hours I awoke rather feverish, went to the door in my shirt to cool myself, and found the air so refreshing that I continued stationary for a considerable time, certainly much longer than my prudence ought to have dictated; however, I did not feel any ill effects from it at the time. On the day following, our paymaster was encircled by a group of officers, who were listening to his odd remarks, relative to warfare. He declared that he hated _bullets_ and _swords_, but with fists he flattered himself he was able to cope with, and would not turn his back on any man. "Oh!" said he, "how I should like to see a fine boiled leg of pork, and a pease pudding, smoking before me; why the very thought makes me ravenous, and I could eat any thing, from a gnat to an elephant; yes sir, I could eat an elephant stuffed with militiamen!" Then with both hands, pulling his cheeks, his breeches and his waistcoat, for in quarters he actually wore the identical dress he had joined the regiment in; "Look at these," said he, "why they fitted me as tight as a drum before I came to this cursed country; and look at them now! Well, only let me get my wife on my knee by my comfortable fire-side once more, and, if ever I leave old England again, may I be ——! and as my poor brother _did die_, I wish he had taken his departure before he ever persuaded me to enter the army!" CHAPTER VI. The author is attacked by illness—Miseries of military travelling in that condition—Quarters at Celorico—The author's difficult recovery—Grievous sufferings endured by the soldiers affected with fever in the sickly season—Death of the Paymaster—The author rejoins his Division—Movements of the French—A clerical case of disaster—The contested mattress—A dance—Expensive celebration of Christmas—Story of the German suttler—Village and neighbourhood of Fuente de Guinaldo—Theatrical representations by the English officers. Three days after our long reconnoissance I became blind with ophthalmia, was seized with violent rheumatic pains in the soles of my feet, and took to my bed. My legs and knees swelled to an enormous size, first turning red, then blue, and I was no longer able to move.