hastening to his assistance. English and Dutch recruits had now accumulated at Lisbon, and had been reviewed by the King of Portugal, so that they were evidently considered ready for service. The British squadron made a very successful dash into Gibraltar Bay, where it surprised several French ships, most of which were driven ashore and burnt, and supplied the Garrison with seven months' provisions, and 200 barrels of powder. The arrival was very seasonable, for the enemy had got together a great number of boats from Cadiz and other ports, with which they intended to have transported 3,000 men to the New Mole, in order to attack us that very night, and storm the town both by sea and land, and in five several places at once."1 The presence of the relief squadron in the Bay much hampered the Spanish siege operations as its guns raked their trenches.

Partly, it is possible, on account of this and partly because it was considered that its presence would render the garrison less likely to expect a sudden attack, it was determined to take advantage of a by-path with which the Marquis de Villadarias had been made acquainted by a goatherd by which it was possible with much danger and difficulty to ascend to the top of the Rock on the Eastern side. A forlorn hope of 500 men was placed under the command of a Colonel Figuera, and after partaking of the sacrament, moved off after dark on its desperate undertaking. Led by their guide, Susarte, the goatherd, some of the party contrived by the aid of rope ladders, to reach St. Michael's Cave, where they concealed themselves till daybreak. Hardly had light begun to glimmer on the Eastern horizon, before the Signal Station at the top of the Rock was rushed, and the guard put to the sword. More men were hauled up by ropes and ladders, and the enterprising Spaniards were beginning to congratulate themselves on their success when the alarm was given in the town below and 500 Marines were at once sent up to attack them, under Colonel Bor and Prince Henry of Armstadt.2

As, by some extraordinary oversight, the forlorn hope had only been provided with three rounds apiece, and the Marquis Villadarias had not carried out his part of the programme, which was to support them by a general attack on the land side of the fortifications, the adventurous Spaniards were not able to withstand the attack of the British Marines, for very long, and they were defeated with the loss of 200 killed and 190 prisoners, including Colonel Figeura and 33 officers. Prince Henry was wounded in this attack.

"About 500 seamen were sent ashore to help to repair the damage done by the enemy's cannon, and in making several new works for the security of the town. The enemy made a breach but it is inconsiderable, and in case they should widen it, we are preparing a counter-work from whence we can take them in flank, front and rear, especially if Admiral Leake, should, as he designs, man all his boats with small arms to come upon their other flank by sea, which the enemy cannot avoid."3

1 "Affairs of the World," Dec., 1704.

2 A younger brother of Prince George. When on 11th November, the Governor, Col. Nugent and General Fox (of the Marines) were killed, Col. Bor succeeded to the command of the English troops and also of the regiment. 3 "Affairs of the World," Dec., 1704.

A letter written shortly afterwards gives the following account of the state of the garrison and defences of Gibraltar :

Our Garrison, notwithstanding the losses we have sustained, can still make 1,000 men in arms, besides the sick and wounded; we want neither stores nor provisions; and Admiral Leake neglects nothing that may contribute to the preservation of the place. The enemy's batteries continue to fire very briskly; they have much damaged the Round Tower, and the line of communications from it to the town; however, we have made new works within, and do not fear losing it, for the approaches thither are extremely difficult. There is a flanking line which runs from the Round Tower up to the mountain, which the enemy has likewise battered down, but we have raised very good works behind it, though with a great deal of labour, being forced to carry up earth thither to make them, it being a solid rock. This being the way by which they will probably attack us we use all possible means to defend it, which we the less doubt of, because of the most difficult access to it, and that the enemy cannot draw up any number of men to make their assault without being discovered. Besides this wall, there is another to the body of the place, part of it they have ruined, but not so much, but we have a cover for our men, and to possess themselves of this last wall, they must mount two breaches, which it will be very hard for them to do, and after all this they must force us from very good intrenchments which take in all the breaches on the inside, before they can storm the place: All which we look upon as impossible for them to do, not only because of the great fire they must sustain from the mountains that hang over the ways through which they must pass, and from several great guns that we can bring to bear upon them, but because of the badness of the way which they must come, which is up a steep hill full of rocks and holes, where a man can hardly go had he no other hindrance: This is the manner of their upper attack. They have also for a long while fired upon the Curtain next the sea, and think they have made sufficient breach there, so that we presume they may make a safe attack on that side: But as to the breach, it is not practicable to mount it, for besides the works we have made within; we every night clear away all that they beat down in the day time from the feet of the wall, and the rubbish we cast from it has raised a work so high, that it almost covers the breach, and leaves a deep ditch between it and the wall. The ditch is doubly pallisadoed, with very good flanks within, to scour the moat when they enter, and a lodgement for 300 musqueteers within the breach, to fire upon the enemy when they mount it: But before they can proceed thus far, they must be masters of the Covered Way, which is well pallisadoed and guarded by 300 men, and under its glacis we have run a mine from the Rock to the sea, which is about 150 paces, and will in three or four days have four chambers ready to spring, if there be occasion : And besides this the Enemy, to come at it, must march without any cover above 300 paces, exposed to all the fire from the line between the Town. and the Round Tower, from our Covered Way from all our guns on the Old Mole, and from about 10 more on the Curtain and in other places. The enemy has cast up an intrenchment in front of his Batteries for fear of any surprise: and from thence, under the side of the Rock, has made approaches, in order to cast