ent to
fire this unwieldy engine, requiring great labour and exertion to fill
up its mouth when once it had vomited forth its malice. The day after,
they loaded it with stones: to their great joy, Morgan and his
bombardiers beheld one of them strike within the body of the house, it
being always a matter of some uncertainty where the ball might spend
itself. Indeed, it was said, in derision it might be, that sometimes
their guns occasioned more damage to the besiegers than to the besieged.

Morgan now set to work, keeping as accurately as he might the head of
the blatant beast to the same level, and loading it with a grenado. When
the gunner had finished his task and lighted the fusee, Morgan rubbed
his hands for joy. Retiring sharply, off went the missile with an
explosion that shook the whole fabric. When the smoke was gone they
perceived some trifling damage in an old court, where the bomb, striking
about half-a-yard into the earth, burst as it rose, much abated of its
violence; yet it shook down some slight buildings near, but without
hurting any one, save two women who had their hands scorched as a
memorial of their presence at the siege of Lathom.

This mortar-piece was like some mighty dragon of old, causing great
terror in the minds of the soldiers, who knew not how to escape, but
were in continual fear and watchfulness, dreading the assaults of this
terrible monster. To allay their apprehensions, and to show their own
indifference, the captains lodged in the uppermost rooms, behind clay
walls, when not upon duty; and many other devices were resorted to for
the purpose of encouraging their troops. One circumstance, however,
seemed to renew their courage; a gunner opposite, as he was mounting the
ramparts to see the success of his shot, was slain by a marksman from
one of the towers. The next day one of their cannoneers was slain
through the porthole by a skilful hand, which made the enemy more
cautious than formerly. Yet did they not slacken their endeavours, but
fired almost incessantly. On the Saturday afternoon they played their
mortar-piece five times; and in the night twice with stones, and once
with a grenado, which by the turning of the gunner fell short of the
house.

On Easter Monday and Tuesday Colonel Rigby must needs gratify the
country people with some pastime. He had already spent upwards of two
thousand pounds, and his great pretensions were hitherto unfulfilled.
Accordingly he ordered his batte