best and most convenient that could possibly be adopted, though, had the
craft been of any great value, it would, of course, have been necessary to
refer the matter home.'"

A week passed without movement. The expedition had left England on the
12th of July, 1808, and Sir Arthur rejoined it towards the end of the
month. He had learned at Oporto from Colonel Brown, our agent there, that,
contrary to what he had been told at Corunna, there were no Spanish troops
in the north of Portugal, but that a body of some 8,000 Portuguese
irregulars and militia, half-armed and but slightly disciplined, were
assembled on the river Mondego. After a consultation with Admiral Sir
Charles Cotton, Sir Arthur had concluded that an attack at the mouth of
the Tagus was impracticable, owing to the strength of the French there,
the position of the forts that commanded the entrance of the river, and
the heavy surf that broke in all the undefended creeks and bays near.
There was then the choice of landing far enough north of Lisbon to ensure
a disembarkation undisputed by the French, or else to sail south, join
Spencer, and act against the French army under Dupont.

Sir Arthur finally determined that the Mondego River was the most
practicable for the enterprise. The fort of Figueira at its mouth was
already occupied by British marines, and the Portuguese force was at least
sufficient to deter any small body of troops approaching the
neighbourhood. Therefore, to the great joy of the troops, the order was
given that the fleet should sail on the following morning; two days later
they anchored off the mouth of the Mondego. Just before starting a vessel
arrived with despatches from Spencer, saying that he was at St. Mary's and
was free to act with Sir Arthur, and a fast vessel was despatched with
orders to him to sail to the Mondego.