sternation of
the Frenchmen was such, when these hissing, serpent-like projectiles
descended, that a panic ensued, and they retreated upon Bayonne. The
next day the bridge of boats was completed, and the whole army crossed.
Bayonne was eventually invested after a contest, in which it was
supposed our loss exceeded 500 or 600 men. Here we remained in camp
about six weeks, expecting to besiege the citadel; but this event never
came off: we, however, met with a severe disaster and a reverse. The
enemy made an unexpected sortie, and surrounded General Sir John Hope,
when he and the whole of his staff were taken prisoners. The French
killed and wounded about 1,000 men on this occasion.

The hardly-contested battle of Toulouse was fought about this period,
but the Guards were not present to share the honours of a contest which
closed the eventful war of the Spanish Peninsula.

ARRIVAL OF THE GUARDS AT BORDEAUX

When we reached Bordeaux, which had now become a stronghold of the
Royalists, we were received by the inhabitants with a welcome which
resembled what would be shown to friends and deliverers, rather than to
a foreign soldiery. Nothing could be more gratifying and more
acceptable to our feelings, since it was the first time after our
arrival on the Continent that we met with cordiality and an apparent
desire to make our quarters as comfortable as possible. The Duc
d'Angouleme had reached Bordeaux before us, and no doubt his presence
had prepared the way for all the friends of the Bourbons. Everywhere
some description of white rag was doing duty for a Royalist banner. I
lived at M. Devigne's, a rich wine-merchant who had a family of two
sons and two beautiful daughters; the latter were, as I thought, taken
remarkable care of by their maternal parent. Here I had evidently
fallen upon my legs, for not only was the family a most agreeable one,
but their hospitality was of the most generous kind. Sir Stapylton
Cotton was our frequent visitor, together with M. Martignac, afterwards
Minister of Charles the Tenth.

Here I had an opportunity of meeting some of the prettiest women of a
city famed all over Europe for its female beauty. The young ladies
were remarkable for their taste in dress, which in those days consisted
of a mantilla a l'Espagnole, and silken shawls of varied hues, so
admirably blended, that the eye was charmed with their richness of
colour. The grisettes, who were as much admired by the sold