I entreated that I might be allowed to go on. Perhaps he thought there
might be as much risk for me if I remained in the boat as there would be
should I accompany them. He therefore, greatly to my delight, allowed
me to go on with the party. On we pushed. Mr Schank, it appeared, had
been on shore before at the place and knew the position of the fort. We
had a heavy tramp, however, especially for him with his wooden leg,
which sank into the soft sand every step he took, and he sometimes had
to rest his arm on a man's shoulder to help him get along, but his
courage and determination were at all times equal to any emergency. On
we went till we could see the dim outline of the fort across the sand;
it was a great thing to approach without being discovered, for, although
we had determined to get in at all hazard, if we could take the
Spaniards by surprise, the work would be far more easy. There was no
cover, but we could only hope that the enemy would not be on the
look-out for us, or that if they were, their eyes would be turned
towards the harbour, the entrance-gate being on the land side. I own,
at last, I felt my legs aching with walking over the soft sand. I began
to wish that I had remained on board. The men must have suspected how
it was with me, and at last one of them took me up and carried me on his
shoulders, and then another and another, for even my additional weight
was likely to tire the stoutest had they carried me long. At last the
fort rose before us. Mr Schank in a low whisper ordered the men to
move forward crouching down to the ground, to step softly, and not to
utter a word. On we went, so close together, that had anybody watched
us, we might have looked like some huge animal moving on, or the shadow
of a cloud passing over the ground. Our leaders hurried on. The
drawbridge was down. The marines were ordered to level their bayonets
and the blue-jackets their pikes, and charge on. It was the work of an
instant. The Spaniards were totally unprepared for our coming at that
moment, although, as it turned out, they had been informed of our being
in the neighbourhood, and a gun was found pointed for the purpose of
sweeping the passage should the fort be attacked. Before, however, it
could be fired, the gunners had taken to flight. In a few seconds we
were in possession of the fort.

Our men were pretty well knocked up with their long pull and march over
the sand, and the country might soo