perhaps encumbered by plunder, and worn down with the inconveniences of lying exposed in the fields. The chief of his allies allowed his reasons good, were an attempt on the town practicable, which experience told him was not; for, though several times besieged, it never could be taken, and it would be the loss of a great deal of time, and many men’s lives to attempt it. North desired he would leave the management of this siege to him. The chief answered, he should do as he pleased, but it was against his judgment to attack a town which nature herself had fortified, which God Almighty would never suffer to be taken, and which had, to no purpose, cost the lives of a number scarce to be told, of his countrymen, in the several attempts they had made to be masters of it. North disposed his army, and invested the rock on every side; then sent word to the town, if they did not surrender, he would give no quarter to either sex or age. The inhabitants laughed at his message, and told him, that they did not believe he had learnt the art of flying, and till he had, they thought themselves very secure from his putting such menaces in execution. Out of the white men, North chose 30, whom he set at the head of three companies, consisting of 100 blacks each; and as they had some grenade-shells with them, soon dispersed the guard at the foot of the rock, and made a lodgement. Though the blacks were acquainted with fire-arms, the shells were entirely new to them, and as they saw their terrible effect, threw down their arms, and gained the middle of the rock, where they had another _corps de garde_, though not without some loss. Those who were at the bottom of the rock being put to flight, North sent 10 whites and 500 blacks to take that post, and orders to the other whites to mount the rock, and having beat that guard, if possible, to enter the town with them. They accordingly ascended in this order, as the road was so narrow, only three could pass abreast; and as the enemy, when within cast of a dart, threw down a shower upon them, three unarmed blacks with their shields marched before three small shot men, and sheltered them from the enemy’s weapons. These were followed by others, with the same precaution, the white men being mixed with those who thus went up, that is to say, one white musketeer to two blacks.