with pocket telescopes the party could
distinguish the faces of the people in them. Among others, they
discerned General Moncellia, a brother-in-law of Rosas, who drove up in
his carriage with four horses and inspected the troops and guns, little
suspecting that his enemies were crouching down so near him. The men
had, of course, received strict instructions not on any account to show
themselves. The second night, while Lieutenant Mackinnon was watching
the batteries through his telescope, he observed the sentry suddenly
stop and narrowly eye the bank. What was his dismay to find that one of
his men had incautiously stepped forward into a spot where he could be
seen.

"Hold fast," whispered the Lieutenant, "do not move as you value your
life."

The man obeyed, and to his infinite relief the sentry at last moved on.
A few more days passed. The officers spent most of the time under the
bank while the men lay concealed in the boat. At length, when dawn
broke on the morning of the fourth day, to the satisfaction of every
one, a fresh steady breeze was blowing down the river. The men were
roused up, and eagerly made their way, crouching as before, among the
brushwood to the bank. Here they lay down at the foot of the
rocket-stands, ready at a preconcerted signal to start up and open their
fire. At any moment, had they been discovered, the guns from the
battery might have opened on them and blown them to atoms; but,
fortunately, the eyes of the enemy were turned up the stream towards the
point from whence the ships were expected to appear. Two guns fired
from the flagship was to be the signal that the fleet had got under
weigh. About nine AM, the welcome sound reached their ears, a long pole
with the flag of Old England fastened at the end was to be planted on
the top of the bank, at the elevation of which the first discharge of
rockets was to take place. With eager eyes they watched for the
appearance of the squadron; the ships of war were at length seen, the
steamers leading, followed by a line of merchantmen, one coming after
the other till the sternmost was lost in the distance. It was a grand
sight as they came silently gliding on till the leading ships got within
range of the batteries. The instant they did so they commenced firing
their shells with admirable precision. At length the leading ships
reached the channel, which lay between the cliffs and the island; the
long-looked-for moment had arrived; t