hough they could not venture very far from the
Rock, on account of the enemy's galleys and rowboats, they had a
good deal of sport; and fish were welcome additions to the food,
which consisted principally of salt rations--for Bob very soon
tired of a diet of chicken.

There were some very heavy rains, in the last week of the year.
These, they learned from deserters, greatly damaged the enemy's
lines--filling their trenches, and washing down their banks. One
advantage was that a great quantity of wood, cork, and other
floating rubbish was washed down, by the rain, into the two rivers
that fell into the bay and, as the wind was from the south, this
was all blown over towards the Rock; where it was collected by
boats, affording a most welcome supply of fuel, which had been, for
some time, extremely scarce.

On the 8th of January a Neapolitan polacre was driven in under the
guns, by the wind from the other side of the bay, and was obliged
to drop anchor. Six thousand bushels of barley were found on board
her, which was of inestimable value to the inhabitants, who were
now suffering extremely; as were also the wives and children of the
soldiers, whose rations--scanty for one--were wholly insufficient
for the wants of a family. Fowls had now risen to eighteen
shillings a couple, eggs were six pence each, and small cabbages
fetched eighteen pence.

On the 12th the enemy fired ten shots into the town from Fort Saint
Philip; causing a panic among the inhabitants, who at once began to
remove to their huts at the other end of the Rock. A woman was
wounded by a splinter of stone from one of the houses, being the
first casualty that had taken place through the siege. The next day
the admiral gave orders to the men-of-war that they should be in
readiness, in case a convoy appeared, to afford protection to any
ships that might attempt to come in. This order caused great joy
among the garrison and inhabitants, as it seemed to signify that
the governor had received information, in some manner, that a
convoy was on its way out to relieve the town.

Two days later a brig, that was seen passing through the Straits to
the east, suddenly changed her course and made for the Rock and,
although the enemy tried to cut her off, she succeeded in getting
into port. The welcome news soon spread that the brig was one of a
large convoy that had sailed, late in December, for the relief of
the town. She had parted company with the others in the Ba