the conquest of new france-第9章

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planks；　a　wooden　church；　and；　lying　apart；　a　fort　defended　by

earthworks。　The　Governor；　Subercase；　was　a　brave　French　officer。

He　ruled　the　little　community　with　a　despotism　tempered　only　by

indignant　protests　to　the　King　from　those　whom　he　ruled　when　his

views　and　theirs　did　not　coincide。　The　peasants　in　the　village

counted　for　nothing。　Connected　with　the　small　garrison　there　were

ladies　and　gentlemen　who　had　no　light　opinion　of　their　own

importance　and　were　so　peppery　that　Subercase　wished　he　had　a

madhouse　in　which　to　confine　some　of　them。　He　thought　well　of　the

country。　It　produced；　he　said；　everything　that　France　produced

except　olives。　The　fertile　land　promised　abundance　of　grain　and

there　was　an　inexhaustible　supply　of　timber。　There　were　many

excellent　harbors。　Had　he　a　million　livres；　he　would；　he　said；

invest　it　gladly　in　the　country　and　be　certain　of　a　good　return。

His　enthusiasm　had　produced；　however；　no　answering　enthusiasm　at

Versailles；　for　there　the　interests　of　Port　Royal　were　miserably

neglected。　Yet　it　was　a　thorn　in　the　flesh　of　the　English。　In

1708　privateers　from　Port　Royal　had　destroyed　no　less　than

thirty…five　English　vessels；　chiefly　from　Boston；　and　had　carried

to　the　fort　four　hundred　and　seventy　prisoners。　Even　in　winter

months　French　ships　would　flit　out　of　Port　Royal　and　bring　in

richly　laden　prizes。　Can　we　wonder　at　Boston's　deep　resolve　that

now　at　last　the　pest　should　end！



It　was　an　imposing　force　which　sailed　into　the　basin。　The　four

frigates　and　thirty　transports　carried　an　army　far　greater　than

Subercase　had　thought　possible。　The　English　landed　some　fourteen

hundred　men。　Subercase　had　less　than　three　hundred。　Within　a　few

days；　when　the　English　began　to　throw　shells　into　the　town；　he

asked　for　terms。　On　the　16th　of　October　the　little　garrison；

neglected　by　France　and　left　ragged　and　half…starved；　marched　out

with　drums　beating　and　colors　flying。　The　English；　drawn　up

before　the　gate；　showed　the　usual　honors　to　a　brave　foe。　The

French　flag　was　hauled　down　and　in　its　place　floated　that　of

Britain。　Port　Royal　was　renamed　Annapolis　and　Vetch　was　made　its

Governor。　Three　times　before　had　the　English　come　to　Port　Royal

as　conquerors　and　then　gone　away；　but　now　they　were　to　remain。

Ever　since　that　October　day；　when　autumn　was　coloring　the

abundant　foliage　of　the　lovely　harbor；　the　British　flag　has　waved

over　Annapolis。　Because　the　flag　waved　there　it　was　destined　to

wave　over　all　Acadia；　or　Nova　Scotia；　and　with　Acadia　in　time

went　Canada。



A　partial　victory；　however；　such　as　the　taking　of　Port　Royal；　was

not　enough　for　the　aroused　spirit　of　the　English。　They　and　their

allies　had　beaten　Louis　XIV　on　the　battlefields　of　Europe　and　had

so　worn　out　France　that　clouds　and　darkness　were　about　the　last

days　of　the　Grand　Monarch　now　nearing　his　end。　In　America　his

agents　were　still　drawing　up　papers　outlining　grandiose　designs

for　mastering　the　continent　and　for　proving　that　England's　empire

was　near　its　fall；　but　Europe　knew　that　France　in　the　long　war

had　been　beaten。　The　right　way　to　smite　France　in　America　was　to

rely　upon　England's　naval　power；　to　master　the　great　highway　of

the　St。　Lawrence；　to　isolate　Canada；　and　to　strangle　one　by　one

the　French　settlements；　beginning　with　Quebec。



There　was　malignant　intrigue　at　the　court　of　Queen　Anne。　One

favorite；　the　Duchess　of　Marlborough；　had　just　been　disgraced；

and　another；　Mrs。　Masham；　had　been　taken　on　by　the　weak　and

stupid　Queen。　The　conquest　of　Canada；　if　it　could　be　achieved

without　the　aid　of　Marlborough；　would　help　in　his　much　desired

overthrow。　Petty　motives　were　unhappily　at　the　root　of　the　great

scheme。　Who　better　to　lead　such　an　expedition　than　the　brother　of

the　new　favorite　whose　success　might　discredit　the　husband　of　the

old　one？　Accordingly　General　〃Jack〃　Hill；　brother　of　Mrs。　Masham；

was　appointed　to　the　chief　military　command　and　an　admiral

