ficient to assist in steering her, and the men in the boats rowed
with such energy that the ropes continually snapped.

The fire continued from the shore, doing considerable damage; and the
men in the boats, who could not see that the ship was moving through
the water, concluded that she was anchored by a concealed cable and
anchor. The officer in command, therefore, called up the Frenchmen
from below, telling them he was about to fire the ship. They came on
deck and took their places in the boats, which rowed back to the
Tiger.

Upon arriving there Captain Dent, who commanded her, sternly rebuked
the officer; and said that, unless the boats returned instantly and
brought the Hermione out, he should send his own crew in their boats
to fetch her. The division thereupon returned, and met the ship half a
mile off shore, the land wind having now sprung up.

The Baleine had been easily captured and, having several sails bent,
she was brought out without difficulty. No attempt was made to capture
the third vessel.

The rains had now set in, but the English laboured steadily at their
batteries. The French were becoming pressed for provisions, and Lally
turned the whole of the natives remaining in the town, to the number
of fourteen hundred men and women, outside the fortifications. On
their arrival at the English lines they were refused permission to
pass, as Colonel Coote did not wish to relieve the garrison of the
consumption of food caused by them. They returned to the French lines,
and begged to be again received; but they were, by Lally's orders,
fired upon, and several killed.

For seven days the unhappy wretches remained without food, save the
roots they could gather in the fields. Then Colonel Coote, seeing that
Lally was inflexible, allowed them to pass.

On the 10th of November the batteries opened, and every day added to
the strength of the fire upon the town. The fortifications, however,
were strong, and the siege progressed but slowly. On the 30th of
December a tremendous storm burst, and committed the greatest havoc,
both at land and sea. The Newcastle, man-of-war; the Queenborough,
frigate; and the Protector, fire ship were driven ashore and dashed to
pieces; but the crews, with the exception of seven, were saved. The
Duke of Aquitaine, the Sunderland, and the Duke, store ship, were
sunk, and eleven hundred sailors drowned. Most of the other ships were
dismasted.

Chapter 30: Home.

The fire of