carry over soldiers, and Lieutenant Debenham commenced the construction of a large raft, which, when completed, proved very serviceable to the army, it being capable of conveying 16 dragoons, with their horses, at a time. By means of this raft, field pieces, waggons, forge carts, and in short every thing that was brought to him, were transported across, during the time that elapsed before the bridge could be rendered passable for any of those heavy articles. During the progress of the bridge. Lieutenant Debenham made from 12 to 14 trips daily; and he subsequently conducted to the French side of the river the battering train of the invaders, on a larger raft, constructed by Major Todd of the staff corps. Our readers will pardon this digression; – we shall now return to the flotilla.
Finding it impossible to discover the passage into the Adour. Rear-Admiral Penrose sent his other Spanish pilot ashore, to the S.W. of the bar, with directions to walk from thence to the bank of the river, in order to make a concerted signal from within the breakers, to guide the vessels through the safest part. From the offing there appeared no interval, a long and heavy line of surf alone presenting itself. Flag-Lieutenant Edward Collins was at the same time despatched overland, to communicate with the army; and Lieutenant George Cheyne, of the Woodlark brig, who had been received as a volunteer on board the Porcupine, and whom the Rear-Admiral then believed, and afterwards knew to be an officer of great ability and the most abundant resources, was sent to visit all the foreign vessels which had been purchased or hired for this highly important service, to stimulate their crews by promising pecuniary rewards to the first, second, third, &c. that should pass the bar: and to select as a pilot whichever master he found to possess better nerve than the others:– he brought one to the Porcupine, who professed himself willing to conduct the flotilla in at half-tide; and he volunteered to accompany this person – an officer that gave the Rear-Admiral entire confidence.
About 3 P.M., it being then nearly high water, and the wind favorable, the flotilla was put in motion; each vessel