hitherto　little　known　but　of　good　habits　and　quick　wit；　Sir

Hovenden　Walker；　was　to　lead　the　fleet。



The　expedition　against　Quebec　was　on　a　scale　adequate　for　the

time。　Britain　dispatched　seven　regiments　of　regulars；　numbering

in　all　five　thousand　five　hundred　men；　and　there　were　besides　in

the　fleet　some　thousands　of　sailors　and　marines。　Never　before　had

the　English　sent　to　North　America　a　force　so　great。　On　June　24；

1711；　Admiral　Walker　arrived　at　Boston　with　his　great　array。

Boston　was　impressed；　but　Boston　was　also　a　little　hurt；　for　the

British　leaders　were　very　lofty　and　superior　in　their　tone

towards　colonials　and　gave　orders　as　if　Boston　were　a　provincial

city　of　England　which　must　learn　respect　and　obedience　to　His

Majesty's　officers　〃vested　with　the　Queen's　Royal　Power　and

Authority。〃



More　than　seventy　ships；　led　by　nine　men…of…war；　sailed　from

Boston　for　the　attack　on　Canada。　On　board　were　nearly　twelve

thousand　men。　Compared　with　this　imposing　fleet；　that　of　Phips；

twenty…one　years　earlier；　seems　feeble。　Phips　had　set　out　too

late。　This　fleet　was　in　good　time；　for　it　sailed　on　the　30th　of

July。　Vetch；　always　competent；　was　in　command　of　the　colonial

military　forces；　but　never　had　any　chance　to　show　his　mettle；　for

during　the　voyage　the　seamen　were　in　control。　The　Admiral　had

left　England　with　secret　instructions。　He　had　not　been　informed

of　the　task　before　him　and　for　it　he　was　hardly　prepared。　There

were　no　competent　pilots　to　correct　his　ignorance。　Now　that　he

knew　where　he　was　going　he　was　anxious　about　the　dangers　of　the

northern　waters。　The　St。　Lawrence　River；　he　believed；　froze

solidly　to　the　bottom　in　winter　and　he　feared　that　the　ice　would

crush　the　sides　of　his　ships。　As　he　had　provisions　for　only　eight

or　nine　weeks；　his　men　might　starve。　His　mind　was　filled；　as　he

himself　says；　with　melancholy　and　dismal　horror　at　the　prospect

of　seamen　and　soldiers；　worn　to　skeletons　by　hunger；　drawing　lots

to　decide　who　should　die　first　amidst　the　〃adamantine　frosts〃　and

〃mountains　of　snow〃　of　bleak　and　barren　Canada。





The　Gulf　and　River　St。　Lawrence　spell　death　to　an　incompetent

sailor。　The　fogs；　the　numerous　shoals　and　islands；　make　skillful

seamanship　necessary。　It　is　a　long　journey　from　Boston　to　Quebec

by　water。　For　three　weeks；　however；　all　went　well。　On　the　22d　of

August；　Walker　was　out　of　sight　of　land　in　the　Gulf　where　it　is

about　seventy　miles　wide　above　the　Island　of　Anticosti。　A　strong

east　wind　with　thick　fog　is　dreaded　in　those　waters　even　now；　and

on　the　evening　of　that　day　a　storm　of　this　kind　blew　up。　In　the

fog　Walker　lost　his　bearings。　When　in　fact　he　was　near　the　north

shore　he　thought　he　was　not　far　from　the　south　shore。　At

half…past　ten　at　night　Paddon；　the　captain　of　the　Edgar；　Walker's

flagship；　came　to　tell　him　that　land　was　in　sight。　Walker　assumed

that　it　was　the　south　shore　and　gave　a　fatal　order　for　the　fleet

to　turn　and　head　northward；　a　change　which　turned　them　straight

towards　cliffs　and　breakers。　He　then　went　to　bed。　Soon　one　of　the

military　officers　rushed　to　his　cabin　and　begged　him　to　come　on

deck　as　the　ships　were　among　breakers。　Walker；　who　was　an

irascible　man；　resented　the　intrusion　and　remained　in　bed。　A

second　time　the　officer　appeared　and　said　the　fleet　would　be　lost

if　the　Admiral　did　not　act。　Why　it　was　left　for　a　military　rather

than　a　naval　officer　to　rouse　the　Admiral　in　such　a　crisis　we　do

not　know。　Perhaps　the　sailors　were　afraid　of　the　great　man。

Walker　appeared　on　deck　in　dressing　gown　and　slippers。　The　fog

had　lifted；　and　in　the　moonlight　there　could　be　seen　breaking

surf　to　leeward。　A　French　pilot；　captured　in　the　Gulf；　had

taken　pains　to　give　what　he　could　of　alarming　information。　He　now

declared　that　the　ships　were　off　the　north　shore。　Walker　turned

his　own　ship　sharply　and　succeeded　in　beating　out　into　deep　water

and　safety。　For　the　fleet　the　night　was　terrible。　Some　ships

dropped　anchor　which　held；　for　happily　the　storm　abated。　Fog　guns

and　light