broken toy.

Alexander had thoroughly comprehended the necessity of maintaining the
Kowenstyn. All that it was possible to do with the meagre forces at his
disposal, he had done. He had fringed both its margins, along its whole
length, with a breastwork of closely-driven stakes. He had strengthened
the whole body of the dyke with timber-work and piles. Upon its river-
end, just at the junction with the great Scheldt dyke, a strong fortress,
called the Holy Cross, had been constructed, which was under the special
command of Mondragon. Besides this, three other forts had been built, at
intervals of about a mile, upon the dyke. The one nearest to Mondragon
was placed at the Kowenstyn manor-house, and was called Saint James.
This was entrusted to Camillo Bourbon del Monte, an Italian officer, who
boasted the blood royal of France in his veins, and was disposed on all
occasions to vindicate that proud pedigree by his deeds. The next fort
was Saint George's, sometimes called the Black Sconce. It had been built
by La Motte, but it was now in command of the Spanish officer, Benites.
The third was entitled the Fort of the Palisades, because it had been
necessary to support it by a stockade-work in the water, there being
absolutely not earth enough to hold the structure. It was placed in the
charge of Captain Gamboa. These little castles had been created, as it
were, out of water and upon water, and under a hot fire from the enemy's
forts and fleets, which gave the pioneers no repose.

"'Twas very hard work," said Parma, "our soldiers are so exposed during
their labour, the rebels playing upon them perpetually from their musket-
proof vessels. They fill the submerged land with their boats, skimming
everywhere as they like, while we have none at all. We have been obliged
to build these three forts with neither material nor space; making land
enough for the foundation by bringing thither bundles of hurdles and of