“This island is situated about sixteen miles below San Juan castle; and was occupied by the Spaniards as a look-out, and defended by sixteen or eighteen men, in a small semicircular battery of nine or ten swivels.  It was necessary for our purposes, as it commands the navigation of the river in a rapid and difficult part of it.

“On the 11th of April, the troops arrived before the Castle of San Juan; and, on the 13th, the siege commenced.  The ammunition and stores were landed two or three miles below the castle; and transported through the back woods, to the place where the attack began.  San Juan castle is situated sixty-nine miles up the river, from the mouth, and thirty-two from the Lake of Nicaragua; and, is a navigation of nine days:  but, for loaded boats, much longer, from the harbour up to it.  The return from it, down by the current, is made in a day and a half.

     “On the 24th of April, the castle surrendered.  During the siege,
     two or three more were killed, and nine or ten wounded.

“From the unfortunate delay before the castle, which surrendered when it was summoned, the season for the spring periodical rains, with their concomitant diseases, was now advanced:  and the little army had lost the opportunity of pushing rapidly on, out of those horrid woods—­where there are a multitude of antelopes, monkeys, parrots, vipers, and deadly venomous serpents—­by which they were environed, to the dry, pleasant, and healthful plains, and agreeable towns, of Grenada and Leon, near the lake, in the province of Nicaragua; which, from it’s salubrity and situation, is justly termed, by the Spaniards, Mahomet’s Paradise:  and where they might have maintained themselves, with the reinforcement which followed them from Jamaica on the 10th of April, till a road for carriages might have been made from Blue Fields Harbour to the lake, and the season would have permitted farther reinforcement, for the completion of a glorious enterprise; as the natives of the country were ready to revolt, and only waited for a prospect of success.  But here they were shut up in the castle, as soon as they were in possession of it.  The troops and Indians were attacked with fluxes, and intermittents, and in want of almost every necessary:  for the river was become so swoln and rapid by the rains, that the harbour where the provisions and stores were was tedious, and almost impracticable.  Here the troops, deserted by those Indians who had not already perished, languished in extreme misery, and gradually mouldered away; till there was not sufficient strength alive to attend the sick, nor even to bury the dead.

“Thus reduced, in the month of September, they were obliged to abandon their flattering conquest, and return to the harbour:  leaving a few men behind, who were the most likely to live, to keep possession of the castle, if possible, till farther orders should be received from Jamaica.

     “The Spaniards re-took the castle, as soon as the season permitted;
     and, with it, those who had not strength enough to make their
     escape.