To me the situation was irksome in the extreme. It gave too much leisure to brood over my bitterness. An active life might have offered some chance of distraction; but inside a barrack--where one grows ennuyed with always seeing the same faces, and tired of the everlasting small talk--even the ordinary routine is sufficiently afflicting. What was it in the heart of a hostile city? What to me, suffering from the humiliation I had experienced? Only for the sake of excitement did I desire to go out on the streets. The Calle del Obispo had lost its attractions for me; or, rather should I say, they were lost to me. As for visiting the Callecito de los Pajaros, I am sorry to record: that my wounded _amour propre_ was more powerful than my sense of gratitude. I felt more inclined to shun, than seek it. A month, and there came a change. The streets of La Puebla were once more free to us--by night as by day. It was caused by the arrival of three or four fresh brigades of the American army: now concentrating to advance upon the capital. The tables were turned, and the hostile Poblanos were reduced--if not to a state of friendship, at least to one of fear. They had cause. Along with our troops came a regiment of "Texas Rangers"--the dread of all modern Mexicans--with scores of nondescript camp-followers, by our enemies equally to be dreaded. Still more to be feared, and shunned, by the citizens of Puebla, was a band of _regular robbers_, whom General Scott--for some sapient purpose of his own--had incorporated with the American army, under the title of the "Spy Company"--the name taken from the service they were intended to perform. They were the band of captain--usually styled "colonel"--Dominguez; an ex-officer of Santa Anna's army, who for years had sustained himself in the mountains around Perote, and the _mal pais_ of El Pinol--a terror to all travellers not rich enough to command a strong escort of Government "dragones." They were true highwaymen--_salteadores del camino grande_--each mounted on his own horse, and armed with carbine, pistol, lance, or long sword! They were dressed in various fashions; but generally in the picturesque _ranchero_ costume of _jaqueta, calzoneros_, and broad-brimmed high-crowned hats; booted, spurred, sashed, laced, and tassel led. On the shoulders of some might be seen the _serape_; while not a few were draped with the magnificent _manga_. On joining us they were a hundred and twenty strong, with recognised officers--a captain and a couple of "tenientes," with the usual number of "sarjentes" and "cabos." So close was their resemblance to the _guerilleros_ of the enemy, that, to prevent our men from shooting them by mistake, they had been compelled to adopt a distinguishing badge. It consisted of a strip of scarlet stuff, worn, bandlike, round their sombreros--with the loose ends dangling down to the shoulder.