succeeded in eluding the city's batteries, Wolfe returned to his camp on the Island of Orleans, to ruminate over his two alternatives. One of these was to land with a heavy force against Montcalm's centre, near the mouth of one of the Beauport streams, and there bring on a general engagement. The other was to march the bulk of his army across the Montmorency by the upper ford, and come on Montcalm from behind. But Admiral Saunders, with full faith in the correctness of Shipmaster's Cook soundings (see Note), told his colleague that it would be utterly impossible for any of his ships to sail near enough to the Beauport shore-line, to land troops or to cover them in their advance up to the enemy's line, after the redoubts had been demolished or forsaken; and the lesson learned at the lower ford of the Montmorency was too recent for any one to think of daring a repetition of the carnage that befell the Grenadiers and the Royal Americans in that engagement. This first alternative had therefore to be laid aside. The second alternative, namely, that of taking troops across by the upper ford, was likewise proven to be as hazardous as the first alternative, and when these two alternatives were finally dismissed from the General's mind, there was nothing for him to do but force his way up the main river, and there seek the easiest landing to the levels behind the city. Thus indirectly he would force Montcalm to forsake his formidable trenches and redoubts at Beauport, in order to find his way into the city by way of his bridge of boats, for its immediate protection.

The mistake of not having fortified the Levis side of the St. Lawrence had by this time begun to dawn upon those who had set aside Montcalm's suggestion

about fortifying the open spaces in the rear of the town. Wolfe claims, in one of his despatches, that the dangers of his advancing up the Levis side of the main river had been increased, from the attention which the besieged had been giving to this line of approach. "I found there great difficulties," he says, "arising from the nature of the ground, and the obstacles to our communication with the fleet. But what I feared most was that, if we should land between the river and Cap Rouge, the body first landed would not be reinforced before they were attacked by the enemy's whole army. Notwithstanding these difficulties, I thought once of attempting it, but perceiving that the enemy, jealous of the design, were preparing against it, and had actually brought artillery, which, being so near Quebec, they could increase as they pleased, to play upon the shipping, and as it must have been hours before we could attack them, even supposing a favourable night for the boats to pass by the town unhurt, it seemed so hazardous that I thought it best to desist."

Meantime, however, in spite of the danger and the gloom of sickness and disappointment that could not but be settling on Wolfe's mind, the St. Lawrence above the town became the scene of operations supplementary to the bombardment that knew little interruption from the Levis batteries and those of the fleet. Bougainville had been despatched from Beauport to Cap Rouge with a large detachment and four guns. Brigadier-General Murray was also up in this quarter with a large force on the opposite side of the river. Several vessels, French and British, were likewise to be seen moving up and down with the tide, above and below Cap Rouge. Yet, for all this, Wolfe

remained in the vicinity of the mouth of the Montmorency. The feebleness of approaching death was upon him, as he lay in a farm-house near the headquarters of Brigadier-General Townshend, who was to some extent first in command on that side. "I know perfectly well you cannot cure me," said he to the doctor in attendance on him; "but pray make me up so that I may be without pain for a few days and able to do my duty; that is all I want." And then from his next despatch we learn that, after consulting with Monckton and his other officers, he acquiesced in the proposal to make an attempt on the rear of the town, taking his whole army with him, except what would leave the camps on the Island of Orleans and at the bend of the St. Lawrence in a proper state of defence.

The Repulse at Montmorency

The pains of war, the bliss of peace, how come they e'er to be

Co-ordinates of glory, in a world of God's decree?

Is't the striving or the bitterness in victory and defeat,

That makes the peans of the past a sanctity so sweet,

To the nations in their loud acclaim of the blending of the two,

In the annals of attainment, incentive to the new?

'Twas a world's conflagration,' with the world looking on,

That sent its faggots, red with rage, across the Atlantic zone;

'Twas Britain, segregating from her allies, sailed the seas,

Το

assure colonial prowess, a-running to the lees;2

And the striving, void of bitterness, to-day we celebrate,

In the unity of nationhood eliminate of hate.

What a crowning to our country is our garlanding of peace!3