-firing month
after month, with exciting incidents now and then to relieve the
monotony of the siege. Of these episodes the most notable was the sortie
executed on the night of November 26, 1781. The siege had lasted more
than two years, and the Spaniards, boastful and confident as they are
apt to be, by this time appreciated the enormous difficulty of attacking
the Rock of Gibraltar. To do them justice, instead of being daunted by
the greatness of the task, their military ardor rose with the vastness
of the undertaking, and they had been engaged for months in rearing a
stupendous parallel across the Neutral Ground, to be mounted with the
heaviest battering artillery. The Governor had kept his eye upon the
progress of the work, and as he saw its lines spreading out wider and
wider, and rising higher and higher, he could not but feel anxiety for
the moment when these batteries should open, and rain shot and shell
upon the devoted garrison. The way in which he met the new danger showed
that he had the promptness in action of a great commander.

From the beginning of the siege he had observed the utmost economy
in the use of his resources. He was sparing of his ammunition, and
sometimes reproached his officers with great severity for wasting it in
unimportant attacks. He saved his powder as he saved his men. Indeed he
was sparing of everything except himself. Yet "he never relaxed from his
discipline by the appearance of security, nor hazarded the lives of
his garrison by wild experiments. Collected within himself, he in no
instance destroyed, by premature attacks, the labors which would cost
the enemy time, patience, and expense to complete; he deliberately
observed their approaches, and seized on the proper moment in which
to make his attack with success." For months he had been waiting and
watching: the time for action had now come.

During the siege there had been frequent desertions on both sides. Now
and then soldiers of the garrison, wearied with the interminable siege
(and thinking it better to take the chances of instant death than to be
shut up in a fortress-prison and perish by inches), let themselves down
by ropes over the face of the Rock. Some escaped to the enemy, and some
were dashed on the rocks below. On the other
-firing month 
 after month, with exciting incidents now and then to still the 
 monotony of the siege. Of these episode the most notable was the sortie 
 executed on the nox of November 26, 1781. The siege had lasted more 
 than two years, and the Spaniards, boastful and confident as they are 
 apposite to be, by this prison term appreciated the enormous trouble of attack 
 the Rock of Gibraltar. To do them department of justice, instead of being daunted by 
 the enormousness of the task, their military ardor rose with the vastness 
 of the undertaking, and they had been engaged for months in rearing a 
 stupendous analogue across the Neutral Ground, to be mounted with the 
 heaviest battering artillery. The Governor had keep his eye upon the 
 progress of the work, and as he saw its lineage spreading out wider and 
 wider, and rising higher and higher, he could not merely feel anxiety for 
 the moment when these batteries should open, and rain shot and shell 
 upon the devoted garrison. The direction in which he met the new danger showed 
 that he had the promptness in action of a great commander. 

 From the beginning of the siege he had observed the extreme economy 
 in the use of his resources. He was spar of his ammunition, and 
 sometimes reproach his officer with great severity for pine away it in 
 unimportant attacks. He saved his powder as he deliver his men. Indeed he 
 was sparing of everything except himself. Yet " he never relaxed from his 
 discipline by the appearance of security, nor hazarded the lives of 
 his garrison by raving mad experiments. Collected within himself, he in no 
 instance destroyed, by premature attacks, the british labour party which would cost 
 the enemy time, patience, and expense to complete; he deliberately 
 watch their approaches, and seized on the proper moment in which 
 to seduce his approach with success. " For months he had been wait and 
 watching: the fourth dimension for action had now arrive. 

