Leaping ashore amidst a low cheer from a group of soldiers, Malcolm directed them to tow the boat up at once to the place where the troops were formed ready for crossing, while he and the sergeant, who were both chilled to the bone, for their clothes had frozen stiff upon them, hurried to the spot where the regiment was bivouacked.  Here by the side of a blazing fire they stripped, and were rubbed with cloths by their comrades till a glow of warmth again began to be felt, the external heat and friction being aided by the administration of two steaming flagons of spiced wine.  Dry clothes were taken from their knapsacks and warmed before the fire, and when these were put on they again felt warm and comfortable.

Hurrying off now to the spot where the troops were drawn up, they found that the boat had already made two passages.  She rowed four oars, and would, laden down to the water’s edge, carry twenty-five men.  The oars had been muffled with cloths so as to make no sound in the rowlocks.  A party of Munro’s Scots had first crossed, then a party of Swedes.  Malcolm and the sergeant joined their company unnoticed in the darkness.  Each detachment sent over a boat load in turns, and when six loads had crossed it was again the turn of the men of Munro’s regiment, and Malcolm entered the boat with the men.  The lights still burned as a signal, enabling the boat to land each party almost at the same spot.  Malcolm wondered what was going on.  A perfect stillness reigned on the other side, and it was certain that the alarm had not yet been given.

On ascending the bank he saw in front of him some dark figures actively engaged, and heard dull sounds.  On reaching the spot he found the parties who had preceded him hard at work with shovels throwing up an intrenchment.  In the darkness he had not perceived that each of the soldiers carried a spade in addition to his arms.  The soil was deep and soft, and the operations were carried on with scarce a sound.  As each party landed they fell to work under the direction of their officers.  All night the labour continued, and when the dull light of the winter morning began to dispel the darkness a solid rampart of earth breast high rose in a semicircle, with its two extremities resting on the riverbank.

The last boat load had but just arrived across, and the 600 men were now gathered in the work, which was about 150 feet across, the base formed by the river.  The earth forming the ramparts had been taken from the outside, and a ditch 3 feet deep and 6 feet wide had been thus formed.

The men, who, in spite of the cold were hot and perspiring from their night’s work, now entered the intrenched space, and sat down to take a meal, each man having brought two days’ rations in his havresack.  It grew rapidly lighter, and suddenly the sound of a trumpet, followed by the rapid beating of drums, showed that the Spaniards had, from their camp on the eminence half a mile away, discovered the work which had sprung up during the night as if by magic on their side of the river.