emorable siege of
Gibraltar, that excited first the astonishment and then the ridicule of
all Europe--astonishment at the immensity of the armament prepared, and
ridicule on account of its inefficiency, in wasting years before the
place without doing any thing. An advanced party commanded by Don
Gaspar, then a captain, had the good fortune to get soundly thrashed by
a sallying detachment from the garrison; and the king of Spain was so
delighted that _something_ had been done, that he promoted the fortunate
captain to a colonelcy.

In early life he had been in America with his regiment, where he had
married a native Peruvian woman, by whom he had two daughters. In person
he was about the middling height, and so far resembled an ellipse as
this, that his transverse diameter nearly equalled his conjugate, or, in
plain English, he was about as broad as long. He prided himself not a
little upon being a "Castiliano," or genuine old Spaniard, and
professed, and probably felt, the most implacable hatred to all
heretics, especially English and Americans; but it was evidently an
abstract feeling, for the moment a vessel of either nation arrived,
which happened very often during the dry season, and the commanders
began to make those little presents that they always found it for their
interest to make, his orthodox zeal began, like Bob Acres' courage, "to
ooze away through his fingers."

Although in the main a kind and indulgent father, his affections were
centred in his niece, of whom we shall have occasion to speak more at
large, whom he preferred to his daughter, and with good reason. He was
fond of punch, such as he used to find in plenty and perfection on board
the strange ships, and which he could drill none of his household into
the art and mystery of making, except his niece; fonder of flattery, and
compliment, and salutes, from the heretical captains; and perhaps
fondest of all of invitations to dine on board such ships as seemed to
hold out hopes of good cheer. When a foreign vessel arrived, one would
think, from his parade and flourish, that he expected an invasion; but
it was all show. He was fond of telling long stories, and of sitting
long over the bottle, foregoing the usual luxury of the _siesta_, or nap
after dinner, to enjoy the greater one of drinking; but, although his
capacious stomach would contain an incredible quantity of wine, no one
could say that he had ever been seen "the worse for liquor."

The dutie