At first, the troops refused to fire again, for that they had to deal with the smugglers’ wives, they made certain of:  even in the thickest of the smoke there was nothing masculine to be seen; and those troops who were at a greater distance, and who could return the fire, did not.  They were rather amused at the character of the women, and not being aware that their comrades were falling so fast, remained inactive.  But there is a limit to even gallantry, and as the wounded men were carried past them, their indignation was roused, and, at last, the fire was as warmly returned, but before that took place, one half of the detachment were hors de combat.

All the assistance which they might have received from the covering party of sailors on the beach, was neutralised; they did not know how much the soldiers had suffered, and although they fired in pursuance of orders, they would not take any aim.

For some time the soldiers were forced on to the eastern side of the rock, which, as the reader may recollect, was much more precipitous than the western side, where it was descended from by the ladder.  Here they were at the mercy of the conspirators, who, concealed below the masses of the rock on the platform, took unerring aim.  The captain had fallen, Lieutenant Dillon was badly wounded and led back to the boats, and the command had devolved upon a young man who had but just joined the regiment, and who was ignorant of anything like military tactics, even if they could have been brought into play upon the service.

“Do you call this fighting with women, Sergeant Tanner?” said one of the men.  “I’ve seen service, but such a murderous fire I was never in.  Why, we’ve lost two-thirds of our men.”

“And shall lose them all before we find out the mouth of this cursed cave.  The regiment has lost its character for ever, and I don’t care how soon a bullet settles my business.”

Ramsay now detached a party of the men to fire at the covering party of seamen who were standing by the boats in the cove and who were unprotected, while his men were concealed behind the masses of rocks.  Many fell, wounded or killed; and Vanslyperken, after shifting about from one position to another, ordered the wounded men to be put into his boat, and with two hands he pulled off as he said to procure more ammunition, leaving the remainder of his detachment on shore, to do as well as they could.

“I thought as how this work would be too warm for him,” observed Bill Spurey.

“Yes,” replied Short, who, at the moment received a bullet in his thigh, and fell down among the rocks.