while the bombardment continued, bob had been constantly occupied. he had, some time before, put down his name as a volunteer for service, if required; and he and several others, who had similarly enrolled themselves, had been appointed to assist in looking after the removal of the soldiers' wives and children to the tents erected for them, and to seeing to their comfort there. he had also been in charge of bodies of labourers, employed by the governor in the work of levelling the ground and transporting stores.
captain o'halloran was constantly away on duty and, soon after the bombardment began, it was found necessary to drive the whole of the poultry into the lower part of the house; the spaniards retaining only one room for their own accommodation. had not this step been taken, the chickens would speedily have been stolen by marauders as, in the absence of captain o'halloran and bob, there was no one to protect them. after the issue of the governor's proclamation, discipline was speedily restored, and there was no longer any occasion to keep them under shelter.
the bombardment was followed by heavy rains, which caused very great discomfort to the troops. the water, pouring in torrents down the face of the hills, swept away the newly raised banks; and brought down the tents, the soldiers having to turn out in the wet--and as the troops, owing to their heavy duties, were only one night out of three in bed, the discomfort and annoyance were very great. great quantities of the provisions, too, were damaged; as these were all stacked in the open air, with no other covering than that afforded by the sails of the colliers, which were cut off and used for the purpose. until the end of the month the downfall of rain was incessant, and was accompanied with heavy storms of thunder and lightning. the batteries required constant repair, and the labours of the troops were very severe.
since the departure of admiral darby's fleet, the enemy appeared to have given up all hopes of compelling the place to surrender by hunger. the convoy from minorca had not been interfered with and, on the 2nd of may, two native craft came in from algiers with sheep, wine, and brandy, unmolested by the enemy's cruisers.
the enemy's fire had never entirely ceased, since the commencement of the bombardment, and now amounted to about fifteen hundred rounds, every twenty-four hours; the gunboats generally coming out, every day, and sending their missiles into the town and batteries--the latter being specially the mark of the enemy's land guns, which reached even the highest batteries on the rock. all through may and june the enemy's fire continued; dropping, towards the end of the latter month, to about five hundred shot and shell a day. the gunboats were specially annoying, directing their fire against the south end of the rock, and causing great alarm and distress among the fugitives from the town encamped there. occasionally they directed their fire towards the houses that had escaped the fire of the land batteries; and several shot and shell fell near the o'hallorans' but, fortunately, without hitting the house.
the volunteers had now been released from duty, and bob was free to wander about as he pleased. as, since his exploit in fetching in the fruit, he had become known to every officer in the garrison; he was a privileged person, and was able to enter any of the batteries, and to watch the effects of their fire against the enemy's forts and lines. he often spent the day on board the brilliant. at the end of june the frigate went away for a fortnight's cruise, and the captain invited bob to accompany them.
"we shall all expect great things from you, mr. repton. as you managed to capture some fifty thousand pounds' worth of prizes, when you were on board that privateer brig, you ought to put the frigate into the way of taking at least four times as much."
"it is easy to turn a brig into anything, captain langton; but there is no making one of his majesty's frigates look other but what she is. the mere sight of your topsails is enough to send every spanish craft into port."
for three or four days the frigate sailed along the coast; keeping well out during the day, and closing with the land in the evening. two or three small coasters were picked up by the boats, but they were scarcely worth sending into gibraltar. on the fifth day a large barque was seen, making in from the south. all sail was made, but the barque had the weather gage and, crossing her, ran into the shore and anchored under the shelter of a battery.
"that would be a prize worth having, bob," jim sankey said. "i wonder what she has got on board? perhaps she is like that craft you captured, choke-full of lead and silver, from lima."
"i think i can tell you what she is full of," bob, who had been examining her through a glass he had borrowed from the third lieutenant, replied.
"how do you mean you can tell, bob? she has not got her bill of lading stuck upon her broadside, i suppose?"
"she has not, jim. but i can tell you, without that."
"well, what has she got on board?"
"she has got a very strong crew, jim, and twenty-four guns."
"why, how on earth did you know that, bob?" he asked, staring at his friend in surprise.