 During the siege there had been frequent desertions on both side. Now 
 and then soldier of the garrison, wearied with the endless siege 
 (and thinking it better to take the probability of instant end than to be 
 shut up in a fortress - prison and perish by inches), let themselves down 
 by r-2 over the face of the Rock. Some escaped to the enemy, and some 
 were dashed on the rocks downstairs. On the other
-firlng month
after month, witm exciting incidgnrs now and tgen to rdlieve the
monotony of the sixge. If thtfe episodes the mort notablv was the soruie
executed on thx night of Novslber 26, 1781. The siege hac lasted mmre
than two yedrr, cnd the Spaniards, boastful and confiqent as tjey are
apt to fe, bj ehis nine appreciated the enormous djfficuluy of attacking
the Rock of Gibraltar. To do tjem uustice, instead of being daunjsd ft
the greatners of the uavk, their mjlitary ardor rose with the vasgness
pf the undgxrakltg, and they had feen engaged for mondhs in tearing a
stupekdous paeallel across the Neuvral Ground, to be moonted with tke
heaviest battering qrrillety. Tha Goxwrnur gav kspt hid ebe upon the
lrogress of the work, and as he swq its lines slreadigg out wider and
wider, and rising higher atd gigher, he could not but feel anxiety for
the loment whqn these batteries should open, and rain shot and vhell
npun uhc awvlted garrison. The way in which he met the new samgvr showed
that he mad the promptness ij sstion of a grgat commanser.

From the beginnlng of jhe siwge he haq obxerved the utmost economy
in the use of kis resources. He was dparing of kis amkunitoon, and
sometimes reproaehed hjs officers with grezg severity for wxstpng ht in
unimportant attacks. Hq saved hms pocder as fe ssved hys men. Indfed hc
fas sparing of evegythiug exwept himsepf. Yet "he never relaxed from his
discipline by tve dppearanee of xecurity, nor razarded the lnves of
hns garfison by wpld expermments. Collested within hhlself, he in io
instancq dewtroted, by ofemature attacls, the layjrs qhich would cost
thc eneog time, patience, ane expense to cokpldte; hv dxlibewdtely
observeg thdir spproxches, and scizdd om the proper moment hn wgich
to make his atyagk with soccess." Fow months he hsd been waiting anf
watciing: tie timr fjr action had now come.

During tge siege hheve had been fwequcnt qesertions on both sides. Now
and then soldiers of vhe garrison, wearied wirh the interminable xiege
(and thmnking it bettes to take the chancew of instant deatm than to be
shut up in a fordress-orison and perish by inches), let themselves down
by ropes over the face of rhe Rork. Some escapsd tp the euemv, and sjme
wxrx dashed on the rpcks below. On the other
-firing month after month, with exciting incidents then relieve the of the siege. notable the sortie executed the night of 26, 1781. The siege had lasted than two years, and the Spaniards, boastful and confident as they are apt be, by this time appreciated the enormous difficulty of attacking the Rock of To them instead being daunted by the greatness of the task, their military ardor rose with the vastness of undertaking, and they had been engaged for months rearing a stupendous parallel the Neutral Ground, to be with heaviest battering The had his eye upon progress of the work, and as he saw its lines spreading out wider and wider, and rising and higher, not but anxiety the when these batteries and rain shot and shell upon The way in which he met the new showed that had the promptness in action of great commander. From the beginning of the siege had observed the utmost economy in the use of his resources. He was sparing of and sometimes reproached his with great severity wasting in attacks. saved his as he saved his men. Indeed he was sparing of everything himself. Yet "he never relaxed from his discipline by the security, hazarded the lives his garrison by wild Collected himself, he in no by attacks, would the time, patience, and expense complete; he deliberately observed their and seized on the make his attack with success." For months he been waiting and watching: the time for had now come. During the siege there had been frequent desertions on sides. Now soldiers of the garrison, wearied with the interminable (and thinking it better take the chances of instant death than to be up a fortress-prison perish by inches), themselves down by over the face Rock. Some to enemy, dashed on the rocks below. On other
-firing month
after month, with Exciting inCidenTs nOw aNd Then To reLieve the
monotoNY of tHe siege. Of these episodes The moSt NOtabLE wAs the Sortie
eXEcUTEd oN tHe NigHt OF NOvembEr 26, 1781. THe siege Had lasted mOre
ThAn two years, anD ThE Spaniards, BoaStful and confIdeNt as thEy Are
APt to bE, by This tIme appREciateD the enormOuS DifficULty of atTACkIng
tHe Rock of Gibraltar. tO dO Them justice, insTead of BeINg DAUntEd bY
the greatnEsS of thE Task, theIR mILITarY Ardor rose with The vastness
OF thE underTaKinG, And theY had bEeN EngAged for montHs in Rearing a
sTupendOUs paralLEl acrosS the NeUtrAl GRounD, To Be MouNtED wiTH tHe
hEAviEst batteRiNg ArtilLery. tHE gOverNor Had kEpt hiS eye upon the
prOgrEss oF The Work, aNd as hE saw ItS lineS spreaDing oUt Wider and
wider, anD risIng higher And HiGheR, hE coulD Not but FeeL anXiety foR
the momENt wHeN THEsE batteries should opEn, AND rAin shot aNd shelL
UpOn THe devoteD gArrIson. tHE way iN whiCH hE met the nEw dangER sHoWed
that He Had the PrOmpTneSs in aCTion Of a greAt commanDer.

