to at once enter the houses on
both sides of the street, and to man the windows. He felt sure,
however, that the sight of so strong a force would be sufficient to
prevent the rioters interfering with them; the soldiers being, for
the most part, too drunk to act together, or with a common object.

This, indeed, proved to be the case. Parties at times came down the
street but, on seeing the dark lines of troops drawn up, they
retired immediately, on being hailed by the English officers, and
slunk off under the belief that a large body of fresh troops had
entered the town. An hour later a mounted officer, followed by some
five or six others and some orderlies, rode up.

"What troops are these?" the officer asked.

"The Minho Portuguese Regiment, general," Bull answered, "commanded
by Colonel O'Connor."

The general rode on, the line opened, and he and his staff passed
through. Terence, who had posted himself in the balcony so as to
have a view of the whole street, at once ran down. Two of the men
with torches followed him.

On approaching, he at once recognized the officer as General
Barnard, who commanded one of the brigades of the light division.

"So your regiment has remained firm, Colonel O'Connor?" the general
said.

"I am sorry to say, sir, that it did not, at first, but scattered
like the rest of the troops. My officers and myself, for some time,
defended these two large houses from the attack of the soldiery.
Matters became very serious, and I then sent out some of my
officers, who soon collected three hundred men, which sufficed to
disperse the rioters without our being obliged to fire a shot. The
officers then again went out, and now between fifteen and sixteen
hundred men are here.

"I am glad that you have come, sir, for I felt in a great
difficulty. It was hard to stay here inactive, when I was aware
that the town was being sacked, and atrocities of every kind
perpetrated but, upon the other hand, I dared not undertake the
responsibility of attempting to clear the streets. Such an attempt
would probably end in desperate fighting. It might have resulted in
heavy loss on both sides, and have caused such ill feeling between
the British and Portuguese troops as to seriously interfere with
the general dispositions for the campaign."

"No doubt you have taken the best course that could be pursued,
Colonel O'Connor; but I must take on myself the responsibility of
doing something. My appearance, at the