"because, jim, i have been on board, and counted the guns. that is the craft i swam off to, nearly two years ago. you hunted for her, then, you know; but i suppose she had gone into one of the ports. but that is her, i can almost swear.
"i don't know whether there is a better glass than this on board but, if there is, i should be glad to have a look through it. yet i feel certain, without that. her stern is of rather peculiar shape, and that stern gallery looks as if it was pinched out of her, instead of being added on. we particularly noticed that, when we were sailing with her. i can't be mistaken about it."
"i think the captain ought to know, then," jim said. "i will speak to mr. rawdon. he is in charge of the watch."
jim went up on to the quarterdeck, touched his hat, and informed the second lieutenant what bob had told him. mr. rawdon went up at once to the captain, who was talking to the first lieutenant, and examining the barque and battery through his glass.
"mr. sankey has reported to me, sir, that mr. repton is very strongly of opinion that the barque, there, is the spanish ship of war he boarded by night, just after the beginning of hostilities. he told us about it, sir, and we spent two or three days in looking for her."
"of course i remember," the captain said. "have the kindness to pass the word for mr. repton to come aft."
bob soon stood before the captain.
"mr. rawdon tells me that you are of opinion that the barque, in there, is the disguised spanish sloop you boarded, two years ago?"
"yes, sir, i am almost sure of it; but i should like to have another look at her, through your glass, before i speak with certainty."
the captain handed his glass, which was a remarkably good one, to bob.
"that is her," bob said, after a minute's examination. "i could swear to her, anywhere;" and he then pointed out, to the captain, the peculiarities he had noticed.
"i can make out her figurehead, too," he said. "it is a saint, though i don't know what saint; but if you notice, sir, you will see that, instead of standing nearly upright, he leans much more forward than usual. i remember the captain saying he looked as if he was going to take a header. so with that, and the stern gallery, there is no possibility of mistaking her."
the captain again examined the barque through his glass.
"yes, i notice both the points you mention. well, i am much obliged to you for the news. it is very important. i was thinking of cutting her out, tonight; and should have fallen into the same error you so nearly did, in the privateer."
bob bowed and retired.
"we should have caught a tartar, mr. lyons, if we had sent the force we were talking about to cut her out; but i think we must have her, somehow."
"i hope so, sir. we have had a very dull time of it; with nothing to do but to exchange shots, occasionally, with those gunboats; and to get under sail, now and then, to escort some craft or other into port. the navy hasn't done much to boast of, during this siege; and it has been very hard on us, being cooped up there in gibraltar, while the fleet all over the world are picking up prizes, and fighting the french and spanish. why, we haven't made enough prize money, in the last two years, to pay for pipe clay and powder."
"yes, we all feel that, mr. lyons. we have certainly been terribly out of luck. that privateer mr. repton was on board did more, in her week's cruise, than all his majesty's ships in gibraltar have done, in the last two years.
"we must take that craft, inshore, if we can. there is no doubt she is ably commanded, for she is so well disguised that we never suspected her for a moment; therefore there is not the least chance of our catching her napping. she is a formidable craft to cut out with the boats, even if she hadn't the aid of the battery."
"there is no doubt about that, sir. i think mr. repton reported, before, that she carried twenty-four guns, and all heavy metal. as far as i can make out, with the glass, the battery mounts twelve guns."
"yes, that is the number. besides, you see, we dare not take the frigate in nearer than a mile; and a mile and a quarter would be safer. so that we could not be of any assistance, beyond annoying the battery with long shot. it seems to me that there is only one chance."
"what is that, sir?"
"we must land a strong party, some distance along the shore; and make an attack upon the battery, and carry it by surprise. i can make out some huts behind it. i suppose they wouldn't have less than a hundred soldiers there--perhaps a hundred and fifty. if we can drive them off, and capture the battery, we can open fire down upon the ship. at that distance, we could fairly sweep her deck with grape.
"the rest of our boats would be lying ahead and astern of her and, as soon as the battery opened, they could make a dash for her. the crew of the barque would be so disorganized, by the fire of the battery, that they should hardly be able to make very much of a fight of it."
