the British
flag, and marched into the town to take vengeance on the mob. A
Spanish officer, with two or three men, came forward. What did a
British captain mean by violating the law of nations? Vaughan would
chastise the rascally French who had attacked his men. Then he must
either kill the Spaniard or take him prisoner: and the officer
tendered his sword.

'I will not accept the arms of a brave man who is doing his duty,'
quoth poor over-valiant Vaughan, and put him aside. The hot Welsh
blood was nevertheless the blood of a gentleman. They struck up
'Britons, Strike Home,' and marched on. The British and Spanish
came out to entreat him. If a fight began, they would be all
massacred. Still he marched on. The French, with three or four
thousand slaves, armed, and mounting the tricolour cockade, were
awaiting them, seemingly on the Savannah north of the town. Chacon
was at his wits' end. He had but eighty soldiers, who said openly
they would not fire on the English, but on the French. But the
English were but 240, and the French twelve times that number. By
deft cutting through cross streets Chacon got between the two bodies
of madmen, and pleaded the indignity to Spain and the violation of
neutral ground. The English must fight him before they fought the
French. They would beat him: but as soon as the first shot was
fired, the French would attack them likewise, and both parties alike
would be massacred in the streets.

The hot Welsh blood cooled down before reason, and courage. Vaughan
saluted Chacon; and marched back, hooted by the Republicans, who
nevertheless kept at a safe distance. The French hunted every
English and Irish person out of the town, some escaping barely with
their lives. Only one man, however, was killed; and he, poor
faithful slave, was an English Negro.

Vaughan saw that he had done wrong; that he had possibly provoked a
war; and made for his error the most terrible reparation which man
can make.

His fears were not without foundation. His conduct formed the
principal count in the list of petty complaints against England, on
the strength of which, five months after, in October 1796, Spain
declared war against England, and, in conjunction with France and
Holland, determined once more to dispute the empire of the seas.

The moment was well chosen. England looked, to those who did not
know her pluck, to have sunk very low. Franco was risi