[57] In the three months while we have worked on it, I have the first story, where the heaviest artillery is to be placed, ready for flooring.

God helping, I shall, I believe, finish it in little more than one year from now.

From this fort and beach near the sea I have dug a deep ditch, thirty-four feet wide, which fills with the incoming tide, and even at low tide has sufficient water to float several vessels, which are used in carrying materials by this ditch to the said work, and for other important things.

This ditch extends from the sea to the river, and at that side around the entire city, in such wise that the latter is an island formed by sea, river, and ditch.

In place of the wooden fortress, I am going to build a bulwark to defend the entrance to the river and the beach, which can correspond to the tower already built; and the new fortress will defend both sides, the ditch and the sea.