The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1846-11-05

Isrsss expense 10 he Assisrer. II he
gsEFsoa were - eli eonpsieni - stsil
lhsmsslsss Of thar pOsillan.
We snlsred tks lsEtFsss from bslox ~
The principal gale. ~hish was OF srssl
slIsngIh AMI very sk.llally eonui.sdi and
Ih, . seat aloag Q stone passage. shieh
had several ssssways and =. esn6ingly de-
slsso" narow passes. wilh high stone
walls on zach sids. This vas lsrmin.lsd
By . canal or nost. viii . dswblidgs
ossr H. We nsxt arrived - Q CHS II
ssairs. and passing mp several Fs0ltlike
asesBis ws gsiOsd the Top Of the grsRd
bagsnss. Their general eharseIsT.ile 10
IhaI Of ers.IsirsaRIh and plenty Of room
10 xork in. They mspalsd one hundred
and twsniy long "a poundsrs. oil 81 brass.
They weTs loE The most pat 10 excellent
eondilios. TIE moIIsrs wsrs Of large
eslibrs, though not in such good order ~
The guns. The powder aseazlnss we're
sseh literally dry siOns yell. plugged 81
The Up With blankets. and basIng round
ms,.lird over The mouth Ghs. oP.asd upon
The bsnsTies.
We next descended 10 lhs innsr works.
and gained the secondary vale By eff
cuilous route. Besides the Necessity 10
The Sssisgsrs Of having guides ~ho veil
kn0w eve,y turn OF the wOIks, the sxens-
nsni and smoke ere almost erTIsin 10 pro-
duee Q confUsion. in shieh the voice or
presence Of he guides would be lost, and
The parry d.sh'ng Onwa'd @ish1 only sr-
rive al dead wsll. gsp looking out upon
The sea. or the mouth OF "a FOUNDER.
The eireunous rouIs Of our dsscen, from
The upper 10 the lower range Of walls was
entirely exposed 10 their batteries. the
guns grinniag o. us oil The way like 90
msny black tusks 40 We Irassrset sons
cause ssys end narrow passes. Whols
RgIm-ns might here BE- rsksd down alter
they had conquered Ibs deter wall. But
the {" chances of ssr" are numerous; and
one imperfect on in the grssIest power l'f
Oihsrsise perlsrt may render Il iasppliea-
bic. and perhaps ridiculous. On arriving at
he inper bsitsriss We found the guns 10
wreich,d condition. They were no bet
ter than . Chinese effect, " cslrulsied" 10
strike terror into the mind. But one may
imagine how very angry the subtle srchi-
leci Of this formidable castle would have
been, could he have seen his excellent
arrangements for The safe and nearly GER
tain Destruction OF the asssIlsnts thus rem
dsrsd sboriiye,
We nov descended . very vide and
steep fight Of stone stairs which led down
ls:o the grand castle square. or little town.
IS one might almost cell il. We entered
at the bottom through stone esIswsys-
the architect had never missed an orpor. !
iunty for giving the besieged protection |
10 reirealing, and time 10 rally --snd then
found ourselves 10 Q large open square,
enclosed on oil sides by very lofty walls,
The lower psn Of which displayed doors
and entrances into barracks, guard. hooses
and chops Of various kinds for The sale OF
such articles IS garrison would need.
'fbe Governors house is al the father
end Il vas q genuine soldiers lodg-
uent. and very bare Of ell ornament, ex-
eepi those Of war. for il was rlddled al
over with the marks Of shot and shell. Its
strong covered balcony, intended TO serve
40 . pio,eclion both from The broiIlng sun
nd from the fell Of missiles. vas 10 many
places torn in long gaps, All The towers
and buildings OF any elevation bad also
been knocked about aud defaceJ by The
shot and shells from Vera Cruz. previous
70 the surrender Of The castle. Bot The
mutations and destruction did not mate
rally affect The strength oftbe place. Very
fes Of the guns had been dislodged; even
the outer batteries were not injured so as
20 render them inc effective. with the excep-
ZION Of gap oil ruins in one or Two places.
There 10 about . miles breadth oil see
iunDing between San Juan de U'ua and
the town of Vera Cruz.
How strongly and sk,llully this fortress
is protected by sr. The reader hiss nov
some ides; bu, San Juan de Ulns is equal
~ protected by nature; for. while the de-
fences Of at which ] have briefly dsserIb-
ed are briefly devoted to the side and angle
facing the town. those angles which face
the main ocean on the opposite side, or
bsck Of The csstle, are pro,scisd by long
SUGGESTIONS of rocky reefs. Of eIly csfying
the spproacb Of spy vessel or var. Many
black end rot.isg vessels. visible even q.
high water. anested sons Of the natural
" lsrrers Of the plscs." But in these days
il 10 generally understood by all military
mes that no piece 10 iupregnsble. end that
borough soldiers. we'll Offered and led,
can. and viii. and do lake any pIsce. A,
wis. cost, 10 no. The question. The thing
can be done.
Santa Annals Pass.