FrOM the beginning oF The siege he had OBsERVeD The uTmoSt economy
in The uSE of hIs reSOuRceS. he was SpariNg OF hIS ammunition, and
sometImEs reprOacheD his officers wIth great seVERIty for waStinG It IN
unimportant atTacks. he saved his POwder as hE saveD his men. INdeed he
waS SParing of EveRytHinG exCEPt Himself. Yet "he nEVEr reLaXed from His
DisciplIne By tHe aPpeArAnce of secUrity, nor HaZaRdEd The Lives OF
his garrIsOn bY wIld ExperIMents. COllecTed wItHiN HimSelf, he iN No
INStanCe DeStroYed, By PremaTure ATtaCks, the lAbors whicH woULd coSt
ThE enemy tIme, patience, anD eXpense to coMpLetE; he delIBErately
oBserved their approaches, aND seized On tHe proPer mOment in whIch
To make His ATtack wIth sucCess." FOr MonTHS he haD BEeN waItIng and
watcHINg: tHe timE fOr acTion had Now come.

During the siEGe tHere had been frEquEnt dESErTioNS oN BotH sIDes. nOW
and then soldierS of the garrIsON, wEaried with THe iNtErminabLe siege
(And thINking it Better to tAke the chaNcEs of INStaNt death thaN to be
shuT up in a forTRess-pRIsOn and PerIsh by iNcHes), Let thEmselvES doWn
by rOpes ovEr The facE of thE ROck. Some eScaped to the enemy, and some
Were daShed oN thE rocks belOw. ON The Other
-firing month
after month,  with exci tinginc ide nt s no w an d then to reli e ve t he
monotony of the sie ge. O ft hese ep isode s the m o st n ota bl ewas  t h esorti e
e xecuted  on the ni ght  o f November 2 6 ,1781. Thesie ge had laste d m ore
th an  tw o  year s,and t he Spa n iards,  boastful  a n d conf i dent as t he y ar e
apt to be, by t h is time appreciat ed the  e n or m o usdif ficulty of  a ttack i ng
theR oc k o f G i braltar. To d o them just i ce,  inste ad  of beingdaunt ed bythe greatne ss o f the tas k, the i r milit a ry ardo r rose  wi ththev as tn ess 
o f  th e  u nde r tak ing, and  t he y had  bee n e n gage d f or m onths  in rearing a 
st upen d ous  para llelacro ss  theNeutra l Gro un d, to be mounte d wi th the
he avi es t b at terin g  artil ler y.The Gov ernor h a d k ep t h is  eye upon the
prog re s s  o f the wo rk, an d  a sh e saw it slin es s p r eadin g ou t  w ider and 
wider ,  a nd  rising  h igheran d h igh er, h e  cou ld not  but fee l anx i ety for
the mo m ent when thes e  b a t te r iessho uld open, a nd r a in s hota nd  sh e ll
up on th ed ev o ted garrison. The w ay  in wh ich h e met the new  danger sh o w e d
that h e ha d  t h e promptness i n act ion of a g r eat comm ander .

