tiguing labor, for the heavy
stone had to be wheeled from the base of the hill. Already strong frames
of timber had been erected at angles in the walls, where three
twelve-pounder short guns moved on quadrants, overlooking the parapet,
and sweeping the hill in every part, while, near the centre of the
little fortress, a beautiful long brass nine traversed on a circle, that
could throw the iron messengers two miles over the plains below. The
sides of the building facing the lagoons were planked up, enclosing
spacious piazzas, and sheltering the men from nightly malaria borne
along by the land winds. The men were obliged to keep their quarters
perfectly clean, and they slept comfortably in hammocks suspended from
beams above. Everything went on regularly--they had long since given up
bad habits of drunkenness--and out of the entire company, but two drew
their allowance of spirits. Four old dames came with the early dawn,
bringing coffee and chocolate, which they exchanged for surplus rations
and the privilege of washing Jack's clothes. Liberty was occasionally
granted to visit the port, and every day two or more were gunning around
the lagoons, keeping the post supplied with quantities of delicious wild
ducks and curlew, and, when the moon was full, numbers of terrapins. We
had strict inspection, morning and evening. At nightfall, sentries were
doubled on the hill and roads--the guard set--guns primed--matches
lighted--and everything ready at a moment's notice. I am thus minute in
describing these unimportant details about the Garita, for it was my
first, and most probably, will be my last attempt at soldiership.
Besides being a great source of pride and pleasure, it was the spot
where I have passed many happy hours. Indeed, it was the only decent or
habitable post pertaining to the garrison; and I deem it not amiss to
state, that, had a twentieth portion of the quarter million of dollars
collected by us through the customs, been judiciously expended in
restoring the old Cuartel, and providing a few necessary comforts the
sailors required, it would in a measure have repaid them for toils and
hardships on ship and shore, where they were necessarily obliged to
undergo many expenses, in a service apart from the line of their duty.
And furthermore, a due regard to their personal comfort might have been
the means of reducing the medical estimates, and at the same time, of
saving many a poor fellow, whose bones now moulder beneat