as a natural
breakwater. The entrance was a narrow inlet at the extremity of the
spit, and batteries had been mounted there to cover it. To land on the
outer side of the sandbank was made impossible by the surf. There was
one sheltered point only where boats could go on shore, but this was ten
miles distant from the town.

Ten miles was but a morning's march. Drake went in himself in a pinnace,
surveyed the landing-place, and satisfied himself of its safety. The
plan of attack at Sant Iago was to be exactly repeated. On New Year's
Eve Christopher Carlile was again landed with half the force in the
fleet. Drake remained with the rest, and prepared to force the entrance
of the harbour if Carlile succeeded. Their coming had been seen from the
city. The alarm had been given, and the women and children, the money in
the treasury, the consecrated plate, movable property of all kinds, were
sent off inland as a precaution. Of regular troops there seem to have
been none, but in so populous a city there was no difficulty in
collecting a respectable force to defend it. The hidalgos formed a body
of cavalry. The people generally were unused to arms, but they were
Spaniards and brave men, and did not mean to leave their homes without
a fight for it. Carlile lay still for the night. He marched at eight in
the morning on New Year's Day, advanced leisurely, and at noon found
himself in front of the wall. So far he had met no resistance, but a
considerable body of horse--gentlemen and their servants
chiefly--charged down on him out of the bush and out of the town. He
formed into a square to receive them. They came on gallantly, but were
received with pike and shot, and after a few attempts gave up and
retired. Two gates were in front of Carlile, with a road to each leading
through a jungle. At each gate were cannon, and the jungle was lined
with musketeers. He divided his men and attacked both together. One
party he led in person. The cannon opened on him, and an Englishman next
to him was killed. He dashed on, leaving the Spaniards no time to
reload, carried the gate at a rush, and cut his way through the streets
to the great square. The second division had been equally successful,
and St. Domingo was theirs except the castle, which was still untaken.
Carlile's numbers were too small to occupy a large city. He threw up
barricades and fortified himself in the square for the night. Drake
brought the fleet in at daybreak, and landed guns,