The guns were next examined and changed so as to more completely sweep
the bay. While the lieutenant was doing this, Fernando, with three or
four fishermen went down to the water with a glass to take a look for
the _Xenophon_. She could be seen still anchored off Mud Island.
"The vind be strong off shore," said Tris Penrose the Cornish fisherman.
"Aw, she cannot sail in the teeth o' it."
"How far is it to Mud Island?" asked Fernando.
"It be about five mile," the fisherman answered.
"I am going out to that headland!" he said pointing to the rocky
promontory.
"It be dangerous, Capen; the ship's big guns, they reach to the
headland;" but Fernando insisted on being rowed to the headland, and
four fishermen, including Tris Penrose, took him to it in a boat. The
memories this early morning visit awoke in his breast are indescribable.
Years seemed to have been rolled back, and he was once more with
Morgianna, within the pale of hope. Ascending the promontory, he saw the
_Xenophon_ lying at anchor not over three or four miles away. Two boats
loaded down with marines put off from the ship and rowed to the point
of land half a mile away. There they landed, formed, and marched to
reinforce Matson on the neck of the peninsula. Three hundred men and two
small cannon were now on land.
Fernando went back, convinced that for some hours at least the attack
would be delayed.
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