"that seems a capital plan, sir. the only question is the number of hands. suppose you send eighty to take the battery; we should only have as many more to spare, for the boat attack on the ship; and that would leave us with only a hundred, on board. i should think she would carry a fighting crew of two hundred, at least. these spaniards are always very strongly manned."
"i should think that would be about it. they are long odds, but not too long, i think, mr. lyons. at any rate, we will try.
"lay her off the land, mr. lyons, then we will go into my cabin, and make all the arrangements."
there was much talk and excitement among the crew, for the general opinion was that the captain would try to cut out the craft lying under the spanish battery. the navy had, for a long time, been very sore at their inactivity; and had fretted that no attempts had been made to cut out the spanish vessels, across the bay. the admiral had steadily set his face against all such attempts, considering that the benefits to be gained did not justify the risks; for, had any of his small squadron been damaged, or sunk, by the guns of the batteries, the consequences would have been very serious, as the spanish gunboats would then have been able to carry on their operations, without check, and it would have been next to impossible for vessels to run the blockade.
the information bob had given was soon known to all the officers, and was not long before it permeated through the crew, and added to their anxiety to cut the spaniard out; for although the prize money would be less than if she had been a richly laden merchantman, the honour and glory was proportionately greater. the undertaking would be a serious one, but the prospect of danger is never deterrent to a british sailor.
there was great satisfaction when, presently, it became known that the crews of the whole of the boats were to muster. arms were inspected, cutlasses ground, and everything prepared. it was early in the morning when the spanish barque had been first discovered; and ten o'clock when the frigate had sailed away from land, as if considering the spanish craft too strongly protected to be attacked. when five miles away from land, her course was laid east and, under easy sail, she maintained the same distance on the coast.
the plan of operations was that the first lieutenant, with thirty marines and as many sailors, should land at a spot some two miles from the battery; and should make their way inland, and come down upon the position from the rear. a hundred men, in the rest of the boats, should make for the barque, direct. this party was to act in two divisions, under the second and third lieutenants, respectively; and were to lie, one to the east and the other to the west of the barque, and remain there until the guns of the battery opened upon her. then they were to row for her at all speed; a blue light being burned, by each division, when they were within a hundred yards of the enemy, as a warning to their friends in the battery; who were then to fire round shot, instead of grape. the frigate was to venture in as closely as she dared, anchor broadside on, and open fire at the enemy.
jim sankey was told off to the landing party, and bob went up to the captain, and requested leave to accompany him, as a volunteer.
"you see, sir," he said, "we may fall in with peasants, or be challenged by sentries, as we approach the battery, and my ability to speak spanish might be an advantage."
"it would, undoubtedly," the captain said. "well, mr. repton, i shall be very glad to accept your services."
at four in the afternoon, the frigate's head was again turned west and, at ten o'clock, the boats for the landing party were lowered and, the men taking their places in them, rowed away for the shore, which was some two miles distant. the night was dark; but mr. lyons had with him a pocket compass and had, before embarking, taken the exact bearings of the battery, from the spot where they would land. he was therefore able to shape his course to a point half a mile in its rear.
the strictest silence had been enjoined, and the little body of sailors made their way inland, until they came upon a road running parallel with the shore. they followed this for about half a mile, and then struck off inland, again. the country was highly cultivated, with orchards, vineyards, and orange groves. their progress was slow; for they had, many times, to cut a passage through the hedges of prickly pear. at last, they reached a spot where they believed themselves to be directly behind the battery. here there was a path, leading in the direction which they wished to follow.
in a quarter of an hour they made out some lights ahead of them, and the lieutenant halted his men, and again repeated the orders they had before received.
"you are to go straight at the huts. as you approach them you are to break up into parties of ten, as already formed. each party is to attack one hut, cut down all who resist, seize and carry away all arms. never mind the men, if you have once got their arms. they cannot trouble us, afterwards. waste no time but, directly you have got all the firelocks in one hut, make for another. as soon as all have been cleared out, make for the battery.
"now, let the officers told off to command parties each fall in, at the head of his ten men.
