es opened fire.
The hum of shot could be heard, followed by the explosion of
shells, the fall of masonry, and screams and cries.

"The bombardment has begun, at last!" Captain O'Halloran exclaimed.

The greatest consternation reigned among the ladies. Several of
them had left children in their quarters and, although the barracks
were so placed as to be, to a great extent, sheltered from the
enemy's fire from the land side, they were still terribly anxious
as to their safety. Two of them had, like the O'Hallorans, quarters
in the town itself; and the husbands of these ladies, accompanied
by Captain O'Halloran and Bob, at once set out to bring the
children up to the house, which was perfectly sheltered.

The scene in the town was a pitiful one. Men, women, and children
were flying, in the wildest alarm, towards the gate looking south;
and thence out to the huts that the more prudent ones had erected,
many months before, near Europa Point. Shot and shell were raining
down, while chimneys and portions of masonry fell clattering in the
streets. Sick people were being carried out, on doors or planks;
and most of the inhabitants were laden with what few articles of
value they could snatch up, at the first alarm. The children were
soon brought up to the O'Hallorans' and then, for a time, there was
nothing to do but to listen to the roar of artillery.

The officers and Bob ascended the Rock, to a point near one of the
batteries, whence they could command a view of the Spanish lines.
The flashes of smoke were bursting forth almost incessantly; but
were answered shot for shot from the English batteries, which had
already almost silenced the San Carlos Battery, which mounted a
large number of mortars, and against which the fire of the English
guns was concentrated.

Between one and two o'clock the Spanish fire abated, and soon
ceased altogether. The inhabitants took advantage of the lull to
hurry back to their houses, whence they removed the lighter and
more portable articles; but the heavy stores--of which it now
appeared many of them had large quantities concealed--they were, of
course, unable to take away.

The discovery of these stores excited much indignation among the
troops. The inhabitants had been constantly representing themselves
as reduced to the last point of hunger, and had frequently received
provisions from the scanty supplies of the garrison; and the
soldiers were exasperated on finding that, all this time,