Such an impression must have been confirmed
as, moving up the lagoon, he anchored opposite the Bocca Grande and
threatened the harbor fort with his boats; but Drake's project was far
different. Instead of being landed on the mainland, Carleill with eight
companies was quietly slipped ashore in the Bocca Grande, with
instructions to make his way diagonally through the woods that covered
the spit till he reached the seashore, and then, instead of advancing on
the front of the intrenchments, to wade along through the wash of the
surf till he was within striking distance of the Spanish position.
Meanwhile Frobisher advanced with the flotilla against the harbor fort,
and as soon as Carleill was heard in contact with the enemy's pickets he
opened fire. The boat-attack was repulsed--indeed, it may only have been
intended as what soldiers then called "a hot alarm"--but Carleill was
completely successful. By the march through the surf he had not only
evaded the obstacles which the enemy had so carefully prepared, but he
had been covered from the fire of the galleys in the harbor, and had
never so much as entered the fire-area of the heavily armed
intrenchments. After a desperate struggle at push of pike, the position
was carried by assault, and once more so hotly was the advantage pursued
that in one rush the whole town was captured.
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