eight o'clock in the evening before
Go now , Pedro , drink a cup of wine , and then call the other men . '' The house was barricaded as well as circumstances would permit ; the first story was also made a fortress by loading the landing place with armoires and chests of drawers . The upper story , or attic , if it might be so called , was defended in the same way , that they might retreat from one to the other if the doors were forced . It was eight o'clock in the evening before all was ready , and they were still occupied with the last defence , under the superintendence of Mesty , who showed himself an able engineer , when they heard the sound of an approaching multitude . They looked out of one of the windows , and perceived the house surrounded by the galley-slaves , in number apparently about a hundred . They were all dressed in a most fantastic manner with whatever they could pick up : some had fire-arms , but the most of them were supplied with only swords or knives . With them came also their cortege of plunder : carts of various descriptions , loaded with provisions of all sorts , and wine ; women lashed down with ropes , sails from the vessels and boats to supply them with covering in the mountains , hay and straw , and mattresses .