ROBERT VENABLES. XI 



whom, to their great loss, Captain Cox perished ; but 

 the English quickly recovering themselves, beat the 

 enemy back, and pursued them within cannon shot of 

 the city. 



These weary spent men, drawn on by their eager- 

 ness to this skirmish, forgot that thirst, which, so soon 

 as the pursuit was over, they fainted under; many, both 

 men and horse, dying on the place for very thirst. 

 Venables, being much endangered at this action in the 

 route of the forlorn, was earnestly entreated and pressed 

 by the officers not to hazard himself so again, but to 

 march with the body. This over, they called a council of 

 war, where, considering their want of match, which was 

 spent to three or four inches, and of provision, which 

 all had been without two days, and some longer, and had 

 no other sustenance but what fruits the woods afforded; 

 they once again resolved to return to their ships, which 

 the Irishman's relation, and Commissioner Butler's pe- 

 remptory charge had diverted them from, and caused 

 them to lose many men and horses with thirst and hun- 

 ger in marching back that way, which otherwise had 

 been saved. 



Some four or five days were spent at the harbour 

 in refreshing the tired, fainting soldiery, and taking new 

 resolutions for a second march and charge. Wherein, 

 they could not well be more speedy, for Penn and Win- 

 slow, two of the Commissioners, keeping at sea with the 

 fleet, (which rode some leagues off from the fort by 

 Hine river,) and refusing to come ashore, Venables, 

 though then ill with the flux, was forced to make many 



