three in the afternoon
Towards it they hurried , and before ten o'clock reached its base . Up the hill like a swarm of ants they rushed , and in spite of all opposition quickly carried it . The garrison were now , of course , on the alert to receive us . It was not , however , till three in the afternoon that the wind allowed us to stand into the harbour , when we made the signal to the forces on shore that we were ready to co-operate with them . As we took up our stations , directly opposite the town , we commenced a heavy cannonade , which was warmly returned by the enemy from a battery of between twenty and thirty heavy guns . In a short time the effect , of our fire was very visible . Flames burst forth from different parts of the town , which was soon burning furiously in every quarter , and it seemed to us very evident that it would soon be entirely burnt to the ground .