He saw a vast cloud of smoke gathering over river and town, rent continually by flashes of fire from the muzzles of the cannon.

The air was full of hissing metal, shot and shell poured in a storm upon the Alamo.

Now and then the Texan cannon replied, but not often.
The cannon fire was so great that for a time it shook Ned's nerves.

It seemed as if nothing could live under such a rain of missiles, but when he looked along the parapet and saw all the Texans unharmed his courage came back.
Many of the balls were falling inside the church, in the convent yard and in the plazas, but the Texans there were protected also, and as far as Ned could see not a single man had been wounded.
The cannonade continued for a full hour and then ceased abruptly.

The great cloud of smoke began to lift, and the Alamo, river and town came again into the brilliant sunlight.