"mr. repton, you will keep beside me, to answer a challenge."
they were within fifty yards of the huts when a sentinel challenged:
"who goes there?"
"soldiers of the king," bob answered, in spanish, "with reinforcements for you."
"halt till i call an officer," the sentry said.
but the lieutenant gave the word, and the whole party dashed forward at a run. the sentry hesitated in surprise, for a moment, and then discharged his piece. the sailors gave a cheer, and rushed at the huts. taken utterly by surprise, the spaniards at first offered no resistance, whatever, as the sailors rushed in. indeed, few of them attempted to get out of bed. the blue lights, with which one man in each party was provided, were lighted as they entered; and the arms were collected without a moment's delay, and they were off again before the spaniards were fairly awake to what had happened.
there were ten huts, each containing twenty men. two or three shots were fired, as they entered the last two huts; but the spaniards were overpowered in an instant, as they were here vastly outnumbered. the officers were made prisoners and, ten men being placed over them, the rest of the force, now carrying three muskets each, ran down into the battery. the sentries here threw down their arms, at once, and were allowed to go where they pleased.
"pile the arms you have captured!" lieutenant lyons ordered. "run the ramrods down them, and see if they are loaded. the spaniards are not likely to rally but, if they do, we can give them a hot reception.
"now, gunner, break open the magazine, there, and load with grape."
by this time the drum was beating to arms, in the vessel below--the shots fired having given the alarm--and lights were seen to flash along the deck. in two minutes the guns were loaded; and these opened with a fire of grape upon the deck of the vessel, which was near enough to be distinctly seen, by the glare of the blue lights. as the first gun was fired, an answering flash came from sea, as the frigate also opened fire. for five minutes the guns were worked fast, then two lights burst out in close succession, ahead and astern of the barque.
"cease firing grape. load with round shot!" the lieutenant shouted but, a moment later, a loud cheer broke from the sailors as, by the lights in the boats, the spanish ensign was seen to run up to the peak of the barque, and then at once to fall again to the deck. the barque had surrendered.
"now, gunner, spike the guns," the lieutenant ordered, "and then tumble them off the carriages."
this was soon done.
"now let each man take one of the muskets, and throw the rest of them over the parapet down the rocks.
"that is right. now, fall in!"
the sailors fell in, and marched back to the huts. the spanish officers were placed in the midst, and twenty men were told off to fire the huts. this was soon done. the lieutenant waited until they were well alight, and then gave the order to march. they took the coast road, this time, for two miles; and then struck off to the shore and saw, a few hundred yards away, the lantern that had been hoisted on one of the boats, as a signal.
they were challenged by the boat keeper, who had moored the boats twenty yards from the shore. a cheer broke out, as the answer was given. the grapnels were pulled up, and the boats were soon alongside. the party, embarking, rowed out in the direction where they knew the frigate to be and, as soon as they were fairly out from the shore, they saw the three lights she had hoisted as a signal. in half an hour they were alongside.
"i need not ask if you have succeeded, mr. lyons," the captain said, as the boats came up, "for we have seen that. you have not had many casualties, i hope?"
"only one, sir. one of the marines has a ball in his shoulder. there were only five or six shots fired, in all, and no one else has as much as a scratch."
"i am truly glad to hear it," the captain said. "it has been a most successful surprise. i don't think the boats can have suffered, either."
"i don't think there was a shot fired at them, sir," the lieutenant said. "the spaniard ran up his colours and dropped them again, directly the boats showed their lights. i fancy they must have suffered very heavily from our fire. you see, they were almost under our guns, and we must have pretty well torn up their decks."
"we shall soon hear," the captain said. "the boats are towing the spaniard out. she will be alongside in a few minutes."
the wind had entirely dropped now and, in a short time, the spaniard was brought close alongside the frigate, and mr. rawdon came on board to report.
"the ship is the san joaquin, mounting twenty-four guns, with a crew of two hundred and twenty men, sir. her casualties are very heavy. the men had just poured up on deck, it seems, when the battery opened fire. the captain, first lieutenant, and fifty-six men are killed, and there are forty-three wounded. we have no casualties. their flag came down, just as we got alongside."
