mass--horse--foot--artillery--baggage--and followers:--a little above this, and still beneath the ladies, were groups of bullocks swimming across the river, and with difficulty gaining the opposite bank, owing to the power of the current; while others were climbing the opposite hills, refreshed and relieved from the dust of their day’s travel, by the cool water from which they had just emerged. The distant and lessening line of troops as it winded upwards to the plain above, and broke into several divisions to take up ground for the night, added an admirable perspective background to the picture. Then arose the hum of the crowd--the loud command--the laugh--the mingling of different languages--the lowing of oxen--the neighing of horses, and the braying of the less noble animals--the clear sky--the bright sun--the crystal river, overhung and darkened in the distance by bold rocks, on which the wondering goatherd lay as his goats carelessly browsed--it was a scene never to be forgotten. Every soldier saw at a glance the collective strength of the great military machine of which he formed a part--all beneath his eye, as it were in a theatre: this heightened the glow of pride within him, and elevated his spirit with the buoyancy of glorious hope--all was cheerfulness, and the army looked more like conquerors, than men about to enter into a bloody and doubtful contest. I spent seven hours in admiring, and then crossed in my turn the ponton; took up my quarters for the night, with my horses, under a shed; and slept as soundly as the Prince who was cast into a seven years’ sleep by a fairy. The morning was only opening her eyes, when the drum beat and we turned out: the fires of the night were expiring; around many of which groups of soldiers were assembled, packing up their knapsacks and fixing their accoutrements. The moving to and fro of military figures, all over the level ground, before me--the tingling of the mules’ bells--the drums at various distances--the early birds chirping--the horses champing their barley--the men biting their biscuit--the increasing hum and the coming daylight--by degrees, dissipated the heaviness which naturally succeeded to a short _field_ sleep, and the cheerfulness of the preceding day was restored throughout.--The column was in motion; and the field, where thousands crowded, was, in a few minutes, as naked and silent as a desert. At this ground we had expected a desperate fight; but with the exception of a brush with our Hussars, the enemy showed no wish to trouble us. The soldiers now became still more elevated with a confidence in success; and the wishful cry which every where along the march had resounded in their ears, from the inhabitants, “_Vamus a Francia!_”--“(_Away to France!_)” was considered as about to be realized; yet most of the army expected that we should first have a desperate struggle at the Ebro.