before they were discovered, and being there protected by Fort Concepcion, several redoubts, and a corps of horse-artillery on the beach, they could not be prevented from reaching Puerto-Santa-Maria. In this affair, the Mors-aut-Gloria bore a very conspicuous part, and Mr. Smyth did not quit the point of attack until the falling tide had nearly left his vessel on the bar.
At 3 p.m., the wind then blowing strong from the westward, with thick hazy weather, the remainder of the San-Lucar gun-vessels, which in the morning had taken shelter at Rota, were discovered running alongshore, and instantly pursued. Unfortunately, however, they were already so far advanced that it became a stern chase: and from the short distance they had now to run, not one of them could be taken. In attempting to turn the headmost vessel. Lieutenant Leeke, of the Milford, was killed; and in the running fight that ensued, Lieutenant Hall, commanding the Bouncer gunboat, appears to have been badly wounded. The heavy metal of their opponents, it is said, especially that of the Mors-aut-Gloria, effectually sickened the French sailors of their new sphere of action; but we are likewise informed that the arrival of such a naval force at Puerto-SantaMaria did not fail to occasion a great sensation in the city of Cadiz; the inhabitants of which were apprehensive that a descent would soon be effected near Puntales; although its defences had been much improved, and the western part of the isthmus considerably strengthened with additional field-works.
In the night of Nov. 14th, the French flotilla attempted to elude the vigilance of the British, and get into the Caño-de-Trocadero; but some of the vessels were driven back to the Rio-Guadalete, out of which they never again ventured; and the rest obliged to take shelter in the Rio-San-Pedro, from whence they were afterwards transported overland to the marshes of La-Marquilla, below Puerto-Real. On the 23d, “the mortar and howitzer-boats, under the able direction of Captain Hall”, threw, seemingly with considerable effect, several hundred shells amongst the Santa-Maria division; whilst the AEtna, Devastation; and Thunder, part of the Spanish