"then, as far as we are concerned," the captain said, "this is one of the most bloodless victories on record. there will be no death promotions this time, gentlemen, but i am sure you won't mind that. it has been a most admirably managed affair, altogether; and i am sure that it will be appreciated by my lords of the admiralty.
"you will take command of her at present, mr. lyons, with the crew now on board. dr. colfax and his assistant will go off with you, to attend to the wounded, and will remain on board until we get into gibraltar.
"mr. rawdon, you will be acting first, and i can only say that i hope you will be confirmed."
the frigate and her prize at once sailed for gibraltar. on their arrival there, the captain took some pains--by sending up larger yards, and by repainting the broad white streaks showing the portholes--to restore the prize to its proper appearance as a ship of war.
"we should not get half so much credit for her capture, if you took her into portsmouth looking like a lubberly merchantman," the captain said to mr. lyons. "i don't care about patching up all those shot holes in the bulwarks. that gives her the appearance of having been taken after a sharp action, and the deck looks almost like a ploughed field.
"i shall give you fifty men, mr. lyons, i can't spare more than that."
"that will do, sir. nothing smaller than ourselves is likely to interfere with us and, if a large frigate engaged us, we should not have more chance with a hundred men on board than with fifty. in that case we shall have to trust to our legs. of course, if we fall in with two or three of the enemy's ships, i should run up the spanish flag. i will find out if i can, from the prisoners, what is her private number. if i hoist that, and a spanish flag, it ought to deceive them. i will get her back to england, if possible, sir."
"you will, of course, take home my report, mr. lyons. it is sure to give you your step, i think."
next day the san joaquin sailed and, six weeks later, a sloop of war brought despatches to the admiral. among them was a letter from the admiralty to captain langton, expressing their gratification at the very able arrangements by which he had captured and silenced a spanish battery; and cut out the sloop of war, san joaquin, anchored under its guns, without any loss of life. it was, they said, a feat almost without parallel. they stated that they had, in accordance with his recommendation, promoted mr. lyons to the rank of commander; and they confirmed mr. rawdon in rank of first lieutenant, the third lieutenant becoming second, and the senior passed midshipman, mr. outram, being promoted to that of third lieutenant.
no change of any importance had taken place at gibraltar, during the absence of the brilliant; except that the governor had determined to retaliate for the nightly annoyance of the gunboats and, accordingly, six guns were fixed at a very considerable elevation behind the old mole, and shells fired from them. these reached the enemy's camp; and caused, as could be seen from the heights, great alarm and confusion. it was determined that in future, when the enemy's gunboats bombarded our camps and huts, we should retaliate by throwing shells into their camp.
the day after the brilliant returned the helena, sloop of war--with fourteen small guns--was seen working in towards the rock. the wind, however, was so light that she scarcely moved through the water. fourteen spanish gunboats came out to cut her off. for a time she maintained a gallant contest, against odds that seemed overwhelming; although the garrison gave her up as lost. but when the wind suddenly freshened, she sailed through her opponents into the port; where she was received, with ringing cheers, by the soldiers lining the batteries.
week after week passed in minor hostilities. there was a constant exchange of fire between our batteries and those of the enemy. the gunboats continued their operations; and we, in return, shelled their camp. fresh works were erected, on both sides. casualties took place almost daily, but both troops and inhabitants were now so accustomed to the continual firing that they went about their ordinary avocations, without paying any attention to the shot and shell, unless one of the latter fell close at hand.
november came in and, in spite of the heavy fire maintained by our batteries, the enemy's works continually advanced towards the rock; and when, in the middle of the month, it was seen that the new batteries were being armed and placed in readiness to open fire, the governor determined to take the offensive. accordingly, after gunfire on the evening of the twenty-sixth, an order was issued for all the grenadier and light infantry companies--with the 12th, and hardenberg's regiment--to assemble, at twelve o'clock at night--with a party of engineers, and two hundred workmen from the line regiments--for a sortie upon the enemy's batteries. the 39th and 59th regiments were to parade, at the same hour, to act as support to the attacking party. a hundred sailors from the ships of war were to accompany them. the attacking party numbered 1014 rank and file, besides officers and noncommissioned officers. this was exclusive of the two regiments forming the supports. the attacking force was divided into three columns.
