But now the whole party of smugglers poured out of the cave, as women,
with bonnets on, and commenced a murderous fire upon the troops, who
fell in all directions. The captain, who had assumed the command, now
attempted to find his way to the other side of the cave, where he had no
doubt he should find the entrance, but in so doing the soldiers were
exposed to a most galling fire, without being able to return it.

At first, the troops refused to fire again, for that they had to deal
with the smugglers' wives, they made certain of: even in the thickest of
the smoke there was nothing masculine to be seen; and those troops who
were at a greater distance, and who could return the fire, did not.
They were rather amused at the character of the women, and not being
aware that their comrades were falling so fast, remained inactive. But
there is a limit to even gallantry, and as the wounded men were carried
past them, their indignation was roused, and, at last, the fire was as
warmly returned; but before that took place, one half of the detachment
were _hors de combat_.

All the assistance which they might have received from the covering
party of sailors on the beach was neutralised; they did not know how
much the soldiers had suffered, and although they fired in pursuance of
orders, they would not take any aim.

For some time, the soldiers were forced on to the eastern side of the
rock, which, as the reader may recollect, was much more precipitous than
the western side, where it was descended from by the ladder. Here they
were at the mercy of the conspirators, who, concealed below the masses
of the rock on the platform, took unerring aim. The captain had fallen,
Lieutenant Dillon was badly wounded and led back to the boats, and the
command had devolved upon a young man who had but just joined the
regiment, and who was ignorant of anything like military tactics, even
if they could have been brought into play upon the service.

"Do you call this fighting with women, Sergeant Tanner?" said one of the
men. "I've seen service, but such a murderous fire I was never in.
Why, we've lost two-thirds of our men."

"And shall lose them all before we find out the mouth of this cursed
cave. The regiment has lost its character for ever, and I don't care
how soon a bullet settles my business."

Ramsay now detached a party of the men to fire at the covering party of
seamen who were standing by the boats in the cove, and who were