ould be always attended by a file of
musketeers.

The transporting the treasure from the custom-house to the fort was the
principal occupation of Mr. Brett's people after he had got possession of
the place. But the sailors, while they were thus employed, could not be
prevented from entering the houses which lay near them in search of
private pillage. And the first things which occurred to them being the
clothes which the Spaniards in their flight had left behind them, and
which, according to the custom of the country, were most of them either
embroidered or laced, our people eagerly seized these glittering habits,
and put them on over their own dirty trousers and jackets; not
forgetting, at the same time, the tie or bag-wig, and laced hat, which
were generally found with the clothes. When this practice was once begun
there was no preventing the whole detachment from imitating it; and those
who came latest into the fashion, not finding men's clothes sufficient to
equip themselves, were obliged to take up with women's gowns and
petticoats, which (provided there was finery enough) they made no scruple
of putting on and blending with their own greasy dress. So that, when a
party of them thus ridiculously metamorphosed first appeared before Mr.
Brett, he was extremely surprised at their appearance and could not
immediately be satisfied they were his own people.

CHAPTER 19.
THE ATTACK ON PAITA (CONTINUED)--KIND TREATMENT AND RELEASE OF THE
PRISONERS--THEIR GRATITUDE.

These were the transactions of our detachment on shore at Paita the first
night; and now to return to what was done on board the Centurion in that
interval. I must observe that after the boats were gone off we lay by
till one o'clock in the morning, and then, supposing our detachment to be
near landing, we made an easy sail for the bay. About seven in the
morning we began to open the bay, and soon after we had a view of the
town; and though we had no reason to doubt of the success of the
enterprise, yet it was with great joy that we first discovered an
infallible signal of the certainty of our hopes: this was by means of our
perspectives, for through them we saw an English flag hoisted on the
flagstaff of the fort, which to us was an incontestable proof that our
people had got possession of the town. We plied into the bay with as much
expedition as the wind, which then blew off shore, would permit us, and
at eleven the Trial's boat came on board us, lad