at a quarter to three in the morning, the column moved out. the enemy's pickets discovered the advance, as soon as it passed the outlying work known as forbes' barrier and, after firing, fell back. lieutenant colonel hugo's column, which was in front, pushed on rapidly; and entered the enemy's lines without opposition, when the pioneers began to dismantle the work. hardenberg's regiment and the central column attacked and carried the tremendous work known as the san carlos battery. the enemy were unable to withstand, for a moment, the fierce attack of the troops and, in a very short time, the whole of the advanced works were in our hands.
the leading corps formed up, to resist any attempt the enemy might make to repel the sortie; and the working parties began to destroy the enemy's work. faggots dipped in tar were laid against the fascines and gabions and, in a short time, columns of fire and smoke rose from all parts of the works occupied. in an hour, the object of the sortie was effected. trains were laid to the magazines, and the troops fell back. just as they reached the town, the principal magazine blew up, with a tremendous explosion.
the enemy appeared to have been wholly confounded, at this sudden attack upon their advanced works--the fugitives from which created a panic throughout the whole army--and although the main spanish lines, mounting a hundred and thirty-five heavy pieces of artillery, were but a few hundred yards behind the works attacked, not a single shot was fired at the troops engaged. the batteries continued burning for three days and, when they ceased to smoke, nothing but heaps of sand remained of the works that had cost the enemy months of labour to erect.
it was some days before the spaniards appeared to come to any definite conclusion as to their next step. then large numbers of men set to work, to reestablish their batteries; and things fell into their old routine, again. every day shots were exchanged, occasionally. vessels made their way in and out; being sometimes briskly chased by the enemy's gunboats, sometimes passing in with little interference--for, by this time, the spaniards must have recognized that there was no hope, whatever, of reducing gibraltar by blockade. there was a great deal of sickness in the garrison; but comparatively little of this was due to scurvy, for every available corner of ground was now cultivated, and the supply of vegetables--if not absolutely sufficient to counteract the effects of so long and monotonous a diet of salt meat--was yet ample to prevent any serious outbreak of scurvy recurring.
in february, fresh activity was manifested among the besiegers. vast numbers of mules were seen, bringing fascines to their works. at the end of march the vernon store ship arrived and, a few hours later, four transports with the 97th regiment, under the convoy of two frigates, came in.
a singular series of casualties was caused by a single shot, which entered an embrasure in willis's battery, took both legs off two men, one leg off another, and wounded another man in both legs; thus four men had seven legs taken off, or wounded, by one shot. these casualties were caused by the inattention of the men to the warning of a boy who was looking out for shot. there were two boys in the garrison whose eyesight was so keen that they could see the enemy's shot coming, and both were employed in the batteries especially exposed to the enemy's fire, to warn the men to withdraw themselves into shelter, when shot were coming.
this quickness of eyesight was altogether exceptional. standing behind a gun--and knowing, therefore, the exact course the shot will take--it is comparatively easy for a quick-sighted man to follow it; but there are few, indeed, who can see a shot coming towards them. in this respect, the ear is a far better index than the eye. a person possessed of a fair amount of nerve can judge, to within a few yards, the line that a shot coming towards him will take. when first heard, the sound is as a faint murmur; increasing, as it approaches, to a sound resembling the blowing off of steam by an express engine, as it rushes through a station. at first, the keenest ear could not tell the direction in which the shot is travelling but, as it approaches, the difference in the angle becomes perceptible to the ear, and a calm listener will distinguish whether it will pass within twenty or thirty yards, to the right or left. it would require an extraordinary acute ear to determine more closely than this, the angle of flight being so very small, until the shot approaches almost within striking distance.
