Could the Kowenstyn be pierced, the water, now divided by that great bulwark into two vast lakes, would flow together in one continuous sea.  Moreover the Scheldt, it was thought, would, in that case, return to its own cannel through Brabant, deserting its present bed, and thus leaving the famous bridge high and dry.  A wide sheet of navigable water would then roll between Antwerp and the Zeeland coasts, and Parma’s bridge, the result of seven months’ labour, would become as useless as a child’s broken toy.

Alexander had thoroughly comprehended the necessity of maintaining the Kowenstyn.  All that it was possible to do with the meagre forces at his disposal, he had done.  He had fringed both its margins, along its whole length, with a breastwork of closely-driven stakes.  He had strengthened the whole body of the dyke with timber-work and piles.  Upon its river-end, just at the junction with the great Scheldt dyke, a strong fortress, called the Holy Cross, had been constructed, which was under the special command of Mondragon.  Besides this, three other forts had been built, at intervals of about a mile, upon the dyke.  The one nearest to Mondragon was placed at the Kowenstyn manor-house, and was called Saint James.  This was entrusted to Camillo Bourbon del Monte, an Italian officer, who boasted the blood royal of France in his veins, and was disposed on all occasions to vindicate that proud pedigree by his deeds.  The next fort was Saint George’s, sometimes called the Black Sconce.  It had been built by La Motte, but it was now in command of the Spanish officer, Benites.  The third was entitled the Fort of the Palisades, because it had been necessary to support it by a stockade-work in the water, there being absolutely not earth enough to hold the structure.  It was placed in the charge of Captain Gamboa.  These little castles had been created, as it were, out of water and upon water, and under a hot fire from the enemy’s forts and fleets, which gave the pioneers no repose.

“’Twas very hard work,” said Parma, “our soldiers are so exposed during their labour, the rebels playing upon them perpetually from their musket-proof vessels.  They fill the submerged land with their boats, skimming everywhere as they like, while we have none at all.  We have been obliged to build these three forts with neither material nor space; making land enough for the foundation by bringing thither bundles of hurdles and of earth.  The fatigue and anxiety are incredible.  Not a man can sleep at night; not an officer nor soldier but is perpetually mounting guard.  But they are animated to their hard work by seeing that I share in it, like one of themselves.  We have now got the dyke into good order, so far as to be able to give them a warm reception, whenever they choose to come.”

Quite at the farther or land end of the Kowenstyn, was another fort, called the Stabroek, which commanded and raked the whole dyke, and was in the neighbourhood of Mansfeld’s head-quarters.