handled by these same men; and I was glad to
get back to my regiment at Badajoz as soon as possible.

Thus ended the proceedings of 1809. Sir Arthur Wellesley was, after
the battle of Talavera, raised to the rank of Viscount Wellington.

CHAPTER VIII.

The regiment billeted at Olivencia -- Curious astronomical
conjunction -- Lawrence exemplifies the truth of an old proverb
at the expense of his hosts, and draws down the wrath of the
church on himself -- Succeeds more satisfactorily in the case of
his comrade -- The army shifted to the valley of the Mondego --
Lord Wellington's hopes in Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo being
disappointed, it falls back still further to Busaco -- Battle of
Busaco -- Lawrence makes a capture, which may be regarded by some
readers as emblematic.

At the beginning of 1810 we proceeded from Badajoz to Olivencia, and
were there billeted on the inhabitants, two or more in a house, as the
circumstances would permit. I remember one very curious thing which
occurred at this time, which was that the names of the drum-majors of
the three regiments that were collected in this place were Sun, Moon,
and Star, our regiment having the Moon, the Fifty-third the Sun, and
the Ninth the Star, so that if having the Sun, Moon, and Star fighting
for us was any help, they were there all ready.

I happened to be billeted with a comrade of the name of Lewis
Phillips, a Welshman, in a house occupied by a respectable but poor
man and his wife, whom we found on the whole very kindly meaning
towards us. Their occupation was that of labourers, and at this
particular season of the year they were employed in picking
olive-berries. Before going out to their work in the morning they
would prepare their supper; which, as it was then Lent, and they were
not allowed to eat meat, consisted, as far as I was able to observe,
of a mixture of greens, oil, cayenne pepper, and salt, which they
would leave on the embers in an earthenware jar to be cooked by the
time they came back; and as generally either myself or my comrade was
in the way, they would ask us to occasionally give it a stir. One day
after I had been there some little time, I was left as cook, and
feeling in rather a mischievous mood, I cut some of my meat up very
small--not much indeed, as may be supposed, out of the pound, which
was all that we then received--and put it into the jar; and by
nighttime it was so boil