No place was
safe, for the enemy commanded the entire fort from their topmasts;
and no sooner did any one mount the parapet than he was shot. The
commander was wounded, as was Don Pedro Zara. Within that redoubt all
were heaped sweltering in their own blood, awaiting death. For, as
often as the enemy invested that small fort or redoubt, the Spaniards
resisted bravely and killed many of them. But finally, at the end,
the victory had to remain with the conqueror, who could be none other
than the Dutch as they had so strong forces. But our Lord in such a
conflict aided His own, who were fighting there for His honor under so
great odds; and willed that the enemy should abandon the undertaking,
and depart--to the wonder of all, after they had been firing at that
rampart for nearly two days. In that time they must have used more than
five hundred large balls, the reverberations of which sounded on the
heights of that island like thunder. On the departure of the enemy,
our men must have found themselves in great need of everything, for
whatever houses and stores were there were all burned; for the Dutch
have done this three times on that point.
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