As the wind was very light, the
blockading squadron now manned their boats, and some of them were coming
fast, when a raffle of musketry from the small craft sent them to the
right about, and presently the chase was safely at anchor under the
battery of Santa Catalina.
But the fun was to come-for by this time some of the vessels that held
her in chase, had got becahned under the batteries, which immediately
opened on them cheerily; and down came a topgallant-mast .here, and a
topsail-yard there, and a studdingsail t'other place-and such a squealing
and creaking of blocks and rattling of the gearwhile yards braced hither
and thither, and topping-lifts let go, and sheets let fly, showed that the
Dons were in a sad quandary; and no wonder, for we could see the shot from
the long 32-pounders on the walls, falling very thick all around several
of them. However, at 4 P.m. we had worked up alongside of the Commodore,
when the old skipper gave our friend such a rating, that I don't think he
will ever forget it.
On the day following our being fired at, I was sent, being a good
Spaniard, along with the second lieutenant-poor Treenail-to Morillo's
headquarters. We got an order to the officer commanding the nearest post
on shore, to provide us with horses; but before reaching it, we had to
walk, under a roasting sun, about two miles through miry roads, until we
arrived at the barrier, where we found a detachment of artillery, but the
commanding officer could only give us one poor broken-winded horse, and
a jackass, on which we were to proceed to headquarters on the morrow; and
here, under a thatched hut of the most primitive construction, consisting
simply of cross sticks and pahn branches, we had to spend the night, the
poor fellows being as kind as their own misery would let them.
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