1845.] RETURN TO THE BEACH. 341 



of his head depended very much upon his piloting us safe ; 

 these arrangements completed, we advanced very leisurely 

 along the western walls, until we reached the beach. 



To show how completely some of our party entered into 

 the spirit of this little affair, I overheard a discussion which 

 took place among the marines, whilst resting in square. 

 One, calculating the odds, observed, " Well, there were 

 enough of them to have smothered us "; the other coolly 

 replying, " Nonsense, they were not more than two hun- 

 dred to one jolly " ! We had yet about 200 yards to tra- 

 verse, and here we found the ground kept by a regiment 

 vijlailmen, stationed six feet asunder, so as to admit of the 

 free use of their weapon. The handle of this dangerous 

 weapon was about three feet in length, with an arm of 

 eighteen inches, jointed in iron, and studded three inches 

 from the extremity by nine studs, or nails, similar to those 

 used in portcullis gates, &c. A single blowfrom this weapon 

 would probably indent a musket, and render it useless ; 

 against cutlasses it might become superior; and to unarmed 

 men, terrific. Between these lines we continued our march, 

 and reached the position, covered by our boats, in safety. 

 Here I summoned one of their chiefs, and informed him, 

 by a written communication, that I was ashamed of their 

 conduct, and that I could no longer consider them entitled 

 to respect. This produced a fresh invitation. "The 

 breakfast was prepared, the chiefs awaited me, and the 

 sea gate was open, to enter upon my own terms." To 

 have accepted their hospitality under these circumstances 

 would, I considered, have lowered the character of the 

 Flag ; I therefore caused the interpreter to commit the 

 following to paper, and forwarded it to the Examiner : 



