of the Breach,
and then to cease, and they rush in, which had the desired Effect; for
on the Battery's playing, the Enemy retired off their Ramparts, except
only one Centinel, and he hid himself behind some Fascines; that the
Troops mounted the Breach undiscovered, and were actually huzzaing on
the Ramparts, and hoisting the _English_ Flag, before the Enemy were
apprised of them; who made the best of their Way out of their Castle
Gate, excepting two, who were taken Prisoners; so that there was not a
Musket fired in Opposition, nor a Gun from any of the Enemy's Ships,
which is both astonishing and remarkable, as their Broadsides lay to
the Castle, and the Admiral (Don _Blass_) was aboard. But such was the
Panick they were in, that happy was he that could get first into a Boat
to save himself: (and the Don did not look behind him). Each Ship was
scuttled ready for sinking, and had a large square Plug in the Hole;
but the _St. Philip_'s People not readily getting them out, set fire to
her; the _Africa_ and _St. Carlos_ were sunk, as it was intended the
_Galicia_ should also, in order to prevent any Ship's getting through
the Channel, which (had the Scheme been effected) would have rendered
it difficult to pass, if practicable at all, without weighing some one
or other of the Ships. This Victory (it will readily be allowed) gave
the Army a great Share of Spirits, as it freed them from Hardships
(modern Gentlemen Soldiers are not used to) and gave them Possession of
an Island (as well as the Castle) in which the Enemy could not come to
disturb them, especially while they had got a Fleet of Ships of War to
attend on them; for, to their great Glory be it spoken, they could not
venture to move along Shore without Men of War to attend on them, as
they marched, and the constant Cry was, _Why don't you come to our
Assistance?_ Nay, so great a Liking had they to the Sea, that they
could not find their Way into the Castle, after the Breach was made,
without a Sea Pilot to conduct them; and what is worth Notice is, he
was a _Spaniard_, and a Prisoner; but the General imagined, he might be
as good a Pilot by Land, as by Sea, and so sent to the Admiral, to
desire he might shew the Troops the Way into the Castle.

[_S_] The Admiral's Scheme for Attacking _St. Joseph_'s had drawn all
the Attention of the Enemy that Way; for so soon as they saw the Boats
going to Land, their Ships began to fire pretty briskly, and _St.
Joseph_'s Battery f