the garrison had been trying experiments with carcasses and red-hot shot. a carcass is a hollow shot, or shell, pierced with holes; but instead of being charged with powder, to explode it either by means of a fuse or by percussion, it is filled with a fierce-burning composition so that, upon falling, it will set on fire anything inflammable near it. red-hot shot are fired by putting a wet wad in over the dry wad, next to the powder. the red-hot shot is then run into the gun, and rammed against the wet wad; and the gun fired in the usual way. the carcasses several times set fire to the enemy's works, but the use of the red-hot shot was reserved for a pressing emergency. a number of furnaces were constructed, in the various batteries, for heating the shot; which necessarily required a considerable amount of time, to bring them to a white heat.
news came, in april, that great preparations were making, at cadiz and other mediterranean ports, for a fresh and vigorous attack on gibraltar; and that the duc de crillon--who had lately captured minorca--would bring twenty thousand french and spanish troops, in addition to those at present engaged in the siege; that a large fleet would also be present, and that the principal attack would be made by means of ships turned into floating batteries, and protected by an immense thickness of cork, or other wood.
on the 9th of may, the ships began to arrive. among them were seven large vessels, which appeared to be old men-of-war. a large number of workmen immediately went on board them, and began to lower the topmasts. this confirmed the news in respect to the floating batteries.
about this time, three store ships fortunately arrived from england, with powder, shell, and other stores. as there could be no longer any doubt that the attack was, this time, to be delivered on the sea face; strong working parties were employed in strengthening the water batteries, in erecting lines of palisades, to prevent a landing from boats, and in building furnaces for the heating of shot in these batteries, also. at this time the engineers began to drive a gallery through the rock, facing the neutral ground, in order to place guns there. this work was carried on to the end of the siege, and the batteries thus erected are now among the strongest of the defences of gibraltar.
at the end of the month a great fleet, consisting of upwards of a hundred sail, entered the bay and anchored off algeciras. some nine or ten thousand troops were landed and, from that time, scarce a day passed without fresh vessels, laden with stores and materials for the siege, arriving in the bay.
early in may twelve gunboats, that had been sent out in pieces from england, were completed and launched. each carried one gun, and was manned by twenty-one men. six of these drew their crews from the brilliant, five from the porcupine, and one from the speedwell, cutter. these craft had been specially designed for the purpose of engaging the enemy's gunboats, and for convoying ships into the port.
on the 11th of june a shell from the enemy burst, just at the door of one of the magazines of willis's battery. this instantly blew up, and the explosion was so violent that it seemed to shake the whole rock. fourteen men were killed, and fifteen wounded, and a great deal of injury done to the battery; but strong parties at once set to work to repair it. a few days later a french convoy of sixty sail and three frigates anchored in the bay and, from these, another five thousand french troops landed.
at the end of the month the duc de crillon arrived, and took command of the besiegers. a private letter, that was brought in by a privateer that had captured a merchantman, on her way, gave the garrison an idea of the method in which the attack was to be made. it stated that ten ships were to be fortified, six or seven feet thick, with green timber bolted with iron, and covered with cork, junk, and raw hides. they were to carry guns of heavy metal, and to be bombproof on the top, with a descent for the shells to slide off. these vessels, which they supposed would be impregnable, were to be moored within half gunshot of the walls with iron chains; and large boats, with mantlets, were to lie off at some distance, full of troops ready to take advantage of occurrences; that the mantlets of these boats were to be formed with hinges, to fall down to facilitate their landing. there would, by that time, be forty thousand men in camp, but the principal attack was to be made by sea, to be covered by a squadron of men-of-war with bomb ketches, floating batteries, gun and mortar boats, etc.; and that the comte d'artois--brother to the king of france--with other great personages, was to be present at the attack.
at this time the enemy fired but little, and the garrison were able to turn their whole attention to strengthen the points most threatened. the activity of the enemy on their offensive works on the neutral ground continued and, in one night, a strong and lofty work, five hundred yards long, with a communication thirteen hundred yards long to the works, was raised. it was calculated that ten thousand men, at least, must have been employed upon it; and no less than a million and a half sandbags used in its construction.
there could be no doubt, now, that the critical moment was approaching; and that, ere long, the garrison would be exposed to the most tremendous fire ever opened upon a besieged place.
