"It is the first time I have been so far south, and I don't think much of either country or town." "Oh, the situation is good for defence." "I'm not so sure of that, Rafael. It is true that the city is built on a rocky height, and well defended by swamp and desert; but look how safely enemies can lie under the walls." "Eh! what would you, Juan? The muzzles of the guns cannot be depressed sufficiently to sweep the beach." "Then why didn't the engineers build two forts right and left, in order to command the intervening ground?" "Dios! And thus knock each other to pieces." "True. Well, then, have one fort. See, mi amigo. On the right, that wide swamp is a sufficient protection against the approach of an enemy; but had I constructed the defences of the town, I would have run an arm of forts between the desert and that sea-fort. Thus a double line of cannon would have commanded the beach, and even if an enemy did succeed in landing in face of the fire of the town forts, they could not have encamped there as they have done." "That is true, Juan," replied Rafael, who now had the telescope to his eye. "But it is now too late to deplore the lack of defences. The rebels have landed, and are safely bestowed within stone-throw of the city. Look at the number of them, and all on the alert. Santissima! they won't feel very happy this morning, now that they see _The Pizarro_ is lost." "Surely," said Jack, taking no notice of this last remark, "surely Pedraza does not intend to land two hundred men directly in front of the town?" "It is foolish, I admit," answered Rafael, shrugging his shoulders; "but what with a sally of our troops from the town, and the guns of our boats playing on the beach, it may be managed." "I doubt it. Two hundred men may land under cover of our fire; but, believe me, Rafael, fifty will not break through that living barrier and enter the town." "I grant that. As I said last night, it is a useless waste of life, and his Excellency must have surely forgotten the situation of Janjalla when he gave such a rash command. But what else can be done, save obey his order?" "Obey it, by all means, but not in the way commanded." "What do you mean?" Jack was sweeping the shore right and left with the telescope, and did not reply for a few minutes. At length he spoke, indicating the several points he mentioned, with his hand. "Behold, mi amigo," he said, pointing towards the desert, "to land there would be foolish, as the enemy could march along to defend that point while the boats pulled in. The same with the central position. It is madness to land in the teeth of two thousand men. But look to the right. Why not land the troops up the coast, and let the swamp lie between them and the enemy?" "Bueno!" replied Rafael, seizing the idea at once. "But how do you propose to enter the city?" "Ah, that I can't say, not knowing the geography of the place."