Ch. VII. SOUTH AMERICA. 387 



they now began more and more to think impregnable, 

 the fmall quantity of ammunition, and the proportion 

 of the artillery to the defign, together with the in- 

 creafing difguftof thefe new-levied ruftickSj at the fa- 

 tigues and dangers of war, which had already lafted 

 long beyond their expedlations : thefe circumftances, I 

 fay, had fo difcouraged the New-England men, that 

 they began to repent of having left the repofe of their 

 plantations, for what fomc now called a romantick 

 fcheme and the general inclination feemed to be for 

 a return : and this being known from fome of the En- 

 glifh as bore none of the loweft commiffions, a refolu- 

 tion was taken, that if they were not mafters of the 

 place in a fortnight at fartheft, the fiege fliould be 

 raifed. But the taking of the Vigilante, diffufed a 

 new fpirit through the troops : and feeing that by this 

 capture they had gained a confiderable reinforcement, 

 and that the fort was deprived of the afliftance fo long 

 expeded, their hopes of fuccefs revived; and they 

 pufhed the fiege with more vigour than even at the 

 commencement of it. 



At the fame time the Englifli laid Hege to the 

 fort, they alfo threatned the royal battery, having a 

 body of troops encamped on that fide, though with- 

 out ever rilking an afifault. This batl;eryj happened 

 to be commanded by an officer of no competent ex- 

 perience, and very unfit for fuch a poll ; the garrifon 

 aifo was weak, and it was without any guns towards 

 the land, which was the very place facing the enemy ; 

 and confequently tile only one from whence they could 

 be annoyed. In this exigence the commandant of tha 

 fort went over to view it and give dire(5lions; but as 

 he could not fpare any men, he left orders, that in 

 cafe of the approach of the enemy on that fide, they 

 fliould remove thither the guns which pointed feaward ; 

 and ufe them to the beft advantage. But left the roy- 

 al battery fliould fall into the hands of the enemy, 

 who would certainly turn the cannon againft the fort, 



C c 2 . he 



