Five months the English persisted in what may be called this war against nature; they then left a few men, who seemed proof against the climate, to retain the castle till the Spaniards should choose to retake it and make them prisoners.
The rest abandoned their baleful conquest.

Eighteen hundred men were sent to different posts upon this wretched expedition: not more than three hundred and eighty ever returned.

The HINCHINBROOK's complement consisted of two hundred men; eighty-seven took to their beds in one night, and of the whole crew not more than ten survived.
The transports' men all died, and some of the ships, having none left to take care of them, sunk in the harbour: but transport ships were not wanted, for the troops which they had brought were no more: they had fallen, not by the hand of an enemy, but by the deadly influence of the climate.
Nelson himself was saved by a timely removal.

In a few days after the commencement of the siege he was seized with the prevailing dysentery; meantime Captain Glover (son of the author of LEONIDAS) died, and Nelson was appointed to succeed him in the Janus, of forty-four guns; Collingwood being then made post into the HINCHINBROOK.

He returned to the harbour the day before San Juan surrendered, and immediately sailed for Jamaica in the sloop which brought the news of his appointment.