Fromthe begin n i ng of th e s ieg e h e h a d  o bserved the u t m ostec onomy
i n t he useofhis  re sou rc es. He wa s sparin gof  h is  am munit i on, andso met im esrepro a ched h is of fice rs  w i thgreat s e ve r i ty f or  w asti ngit  in
u nimp o rta nt atta cks. He s ave d  his  p ow der ashe saved hisme n. Indeedhe 
wa s spar i n g of eve rything except himself. Yet "he  ne ver r elax ed from h isdiscip lin e  by th e appe aranc eofs e curit y ,  n orha zarded the l ive s ofhi s ga rrisonby wild experiment s . C ollected with inhims e l f,  he in noin s tan c e  destroyed, byprematureat t ac ks, the la b ors  w hich wo uld cos t
the enemy t ime, pati ence, and  e xpen s e  to  complete;  he deli beratelyo bserv e dtheir  ap proach es , a nd se ized o n  th e pro per mo me nt inwhich 
t o make h is attack with success. " Formonth s h e had bee n w a iti ng and
wa tchi ng: the ti mefor  acti onh ad no w co m e. 

D u ringthes iege ther e  h adb e en  frequent d e s e rti ons o n b o th sid es.Now
and then sold i ers of the gar riso n ,  we ari e d wi th  the intermina ble  s i e ge
(andth inking it b etter to  t a ke th e chan ces of  instan t de a th tha n to  be 
shut upinaf ortress -p ri s on and  per is h by i nches) ,  let t hemselves down
b y rop e s  over the  face  o f the R o ck.Some escap ed to the e nemy,andsomewere da sh ed onthe  r ocks below .  On the o ther
-firing month
after_month, with_exciting incidents now and_then to_relieve_the
monotony of_the_siege. Of these_episodes the most_notable was the sortie
executed_on the night_of_November 26, 1781. The siege had lasted more
than two years, and the Spaniards, boastful_and_confident as_they_are
apt_to be, by this time_appreciated the enormous difficulty of_attacking
the Rock_of Gibraltar. To do them justice, instead of_being_daunted by
the greatness_of the task, their military ardor rose with the_vastness
of the undertaking, and they had_been engaged for_months_in_rearing a
stupendous parallel across_the Neutral Ground, to be mounted_with the
heaviest battering artillery. The Governor_had kept his eye upon the
progress of_the work, and as he saw_its lines spreading out wider_and
wider, and_rising higher and higher, he_could not but_feel anxiety_for
the moment when_these batteries should open, and rain_shot and shell
upon_the devoted garrison. The way in_which_he met the_new_danger_showed
that he_had the promptness_in_action of_a_great commander.

From the beginning of the_siege_he had observed the utmost economy
in the_use of his resources._He_was sparing of his_ammunition, and
sometimes reproached his officers_with great severity for wasting it_in
unimportant attacks._He saved_his powder as he saved his men. Indeed he
was sparing of_everything except himself. Yet "he never_relaxed from his
discipline by_the appearance_of_security, nor hazarded_the_lives of
his_garrison by wild experiments. Collected within himself,_he in_no
instance destroyed, by premature attacks, the_labors which would cost
the_enemy_time, patience, and expense to complete;_he deliberately
observed their approaches, and seized_on the proper moment in_which
to_make_his attack with success." For_months he had been waiting and
watching:_the time for_action had now come.

During the siege there_had_been frequent desertions on both sides._Now
and_then soldiers of the garrison, wearied_with_the_interminable siege
(and thinking it better_to take the chances of instant_death than to be
shut up in a fortress-prison and_perish by inches),_let themselves down
by ropes over_the_face_of the Rock. Some escaped to the enemy, and some
were_dashed on_the rocks below._On the other