ld vessel, with an order
from the earl that the sergeant should be at once transferred into one
of the regiments coming on board. The sergeant was delighted, for orders
had already been received for the regiment to disembark and form part of
the garrison.

An hour later the Archduke Charles landed, amid the thunder of the
guns of the fleet and fortress, for here for the first time he was
acknowledged as and received the honor due to the King of Spain. There
was but little delay--Lord Peterborough's energy hurried every one else
forward, and on the 5th of August the fleet again put to sea, the king
and the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt accompanying it.

The winds were contrary, and it was not till the 11th that they anchored
in Altea Bay, at the mouth of the Guadalaviar, on the Valencian coast.
On the other side of the roadstead stood the castle and village of
Denia. The expedition was received with good will by the people, who
hated the ascendency of France at Madrid and were bitterly jealous of
Castile.

As soon as the fleet anchored Peterborough caused a manifesto to be
distributed among the people disclaiming any idea of aggrandizement on
the part of Great Britain or her allies, or any intention of injuring
the persons or property of Spaniards who were the lawful subjects of
King Charles III.

"We come," said he, "to free you from the insupportable yoke of the
government of foreigners, and from the slavery to which you have been
reduced and sold to France by ill designing persons."

Several of the Spanish followers of the king landed to encourage the
people, among them General Basset y Ramos, an active officer who was a
Valencian by birth. The people rapidly assembled from the surrounding
country and lined the shore shouting "Long live King Charles III!"

Abundant supplies of provisions were sent off to the fleet, for which,
however, Peterborough insisted upon liberal payment being made.

A detachment of British infantry was landed to cover the operation of
watering the fleet. The insurrection spread rapidly, and a thousand of
the peasants seized the town of Denia for the king. A frigate and two
bomb vessels crossed the bay and threatened the castle. This, although a
magnificent pile of building, was but weakly fortified, and after a few
shots had been fired it surrendered, and General Ramos with four hundred
regular troops from the fleet landed and took possession, and amid
the enthusiasm of the population Charl