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In a few days the walls were raised; the ditches were sunk; the pallisades were fixed; demiculverins from a ship of war were ranged along the parapets, and the general departed, leaving an officer named Hill in command of a sufficient garrison. Within the defences there was no want of oatmeal, red herrings, and beef; and there was rather a superabundance of brandy.
These afforded safe quarters and carried cannon on their decks that had a frightening effect on the natives. The fort was completed about mid-June. It was triangular in shape, with a "bulwarke" at each corner which was shaped like a "halfe moone." Within the "bulwarkes" were mounted four or five pieces of artillery: demiculverins which fired balls of about nine pounds in weight.
This place of strength was furnished with six great pieces, demiculverins and sakers, which shot directly in front upon us as we approached. Now without this wall, upon the inner side of the strait, they had brought likewise two great galleys with their prows to the shore, having planted in them eleven pieces of ordnance, which did beat all cross the strait, and flanked our coming on.
Oh, sirs, a woeful day for us all!" "A woeful day!" I exclaimed. "What's the matter?" The man, whom I recognized as one of the commander's servants, a fellow with the soul of a French valet de chambre, was wild with terror. "They are at the guns!" he quavered. "Alackaday! what can a few sakers and demiculverins do against them?" "Against whom?" I cried. "They are giving out pikes and cutlasses!
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