The next day, as I expected, the enemy attacked us in great force, attempting to escalade the fort; but by the help of my guns, and my good sword, by the distinguished bravery of Lieutenant Macgillicuddy and the rest of the garrison, we beat this attack off completely, the enemy sustaining a loss of seven hundred men.  We were victorious; but when another attack was made, what were we to do?  We had still a little powder left, but had fired off all the shot, stones, iron-bars, &c. in the garrison!  On this day, too, we devoured the last morsel of our food:  I shall never forget Mrs. Vandegobbleschroy’s despairing look, as I saw her sitting alone, attempting to make some impression on the little white elephant’s roasted tail.

The third day the attack was repeated.  The resources of genius are never at an end.  Yesterday I had no ammunition; to-day, I discovered charges sufficient for two guns, and two swivels, which were much longer, but had bores of about blunderbuss size.

This time my friend Loll Mahommed, who had received, as the reader may remember, such a bastinadoing for my sake, headed the attack.  The poor wretch could not walk, but he was carried in an open palanquin, and came on waving his sword, and cursing horribly in his Hindustan jargon.  Behind him came troops of matchlock-men, who picked off every one of our men who showed their noses above the ramparts:  and a great host of blackamoors with scaling-ladders, bundles to fill the ditch, fascines, gabions, culverins, demilunes, counterscarps, and all the other appurtenances of offensive war.

On they came:  my guns and men were ready for them.  You will ask how my pieces were loaded?  I answer, that though my garrison were without food, I knew my duty as an officer, and had put the two Dutch cheeses into the two guns, and had crammed the contents of a bottle of olives into each swivel.

They advanced,—­whish! went one of the Dutch cheeses,—­bang! went the other.  Alas! they did little execution.  In their first contact with an opposing body, they certainly floored it but they became at once like so much Welsh-rabbit, and did no execution beyond the man whom they struck down.

“Hogree, pogree, wongree-fum (praise to Allah and the forty-nine Imaums!)” shouted out the ferocious Loll Mahommed when he saw the failure of my shot.  “Onward, sons of the Prophet! the infidel has no more ammunition.  A hundred thousand lakhs of rupees to the man who brings me Gahagan’s head!”

His men set up a shout, and rushed forward—­he, to do him justice, was at the very head, urging on his own palanquin-bearers, and poking them with the tip of his scimitar.  They came panting up the hill:  I was black with rage, but it was the cold, concentrated rage of despair.  “Macgillicuddy,” said I, calling that faithful officer, “you know where the barrels of powder are?” He did.  “You know the use to make of them?” He did.  He grasped my hand.  “Goliah,” said he, “farewell!  I swear that the fort shall be in atoms, as soon as yonder unbelievers have carried it.  Oh, my poor mother!” added the gallant youth, as sighing, yet fearless, he retired to his post.