He consented, so
the first time we were both together to dinner I commenced my frying,
he being witness to the whole operation, and I found that I succeeded
better in my experiment with Lewis than with the worthy people of the
house, for after that he could eat as much oil as I could.

After we had stayed at Olivencia for some weeks, chiefly in order to
refresh ourselves after the long and tedious marches, warfare, and
illness to which for the last two years we had been subjected, Lord
Wellington removed his headquarters to Visen, and the army went for
the most part into cantonments on the valley of the Mondego. Lord
Wellington knew that his troops were then only strong enough for
defensive operations, and was therefore determined, unless strongly
reinforced, not to take rash measures; but on the enemy's fresh
invasion of Portugal he again shifted his headquarters to Celorico.
After that we moved on to another small place, called, as far as I am
able to remember, Guarda, near Almeida, about eight or ten leagues
from Ciudad Rodrigo.

Almeida was at that time garrisoned by some Portuguese troops
commanded by an English officer. The French had invested it, but Lord
Wellington expected that it would have been able to baffle the enemy
until the commencement of the rainy season, and would thus retard the
enemy's movements. Almeida was a town of very great strength, but
Massena opened fire on it about the 23rd of August, and it was obliged
to capitulate as soon afterwards as the 27th, a magazine containing
most of the ammunition having blown up, taking with it great part of
the town and the fortifications; the governor being thus disappointed
of his desire to detain the French any longer. In this sad accident
hundreds of the inhabitants and the soldiery, with many of the enemy,
who were assembled outside to watch the effect, were launched into
eternity either by the explosion itself or by the huge falling masses.
And not only did this misfortune occur, but Ciudad Rodrigo meanwhile
had fallen into the enemy's hands, and thus a way was opened for a
fourfold contest.

Owing to these repeated disappointments of Lord Wellington's plans, we
were again obliged to fall back into the valley of the Mondego,
crossing that river and taking up our position on the heights of
Busaco, situate about six leagues north-east of Coimbra. Our march was
one of great difficulty, owing to the heavy rains and bad roads; but
Lord Wellington did his