ly refused to be either coaxed or
threatened into lending his assistance.

There was not a moment to be lost, and Colonel Miller, with no other
attendant than myself, ran down to the beach. There we got on a balsa,
or raft, which carried us to a launch, whose crew at once took us
alongside a fine North American schooner.

Clambering on deck, we found the master, to whom the colonel applied
for the loan of his vessel. The sour old sea-dog turned a deaf ear.
The colonel offered a sum of money that would have bought the schooner
outright at market value; he would have none of it.

Now, it chanced that some of the crew were Englishmen who had served
under Miller in the Chilian War; and though I did not know that, I
could plainly see how interested they were in the discussion. The
colonel saw it too, and in a few simple but terse and vigorous words he
laid the case before them.

This produced a marked effect. The men growled their approbation, and
one sturdy fellow exclaimed stoutly, "I'm not going to see a countryman
of mine hard pushed without helping him. What's your sentiments,
mates?"

"The same!" cried they.--"We'll stand by you, colonel. The Spaniards
shan't cut you off if we can help it."

"Thanks, men," replied Colonel Miller, "and I'll treat you fairly.
Neither your master nor you shall have cause to complain."

The skipper, however, was not to be appeased. He threw up his command
and went ashore with us, leaving the mate to navigate the vessel. It
was rather a high-handed proceeding, perhaps, on the colonel's part,
but he was saving his troops from an unavailing fight against
overwhelming odds.

All that night we worked like slaves. The launches could not come
close inshore, so that every one and everything had to be transported
to them on balsas. The colonel did not spare himself, and my position
procured me the honour of standing beside him knee-deep in surf while
he superintended the embarkation.

Most of the sick were got on board one or other of the four vessels,
but the worst cases had to remain in hospital. Then nearly a hundred
people of the town, who had recently joined the Patriot cause,
clamoured for protection, which was, of course, afforded.

In the morning the colonel insisted I should take a rest, but the work
continued all day, while from time to time scouts came in with the news
that La Hera was advancing at full speed. At length it was all done;
only the colonel and I rem