‘Poh! nonsense! you don’t intend to make me believe these arms belong to British soldiers. Send for the Spaniards, and make them take away their arms.’ So saying, he walked down the hill. Each man felt his honour implicated, and the colonel had not gone many paces when they were all busy cleaning their muskets. It was in this manner that he could convey severe reproof, and endear himself to his men at the same time. From this place we marched across the country to Sanguessa, and on the march I was left on duty, which detained me behind the regiment. In my route to join them I had halted for the day with my party at a house a short distance off the road. There was a wood to the rear of the house, and we had not long taken up our quarters, when I perceived a lady galloping from it with great speed down a by-path towards us. As she approached I observed that her dress was in great disorder, her face stained with blood, and she held a pistol in her hand, with which she urged on her horse. I was struck with surprise on seeing a lady in such trim, and did not know well what to think of her, when she reined up her horse at the door, and before I had time to assist her, sprung to the ground, and replacing the pistol in the holster, removed the saddle from her horse, and turned him loose to graze; then sitting down, she drew forth a small pocket mirror, and began to arrange her dishevelled tresses. As a favour she asked me to procure her a little water, and when I had brought it—‘Thank you,’ said she, ‘I believe I stand in need of this, for I have had a severe scuffle and a brisk gallop. I am on my way to join the Spanish army, and although eager to get forward, I could not persuade my lazy servants to dispense with their usual _siesta_, and when the fellows went to sleep I left them and pushed forward myself; but I had not travelled far when I was stopped by three brigands, who, seizing my horse’s bridle, demanded my money. Powder and shot are more plentiful with me than money in these times, and I drew out a pistol and sent a ball through the fellow’s head who asked it—he fell, and I urged forward my horse; but one of the villains still held by the bridle, and I was near unhorsed. Having another pistol left, I lost no time in making him relax his hold. My horse was now free, and sprung forward with me; but a bullet from the surviving robber nearly stopped my flight, for it grazed my cheek here,’ said she, pointing to a slight wound which she was bathing with the cold water: ‘it was a narrow escape, certainly.’ I was not a little surprised at the _sang froid_ with which she described the imminent danger she had been in, and could not sufficiently admire her courage and presence of mind; but I ceased to wonder, when her servants coming up a short time after, told me that I had been conversing with the _heroine of Saragossa_.