"This is the Fortress of San Carlos......"

Set sail from the camp, the Green Dew Drop traveled 13 kilometers along the riverbank, and soon saw the destination of his trip, the San Carlos Fortress, on the north bank of the San Juan River.

Unlike the forts in the mature frontier areas of Europe and the Caribbean, San Carlos looks more like a militarized settlement.

It is built on land between the north bank of the San Juan River and the eastern shore of Lake Nicaragua, in an irregular fan-shape, covering an area of about two to three square kilometers.

The fort was surrounded by a sturdy wall of seven or eight meters high made of thick logs, up to 10 meters wide, with towering thatched-roof lookouts scattered with a limited number of soldiers and a dozen cannons.

Artillery and soldiers were mainly deployed on the north and east walls facing the river, and apparently the Spaniards also knew that the main threat to the fortress of San Carlos could only come from the San Juan River.

San Carlos was also a trade hub connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The Panama Canal was still a dream thing in this era, and adventurers would make a detour of the vast expanses of South America, taking ships from the Strait of Magellan or the Drake Strait to and from the two oceans.

And the more numerous, well-behaved businessmen will only choose the safe channel. That is, disembark in Managua on the Pacific coast, transport 15 kilometers by land, then board a ship in Granada, cross Lake Nicaragua, enter the San Juan River from San Caroline and follow the current into the Caribbean Sea.

This is the most convenient passage between the two oceans in the world today.

The land is at a critical juncture, and San Carlos naturally takes care of the function of a tax card.

It has a drawbridge-like water gate at the mouth of the San Juan River, and all merchants entering and leaving Lake Nicaragua are required to register and pay taxes at the fortified port authority, paying between 1.5 and 5 points of the value of the goods according to the benchmark prices and tax tables provided by Spain, comparing categories and nationalities.

In all fairness, this tax rate is a conscience compared to the current trade tax of 10-15 points, but the establishment of tax cards is an act that hinders commerce and trade, and has long been disdained by maritime powers.

Spain still regards this as a treasure, except for the fact that the Spaniards are known to be smarter than the earthlings, and the only reason is probably that Greater Spain has its own national conditions here.

There are two piers in San Carlos, the lakeside pier is in the city, which is the main pier of the fortress, and the riverside pier is a kilometer from the city wall, with only three symbolic 20-meter plank roads, and the embankment is also mud tamped, and there is not even basic paving and leveling.

The Pale Dew slowly moored into the second plank road on the riverside, feeling the light tremor of the bow touching the embankment coming from under her feet, and Lorraine lazily stretched her waist.

"Let's go, let's go and see the heroism of the Iberian road bandits."

……

San Carlos infiltrates the operation.

As a compromise to reconcile Nelson's and Spencer's conflicts, Lorraine didn't have a clear goal.

Take a stroll around the city, stay for a while, scout the number and firepower of the defenders, and if possible, carry out some sabotage within your ability, from the breach of the city? Should the inside and the outside go together to assassinate the officer? It's basically all about his whims.

Therefore, Lorraine attaches more importance to obedience and competence when selecting attachés.

There were twenty-three members of the Azur Dewdrop attaché, in addition to Henna, Leif, Daniel, Freemani, and Bartow? And eight indigenous sailors who were tasked with pretending to be slaves? Developed by a strong young man Drogo. Kao leads, ten of which nationalities are there? The only Drake stormtroopers who didn't have the British, armed with short guns, swords and daggers? Without sailor knives.

Not carrying a sailor's knife to hide the identity of the seafarers? In the same vein, Lorraine's main weapon has been changed from a twin blade to an umbrella sword.

However, the Spanish gentleman did not have the etiquette of carrying an umbrella when he went out, and the umbrella sword could only be carried by Freemani, who was an incarnate attendant. Lorraine also had a slim gem-encrusted sword around her waist, a trophy from one of Spencer's battles.

Different from the appearance of a stabbing sword? A swift sword in the most ornate way? The slim sword is more similar to the officer's sword. Its simple style, capable of stabbing and splitting, was loved by the masculine Holy Roman and Prussian aristocracy, and was also a common accessory for Spanish gentlemen.

The boat is at a standstill, and the planks are lowered.

Leave the indigenous sailors to clean up the mess on the deck? Lorraine, who changed into a tuxedo, led her entourage to step on the not-so-solid quay embankment.

Bite......

An octagonal gold coin landed steadily in the pilot's arms, shaking the pilot's eyes.

"Generous young man!"

"Pretty flags? Mr. Lorraine spoke fluently and precisely Spanish, "I heard that San Carlos is a paradise in the rainforest?" But I didn't expect heaven to be so deserted......"

"You must have overlooked the rainy season." The pilot showed a mouth full of white teeth, "It's going to rain here next month?" Can the San Juan River double in water? Six months after that? San Carlos is a bustling paradise. ”

"I'm too early?"

"I'm afraid so."

As is a common practice elsewhere, dock pilots tend to be the loosest of the tongues and the lowest bidders.

They are the know-it-all in the city, and they know many things that you will know sooner or later if you ask, and through their mouths is the easiest way to know a place.

Lorraine soon learns that San Carlos is a military city.

There were only a small number of civilians in the city, and the main body of the garrison was two companies of the Nicaraguan Colonial Army, with a grenadier configuration, and a battalion (five companies) of permanent civilian troops, in line configuration, in addition to a Brigentine frigate named San Carlos, with 120 sailors, moored in the only water tank on the lakeside pier.

There were eight twelve-pounder medium shore defense guns on the walls, old cannons, four of which were arranged on the south wall to the river, and the remaining four were arranged in pairs on the east and west walls, facing the rainforest and Lake Nicaragua.

The commander of the garrison in the city was Antonio. Morality. Torresias, baron, colonel, who was also the commander of the local militia battalion and had his own estate and slaves on the island of Zapatra on Lake Nicaragua, was the only "lord" in the city.

But his authority did not command the entire city's army, and neither the San Carlos nor the grenadiers from Grenada were his collaborators rather than subordinates.

Captain of the USS Carlos, Francisco. Morality. Major Marat was the nephew of the Grenada garrison Marathi Governor and the commander of the Grenada Grenadier Regiment Gonzalo. Morality. Colonel Ovie, the wife and brother of Major General Hawthorne, the governor of Nicaragua, was not someone who could easily handle Commander Torresias in terms of background and connections.

In addition to the shortcomings of the parents of these big people, Lorraine also knew that the best risotto in the fortress was the lake fresh risotto in the Titiari restaurant, and the only hotel in the fortress was Aunt Portuani's [Hotel in New Cádiz], and her daughter Portuani Jr. was the Oiran of the fortress, merry and enthusiastic, and needed to pay an octagonal gold coin for a night's sleep, but it was definitely worth the money......

While the pilot was rambling, Bartow had completed the registration of the port, Freemani had hired a carriage, Leif volunteered to be the coachman, and Lorraine interrupted the pilot, smiled and galloped towards the fortress.

Watching the smoke drift farther and farther from the carriage, the port authority's registrar walked over to the pilot.

"This season, there are not many wealthy men like this, let alone from the river......"

The pilot blew out the octagonal gold coin and put it to his ear and listened quietly.

"Whatever! Three days later, the changing of the guard, Miss Portuani, Jr., here I am! ”