al Rodney been able
to remain with his fleet at Gibraltar, supplies could have been
brought across from the African coast; but the British fleet was
required elsewhere, and the relief afforded was a temporary one.
The garrison was, however, relieved by a large number of the
soldiers' wives and children being put on board the merchantmen,
and sent home to England. Many of the poor inhabitants were also
taken, either to Barbary or Portugal.

While the fleet was in port, the Spanish blockading squadron was
moored close under the guns of Algeciras; and booms were laid round
them, to prevent their being attacked by the boats of the British
fleet. An opportunity was taken, of the presence of the Spanish
admiral in Gibraltar, to arrange for an exchange of prisoners; and
on the 13th of February the fleet sailed away, and the blockade was
renewed by the Spaniards.

After the departure of the fleet, many months passed monotonously.
The enemy were ever increasing and strengthening their works, which
now mounted a great number of cannon; but beyond an occasional
interchange of a few shots, hostilities were carried on languidly.
The enemy made two endeavours to burn the British vessels, anchored
under the guns of the batteries, by sending fire ships down upon
them; but the crews of the ships of war manned the boats and, going
out to meet them, towed them ashore; where they burned out without
doing damage, and the hulls, being broken up, afforded a welcome
supply of fuel.

The want of fresh meat and vegetables operated disastrously upon
the garrison. Even before the arrival of the relieving fleet,
scurvy had shown itself; and its ravages continued, and extended,
as months went on. The hospitals became crowded with sufferers--a
third of the force being unfit for any duty--while there were few
but were more or less affected by it.

As soon as it became severe, Captain O'Halloran and his wife
decided to sell no more vegetables; but sent the whole of their
supply, beyond what was needed for their personal consumption, to
the hospitals.

During these eight months, only a few small craft had managed to
elude the vigilance of the enemy's cruisers and, frequently, foe
many weeks at a time, no news of any kind from without reached the
besieged. The small supplies of fresh meat that had, during the
early part of the siege, been brought across in small craft from
Barbary, had for some time ceased altogether; for the Moors of
Tangiers h