ss, the sun rose again without our being assailed either from
water or land.

As soon as it was light, work was recommenced, and our defences
strengthened; but it was soon found that the defenders would be much
fewer in number, for many of the men who, in spite of their wounds, held
up on the previous day, were unable to leave their rough couches, and
had to resign themselves to the surgeon's orders, to have patience and
wait.

All the same though, a fairly brave show was made, when towards midday
boats were seen to leave the ship again and row to the shore. Then,
after landing a strong body of well-armed men, they put back a little,
cast out grapnels, and waited while those landed marched right for the
enclosure.

There appeared to be no hesitation now, and as memories of the brave old
deeds of the Spaniards came up, it was felt that in all probability a
fiercer fight was in store for us than those which we had had with the
Indians. But not a man flinched. The perils they had gone through
seemed to have hardened them, and made them more determined. So that
our stockade was well-manned, and in breathless silence all waited for
the attack.

It was dangerous, of course, and I knew the risk, but I could not resist
the temptation of trying to see the encounter, and, well down to one
side of the gateway, I watched the coming on of the Spaniards.

There was no waiting for dark, or stealthy approach; they did not even
spread to right and left to search for a weaker point, such as they
would have found right at the back, but came boldly up toward the gate,
as being the proper place to attack, halted about a hundred yards away,
and then an officer and two men advanced, in one of whom I recognised
the interpreter of the previous day.

They came right on, the Englishman shouting to us not to fire, and then
asking, as he came close, to speak with an officer.

Colonel Preston appeared, and the messenger called upon us to surrender.

"And if we do not?" said the colonel.

"The gate will be stormed at once, and very little mercy shown," said
the man, speaking dictatorially now, as if he had caught the manner of
his Spanish companions.

"Very well," said the colonel. "You can storm, and we'll defend the
place."

The envoys went back with our defiance, and there was a short
consultation, followed by a rapid advance, a halt about fifty yards
away, and then a volley was fired by about fifty men, who uttered a
shout, an