His head was now better, and he was able to think more
clearly than he could the day before. The first thing was to decide as to
his course. It would be dangerous to make direct for the frontier of
Portugal. Now that the British army had embarked, Soult would be free to
undertake operations in that country, and would doubtless shortly put his
troops in motion in that direction, and his cavalry would be scattering
all over the province collecting provisions. Moreover, there would be the
terrible range of the Tras-os-Montes to pass, and no certainty whatever of
being well received by the Portuguese peasants north of Oporto.
His constant study of the staff maps was now of great assistance to him.
He determined to turn west until he reached the river Minho some distance
below Lugo, which he could do by skirting the top of the hills. He would
therefore strike it somewhere about the point where the river Sil joined
it, and, following this, would find himself at the foot of the Cantabrian
Hills, dividing the Asturias from Leon. Then he could be guided by
circumstances, and could either cross these mountains and make for a
seaport, or could journey down through Leon to Ciudad-Rodrigo, which was
still held by a Spanish garrison, and from there make his way through
Portugal to Lisbon.
He questioned whether it would be wise for him to attempt to get the dress
of a Spanish peasant instead of his uniform, but he finally decided that
until he was beyond any risk of being captured by parties from either
Soult or Ney's armies, it would be better to continue in uniform.
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