Operations against Ciudad Rodrigo having been determined upon, we only remained here three days, during which time I visited Elvas, Borba, Alandroal, and other places. From Elvas, I had a very good view of Badajoz, with the river Guadiana, and the surrounding flat country. The town and fortifications of Elvas are well worth seeing, they are on a large scale, and built on a high hill. This being one of the principal frontier towns of Portugal, great pains had been taken by Count Le Lippe[J] to render the works as strong as possible. After he had completed the fortifications, he found it necessary to erect a strong fortress or castle, on a high hill, which commanded the best part of them, and which is considered so strong, that it is supposed to be impregnable; it is named after himself. Report says that a garrison of 15,000 men in Elvas, and 1200 in Fort Le Lippe, with plenty of provisions, would keep those places in defiance of any numbers that might be brought against them. There is at Elvas a very large, fine, and curious aqueduct, differing from any I had yet seen: it has three tiers of arches, raised one above the other, and of great height. The French army having made a movement to the northward, orders arrived in the evening for the 14th Dragoons to march at daylight the next morning for Estramoy, where they halted for the night. Next day they moved forward to Frontiera, and from thence to O’Crato, where are the remains of an old Moorish castle. We left this town on the morning of the 5th of August, and on our arrival at the miserable village of Gafete, my leave of absence having expired, I was obliged, to my great sorrow, to return to Lisbon. So, bidding my brother and friends of the regiment adieu, I struck off for Abrantes, thirty miles distant. Colonel Hervey very kindly sent a dragoon to escort me thither, the road being rendered dangerous by marauding parties of the natives. I was now mounted upon a nice little French horse. He had belonged to the French 1st Hussars, and had been taken from the enemy in a charge by my brother’s troop. I reached Abrantes by five in the evening, and, having got a tolerable billet and something to eat, was glad to go to rest. At ten the next morning I quitted Abrantes alone, the soldier having gone back to his regiment, which was ordered to cover the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. I had still eighty-four miles to ride to Lisbon, which was not very pleasant to do alone at that period, considering the excited state and wretched poverty of the country. At sunset I arrived at Santarem, thirty-six miles from Abrantes. This latter is a large, dirty town, standing upon a hill that commands the country around it. The river Tagus runs at its foot, over which is a bridge of boats that can be removed at pleasure. The French marshal, Junot, derived his title from this city.