Francois had run down and received them in the gateway.
"What is this ?" the Admiral asked.

"Have they burnt your drawbridge and gate ?" "Yes, sir." "How was it, then, they did not succeed in capturing the place?
Ah, I see, you formed a barricade here." Two or three of the carcasses had been dragged aside, to permit the men carrying the wounded to enter.
"Why, what is it, Francois--skins of freshly slain oxen ?" "Yes, sir, and the barricade is formed of their bodies.

We had neither time nor materials at hand, and my cousin suggested bringing the oxen up, and slaughtering them here.

In that way we soon made a barricade.

But we should have had hard work in holding it, against such numbers, had he not also suggested our skinning them, and letting the hides hang as you see, with the raw sides outwards.