he would confine Mackshane as soon as the service should be
over.

CHAPTER XXXIII

A breach being made in the walls, our soldiers give the assault, and
take the place without opposition--our sailors at the same time, become
masters of all the other strengths near Bocca Chica, and take possession
of the harbour--the good consequence of this success--we move nearer
the town--find two forts deserted, and the Channel blocked up with sunk
vessels; which however we find means to clear--land our soldiers at La
Quinta--repulse a body of militia--attack the castle of St. Lazar,
and are forced to retreat with great loss--the remains of our army are
re-embarked--an effort of the Admiral to take the town--the economy of
our expedition described

Having cannonaded the fort during the space of four hours, we were all
ordered to slip our cables, and sheer off; but next day the engagement
was renewed, and continued from the morning till the afternoon, when the
enemy's fire from Bocca Chica slackened, and towards evening was quite
silenced. A breach being made on the other side, by our land battery,
large enough to admit a middle-sized baboon, provided he could find
means to climb up to it, our general proposed to give the assault that
very night, and actually ordered a detachment on that duty. Providence
stood our friend upon this occasion, and put it into the hearts of
the Spaniards to abandon the fort, which might have been maintained by
resolute men till the day of judgment against all the force we could
exert in the attack. And while our soldiers took possession of the
enemy's ramparts without resistance, the same good luck attended a body
of sailors, who made themselves masters of Fort St. Joseph, the fascine
batteries, and one Spanish man-of-war; the other three being burnt or
sunk by the foe, that they might not fall into our hands. The taking of
these forts, in the strength of which the Spaniards chiefly confided,
made us masters of the outward harbour, and occasioned great joy among
us, as we laid our accounts at finding little or no opposition from the
town: and indeed, if a few great ships had sailed up immediately, before
they had recovered from the confusion and despair that our unexpected
success had produced among them, it is not impossible that we might have
finished the affair to our satisfaction, without any more bloodshed; but
this step our heroes disdained as a barbarous insult over the enemy's
distress,