e failed not to trace me out again as soon
as order was restored, for I found her by my side when the dawn
of the 24th came in, and I never lost sight of her afterwards.
It was my fortune on the night of the 26th to be put in charge of
an outpost on the left front of the army; on such occasions I
seldom experienced the slightest inclination to sleep; and on the
present, I made it a point to visit my sentinels at least once in
every, half-hour. Going my rounds for this purpose, it was
necessary that I should pass a little copse of low underwood,
just outside the line of our videttes; and I did pass it again
and again, without meeting with any adventure. But about an hour
after midnight, my dog, which, as usual, trotted a few paces
before me, suddenly stopped short at the edge of the thicket, and
began to bark violently, and in great apparent anger. I knew the
animal well enough to be aware that some cause must exist for
such conduct; and I too stopped short, till I should ascertain
whether danger were near. It was well for me that I had been
thus warned; for at the instant of my halting, about half a dozen
muskets were discharged from the copse, the muzzles of which, had
I taken five steps forward, must have touched my body. The balls
whizzed harmlessly past my head; and, on my returning the fire
with the pistol which I carried in my hand, the ambuscade broke
up, and the party composing it took to their heels. I was
Quixote enough to dash sword in hand into the thicket after them:
but no one waited for me; so I continued my perambulations in
peace.

MARCH.

Having continued this detestable system of warfare till towards
morning, the enemy retired and left us at rest. But as soon as
day began to break, our piquets were called in, and the troops
formed in order of attack. The right column, under General
Gibbs, took post near the skirts of the morass, throwing out
skirmishers half way across the plain, whilst the left column
drew up upon the road covered by the rifle corps, which in
extended order met the skirmishers from the other. With this last
division went the artillery, already well supplied with
horses; and, at the signal given the whole moved forward.

It was a clear frosty morning, the mists had dispersed, and the
sun shone brightly upon our arms when we began our march. The
enemy's corps of observation fell back as we advanced, without
offering in any way to impede our progress, and it was impossib