s
before as an example.

We remained here about a month this time, when General Whitelock came
out with a reinforcement and took the command from Sir Samuel
Auchmuty, and soon afterwards, some troops being left in charge of
Monte Video, the rest proceeded to Buenos Ayres, calling at Colonia on
the way to pick up our little squad. We landed some miles before
coming to Buenos Ayres, intending, if possible, to storm the back of
the town, as it was strongly fortified on the side towards the coast.
We were thus obliged to march inland and form encampments, the first
of which was situated a little way from where we landed.

An incident took place here, which was attended by the death of two
men, a corporal and a private, and likewise the very narrow escape of
a second private. They were engaged in plundering one of the Indian
huts, when the inhabitants fell on them armed, and, catching the
corporal round the neck with a lasso, soon dragged him away, at the
same time knocking the private down and stabbing him; the other
private only escaped back to the regiment after receiving a
sabre-wound which carried the skin and hair off the back of his head.
This was a great glory to the natives; they stuck the corporal's head
on a pole and carried it in front of their little band when on the
march. They also made use of the rifle and ammunition they had taken
from him to fire at times into our camp, but fortunately it was a very
harmless sort of practice.

Next day we again resumed our march, encamping again at night. I
remember that night was very foggy, and an officer and some men having
gone out in search of bullocks for the supply of the army, the officer
was very nearly lassoed by an Indian who came on him suddenly in the
darkness. Fortunately he had the presence of mind to ride after him,
which saved his life, for so the Indian could not pull him over; and
then he managed to cut the lasso with his sword.

As we marched along on our next day's journey, about two hundred
Indians kept following us, the foremost of them wearing our dead
corporal's jacket, and carrying his head--I do not exactly know for
what reason, but perhaps they thought a good deal more of a dead man's
head than we should feel disposed to do. We went on for some distance
through a great many orange-gardens, till we came to a lane thickly
hedged in on both sides, which was entered by a gate, and there, after
the body of our army had passed through, some few me