her, when we saw another vessel appear on the open sea, which we
thought was one of ours. At the same moment, however, we thought we
recognized the French admiral's ship. We perceived the ship on the
open sea: it was the French galley of which we had been in pursuit.
Finding ourselves between these two vessels, we decided to direct our
course toward the galley, for the sake of deceiving them and
preventing them from attacking us, so as not to give them any time to
wait. This bold maneuver having succeeded, we sought the river Seloy
and port, of which I have spoken, where we had the good fortune to
find our galley, and another vessel which had planned the same thing
we had. Two companies of infantry now disembarked: that of Captain
Andres Soyez Patino, and that of Captain Juan de San Vincente, who is
a very distinguished gentleman. They were well received by the
Indians, who gave them a large house belonging to a chief, and
situated near the shore of a river. Immediately Captain Patino and
Captain San Vincente, both men of talent and energy, ordered an
intrenchment to be built around this house, with a slope of earth and
fascines, these being the only means of defense possible in that
country, where stones are nowhere to be found. Up to to-day we have
disembarked twenty-four pieces of bronze guns of different calibers,
of which the least weighed fifteen hundred weight. Our fort is at a
distance of about fifteen leagues from that of the enemy (Fort
Carolin). The energy and talents of those two brave captains, joined
to the efforts of their brave soldiers, who had no tools with which to
work the earth, accomplished the construction of this fortress of
defence; and, when the general disembarked he was quite surprized with
what had been done.

On Saturday, the 8th, the general landed with many banners spread, to
the sound of trumpets and salutes of artillery. As I had gone ashore