red by the explosion. These were
brought to the camp, and another heavy gun was fetched from Waterford,
together with a small quantity of ammunition. The regiments were at once
set to manufacture fascines for the siege, and this work proceeded
quickly, the orchards and plantations furnishing an abundance of wood.
The fascines were used for filling up ditches, and the advances against
the town were pushed forward with vigour.

But the besiegers were not allowed to carry on their work unmolested, for
a constant fire was kept up by the guns on the walls, and the besieged
made several sorties, driving back the working parties, destroying their
work, and retiring before any considerable bodies of troops could be
brought up to attack them. The three heavy guns were, however, brought
into position at a short distance from the wall, and began to play upon
it.

The dissensions between the Irish commanders still continued, and, beyond
Sarsfield's raid against the battering train, nothing was done to annoy
the enemy in the rear, although, had any vigour been shown, the Irish
army lying idle west of the Shannon could have moved across, and speedily
starved out William's army by cutting off all supplies. Even as it was,
provisions could only be collected by sending out strong bodies of troops
to plunder the country; for the peasantry had been goaded into fury by
the evil conduct of the troops, and were now in a state of insurrection,
cutting off and murdering all stragglers, and driving in small parties.

William had good reason to regret that he had brought with him so small a
contingent of British troops, owing to his doubts whether they could be
depended upon, and his poor opinion of their bravery; for, since the days
of Agincourt, English troops had been seldom seen on the Continent, and
were consequently held but in small esteem there. He had with him now a
regiment of English grenadiers, and a few line regiments, but the bulk of
the army was composed of his Dutch troops and foreign mercenaries. The
latter had shown, at the battle of the Boyne, that their courage was not
of a high order, while their excesses had not only produced a bitter
feeling of hatred against them throughout the country, but had done
immense harm to the cause, by rendering it next to impossible to obtain
provisions.

Walter's progress towards recovery, from the day when he recovered
consciousness, was very rapid. The fever, though severe, had been short