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THE HISTORY OE THE ORDER OF [book IV.

open-mouthed to set their persons as a mark forour musketeers, and close to the jaws of ourcannon, which enfiladed them on both flanks, andwere intended to defend the approaches of theravelin—by that very lane they rushed into theditches, holding a multitude of scaling-ladders, andplaced them against the rock and the walls of thecastle. Though the ladders were almost all tooshort, yet a few of those infuriated savages con-trived to get as high as the parapets, so as to displaytheir banners to our defenders, who easily threwthem down backward; and since muskets are oflittle use in such a situation, and that heavy stonesare far more efficient, and artificial wildfire, andabove all liquid pitch at a boil—for this sticks aswell as scalds, and inflicts a certain death of torture—these, and similar, were poured most profuselyon their naked heads, and obliged them to desist,in a rage not to be able to take St. Elmo yet awhile,but retire in shame.

The action had lasted from sunrise to an hourafter noon, during which whole period, the roaringof artillery, volleys of harquebusses, and horridscreams and shouts, in every language, smoke,and flames appeared, as if the globe was splittingasunder. Throughout this conflict not one instantof intermittance in the brazen bellowing, where