The whole population had
gathered at the quay. In came the ships. Loud and fervent were the
cheers and welcoming cries. In a few minutes more the vessels had
touched the wharves, well-fed sailors and starved townsmen were
fraternizing, and the long months of misery and woe were forgotten in
the intense joy of that supreme moment of relief.
Many hands now made short work. Wasted and weak as were the townsmen,
hope gave them strength. A screen of casks filled with earth was rapidly
built up to protect the landing-place from the hostile batteries on the
other side of the river. Then the unloading began. The eyes of the
starving inhabitants distended with joy as they saw barrel after barrel
rolled ashore, until six thousand bushels of meal lay on the wharf.
Great cheeses came next, beef-casks, flitches of bacon, kegs of butter,
sacks of peas and biscuit, until the quay was piled deep with
provisions.
One may imagine with what tears of joy the soldiers and people ate their
midnight repast that night. Not many hours before the ration to each man
of the garrison had been half a pound of tallow and three-quarters of a
pound of salted hide. Now to each was served out three pounds of flour,
two pounds of beef, and a pint of peas.
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