be simultaneous ; but the rough state of the weather, and the extreme darkness of the night, rendered a close union next to impossible.

At about 1 h. 30 m. a.m. On the 25th the Fox cutter, attended by the rear-admiral's boat and three or four others, including the two in which Captains Fremantle and Bowen had embarked, reached, undiscovered ; within half-gun shot of the mole head : when, suddenly, the alarm bells began to ring, and a fire opened from 30 or 40 pieces of cannon and a strong body of troops stationed along the shore. Two shots raked the Fox, and a third struck her between wind and water; whereby she instantly sank, and unfortunately 97 of the brave fellows that were on board met a watery grave. Among the number was her commander, Lieutenant Gibson. Another shot struck the rear-admiral on the elbow, just as he was drawing his sword and stepping out of the boat. It completely disabled him, and he was carried back to his ship. A third shot went through and sank the boat in which Captain Bowen had embarked ; whereby seven or eight seamen perished. In spite of all this opposition, the British effected a landing ; and stormed and carried the mole head, notwithstanding it was defended by 300 or 400 men, and six 24-pounders. Having spiked these, the men were about to advance, when a heavy fire of musketry and grape-shot, from the citadel and the houses near the mole head, mowed them down by scores. Here the gallant Captain Richard Bowen and his first lieutenant met each a glorious death ; and here, indeed, fell nearly the whole of the party, by death or wounds.

Meanwhile, the boat of Captain Troubridge, being unable to hit the mole, had pushed on shore, under a battery close to the southward of the citadel. Captain Waller's and a few other boats landed at the same time ; but the surf was so high, that many of the boats put back, and all that did not, were full of water in an instant, the very ammunition in the men's pouches being wetted and spoiled. Captain Troubridge, as soon as he had collected a few men, advanced with Captain Waller to the prado, or great square of the town, the appointed place of rendezvous on shore, in the hope of there meeting Rear-admiral Nelson, and Captains Thompson, Fremantle, Bowen, and their men; but who, as already related, had been already killed. Captain Troubridge now sent a sergeant, with two gentlemen of the town, to summon the citadel ; but, although the sergeant (since supposed to have been shot in his way thither) did not return, and, the non-receipt of an answer implied a negative, yet the loss of the scaling ladders in the surf rendered impracticable any attempt to put in force the threatened alternative. After waiting an hour, Captain Troubridge marched to join Captains Hood and Miller; who, with a small body of men, had made good their landing to the south-west of the spot at which he had landed. By daybreak the survivors of Captain Troubridge's

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