Leaves from the diary of an officer of the guards. Published 1854
We arrived at the inn, a dirty, spacious, dear, and badly attended hotel, with good wine and good living, as we thought at least, who had just quitted a transport. On landing, we went to report our arrival to the Commandant, Colonel Peacock, of the Guards*, who asked us all to dine with him the next day. Mr. Stuart, our Minister, gave a ball, to which we were also invited. Neither "love nor money" however could procure me a bed at the inn that night ; all were filled ; some by officers who had come down on leave from the Army, others by those either embarking, or, like ourselves, dis- embarking; the squadron of our navy in the Tagus also took their share of the inns when they came on shore. Our men being still on board the trans- port, we were not entitled to billets ; I contrived at last, through a brother officer who had just left the army, to obtain a bed in the apartments of a friend of his, the Superior of a monastery. The goodly Monk, who bestowed upon me a lodging, was a lively comfortable-sized clerico, who, according to his own account, had dreamed of more things in his philo- sophy than saying his prayers ; and he spoke of the world, and what was passing in it, as one who was on good terms both with it and himself. In the evening we attended our dinner and ball ; the latter was very gay: the military and naval uniforms of our own country mingled with those of Portugal and Spain ; the dark eyes and expressive countenances of the Lisbon ladies, contrasted with the fair faces of our countrywomen, formed a novel and agreeable mixture. The women of Portugal have fine eyes, which are their principal attraction, and more expressive countenances than the tamer beauties of the North ; but their skin is generally sallow, and neither in clearness of complexion nor regularity of feature can they vie with their neigh- bours the Spaniards or the natives of Italy. With respect to the Portuguese men, they are generally a Jewish-looking race, and in the higher orders there prevails a diminutiveness of stature which is anything but dignified. The hospitable entertainment and affability of our Minister were well known and appreciated by the whole of the British Army during this event- ful period. At this ball we heard that intelligence had been received, that Marshal Massena with 120,000 men had taken Ciudad Rodrigo, and ad- vanced ; and a sharp affair near Almeida, on the Coa, had taken place between our Light Division under Craufurd and the advance-guard of the French army ; that Massena was about to invade Portugal, and that our army was already in move- ment. We had it also intimated to us from the Commandant, that we were to shift our transports to others, and go by sea round to Mondego Bay. On our way from this gay scene, conning over the new order of our destination, we encountered an army of half-wild dogs in the streets. These animals, in conjunction with pigs, were the sole scavengers of Lisbon; and as night approached, the canine dustmen came forth from their dens in the ruins of the town, to feed on its filth, and fight over it half the night through. Sometimes even they were bold enough, if interrupted at their orgies, to attack foot-passengers.
They were not destroyed, in consequence of the sanitary service they rendered to his Majesty of Portugal's capital.
