commenced its fire. Notwithstanding that it was a regular ditched fort, and appeared a very strong one, relying upon the bravery of his followers, and, in a case of such imminent danger to the ship, readily incurring the responsibility of exceeding his orders, Lieutenant Yeo resolved to attempt its immediate reduction.

Not suspecting an attack by land, and being wholly occupied in firing at the frigate, the garrison had left open the outer gate of the fort. Through this a French sentinel, having fired his musket, retreated, and was quickly followed by the van of the storming party. At the inner gate the garrison, headed by the governor, stood ready to oppose the British ; but Lieutenant Yeo, setting a noble example to his men, sprang forward, and, attacking the governor sword in hand, laid him dead at his feet, breaking his own sabre by the force of the blow. The contest now became most severe ; the greater part of the officers, who had advanced with the governor, shortly experiencing a similar fate from such of the British, as the narrowness of the entrance had permitted to be at hand to second their gallant leader. The boldness and vigour of the assault was irresistible, and the remainder of the garrison, although numbering, at that time, 90 or 100 effective men, fled to the farther end of the fort ; from the embrasures of which many of them leaped upon the rocks, a height of about 25 feet. Shortly after this, the survivors within the fort laid down their arms, and the British colours were hoisted on the flagstaff.

Considering the force opposed to them, which, at the beginning of the attack, consisted of 22 Spanish soldiers, several Spanish gentlemen and townsmen, volunteers, and about 100 of the crew of the French privateer Confiance, at anchor in the harbour, the British were fortunate in escaping with only six slightly wounded ; Lieutenant Yeo, Mr. Clinch the master's mate, three seamen, and one marine. The loss on the part of the garrison was extremely severe : the governor of the fort, a Spanish gentleman who had volunteered, the second captain of the Confiance, and nine others were killed ; and 30, including nearly all the officers of the privateer, were wounded.

The character of this achievement, as it here has been detailed, is too obvious to need elucidation by any remarks that can be offered. Yet we cannot quit the subject without showing, to what an extent the brave man's attributes, modesty and humanity, were possessed by the officer who had so distinguished himself on the occasion. Not a word is to be found in Lieutenant Yeo's letter, respecting the personal conflict between himself and the Spanish governor. It is Captain Maitland who discloses the fact, and who states that he derived it from the testimony of the prisoners, and of those who accompanied his first lieutenant to the attack. As a proof that the tenderest sympathy may exist in the boldest heart, we here quote the concluding words of

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