- description
- # The other fort
## Overview - What this is (type, form, dates, scope)
This is a subsection of text extracted from the novel *Israel Potter* by Herman Melville, labeled "The other fort". It is part of the "Melville Complete Works" collection and was extracted on January 30, 2026. The text spans lines 4460-4491 of the source file [israel_potter.txt](arke:01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW).
## Context - Background and provenance from related entities
This subsection appears within [Chapter XVI](arke:01KG8AJJ2BDJ8N0FXM1C21XVSG) of *Israel Potter*, titled "THEY LOOK IN AT CARRICKFERGUS, AND DESCEND ON WHITEHAVEN." The chapter and subsection are part of the larger [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The preceding subsection is "The first fort" ([arke:01KG8AK7N010M8KSB384TDC9X7]), and the following subsection is "Return to the first fort" ([arke:01KG8AK7N4DAYZSFPSAHRMVWVY]).
## Contents - What it contains, key subjects and details
The text describes Captain Paul and Israel's actions at a second fort in Whitehaven. Captain Paul directs Israel to follow him to this other fort. They discuss the lack of sentinels and Captain Paul's familiarity with Whitehaven. They scale the walls and begin spiking the cannons. The text ends with them looking for a fire signal.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:49.739Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- The other fort
- end_line
- 4491
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:55.385Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 4460
- text
- “Now, Israel, your bucket, and follow me to the other fort.”
The two went alone about a quarter of a mile.
“Captain Paul,” said Israel, on the way, “can we two manage the
sentinels?”
“There are none in the fort we go to.”
“You know all about the place, Captain?”
“Pretty well informed on that subject, I believe. Come along. Yes, lad,
I am tolerably well acquainted with Whitehaven. And this morning intend
that Whitehaven shall have a slight inkling of _me_. Come on. Here we
are.”
Scaling the walls, the two involuntarily stood for an instant gazing
upon the scene. The gray light of the dawn showed the crowded houses
and thronged ships with a haggard distinctness.
“Spike and hammer, lad;—so,—now follow me along, as I go, and give me a
spike for every cannon. I’ll tongue-tie the thunderers. Speak no more!”
and he spiked the first gun. “Be a mute,” and he spiked the second.
“Dumbfounder thee,” and he spiked the third. And so, on, and on, and
on, Israel following him with the bucket, like a footman, or some
charitable gentleman with a basket of alms.
“There, it is done. D’ye see the fire yet, lad, from the south? I
don’t.”
“Not a spark, Captain. But day-sparks come on in the east.”
- title
- The other fort