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 rose to a still higher pitch than any thing we had seen enacted on board. The women embraced us most cordially, with tears in their bright eyes – the children ran up and down the streets of the village, squealing out, ‘Viva! viva!’ while the old folks of both sexes hobbled to their doors to greet the arrival of the heaven-sent strangers. Numerous entertainments were prepared for us; and, as these good people would never be satisfied that we gave them credit for sincerity unless we partook of every dish at every feast, we were soon overstocked with provisions. A visit to the patriot camp was, of course, our first grand object; and no sooner had we hinted a wish to proceed there, than horses and mules, by the dozen, were at the door. The muskets and swords landed from the Endymion were then placed in carts, and off we set to the field, in grand cavalcade, accompanied by all the younger inhabitants, and half the older ones, of this pretty village – too soon to become a terrible scene of misery and bloodshed. * * * At every step, as we rolled along, the crowd gained fresh numbers, till, by the time we reached Bernun, at the distance of a league or so from Corcubion, our cavalcade made a very respectable army of itself – as armies then went – and we began to think we really were destined to be the liberators of Spain! A little circumstance struck us during this memorable day’s trip, which marked strongly enough the degree of enthusiasm in the patriot cause. The ploughs in most of the fields along which we passed on our way to the camp, were guided by women, whose husbands or sons, they assured us, had been sent to join the forces assembled to repel the invasion. Whenever we stopped to compliment them on their public spirit, they shouted like the rest of the crowd, and evinced no less animation or confidence of success than was shewn by the men. * * * *

“I can recall at this distance of time, with perfect distinctness, the quiet expression of humour in our experienced captain’s countenance, while he listened to the pompous assurances of the enthusiastic Dons, on our way to the patriot camp. He spoke no Spanish, though there was reason to suspect he understood it pretty well when he heard it spoken. This probably enabled him to get on better, upon the whole, with the Junta, than if he had been able to enter personally into discussions with them. It would have been different, of course, if these Spaniards had been men of sense and experience, or if there had been any real service to be executed in concert with the insurgents; but, as it was, I believe nothing could have been better. He was fortunate, also, in having a very good supporter, while his own professed ignorance of the language afforded him leisure to reflect before he was called upon to reply. “I allude to our grand interpreter, and the main-spring of all our operations, the second lieutenant, Charles Thruston, an officer who had seen much active service, both afloat and on shore, and who, to the important advantages of experience in this peculiar line of warfare, added a knowledge of the Spanish language, and a heartiness of address peculiarly suited to win the