he Ships could lay their
Broadsides against it, they certainly judged right in abandoning it,
and sinking their Ships, as they must have lost many Men in defending
them, and those that had happened to have been left, after the Castle
and Ships had been taken, must have submitted to have been Prisoners;
for there was no Way of their escaping, either by Land or Water; and as
their Numbers were not great, it was best collecting them in one Body,
and at one Place, to make an Effort.

[_W_] Though this Castle was capable of making a pretty good Defence,
yet the above Reasons justify the Enemy in abandoning it. There was in
the Castle fifty seven Guns, which the Enemy had spiked up, and the
Powder they had thrown into the Cistern of Water, and spoiled, but most
of the Guns were got clear again, and the Castle was garisoned with one
hundred regular Troops, and about fifty Seamen.

[_X_] This _French_ Ship had been supplying the Enemy with Ammunition,
and had not had Time to get away, before the Place was invested; and
during the Siege of _Boccachica_ Castle, had been used as an Hospital
Ship, to receive the Enemy's wounded, and served to carry them to Town,
or fetch Ammunition, or Stores, from the Castle, as Occasion required,
and, to prevent her being destroyed by the _English_, the Enemy chose
rather to burn her.

[_Y_] All the Boats of the Fleet having been ordered to hold themselves
in Readiness for landing the Forces, each respective Transport was to
shew a Signal Light at Midnight, where the Boats went and received the
several Regiments according as directed, and from thence went and
rendezvoused aboard the _Weymouth_ till dawn of Day; and after her
scouring the Woods briskly with Grape-Shot, _&c._ at half an Hour past
four o'Clock in the Morning they were landed at a Place called
_Gratia_, formerly a Country House hired by the _South-Sea_ Factors,
and one _Mac Pherson_, who had also been in that Company's Service, and
was well acquainted with the Country, was their Guide. But, as
throughout the whole, Things were done without Order or Method, so they
went on still; for notwithstanding the Army had been apprised of the
Enemy's having made Lodgments along the Road, yet they landed without a
Grenado Shell, or a Field-Piece, and were likewise told, the Road was
even and able to sustain the Weight of the heaviest Cannon. However,
Providence continued to favour them better than their own Prudence
could have guided, and hap