PLAN OF QUEBEC AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. glare. But the British managed to draw them aside with grappling-irons, and left them to burn to the water's edge. It seemed to Wolfe, whose health was very frail, that he was destined to die without *achieving any good for his country. Every landing-place and ledge of rock was guarded by floating batteries; for the French had a great many gun-boats. 5. At last, as he sailed up the stream, examining the banks with a careful eye, he noticed a bay, from which a narrow, winding path ran up the rocks toward the Plains of Abraham, as the tableland above the town was called. There were a few tents at the top of the path; but they indicated a guard of only about one hundred men. At this spot Wolfe resolved to land by night. 6. His ships and men had been previously moved up the river, for the purpose of drawing the attention of the enemy from what he was about to do. Having spent a day in preparing his men and giving them 'instructions, he rowed from one ship to another to see that all understood their duty. 7. At one in the morning the boats full of soldiers were unmoored, and drifted slowly down the current. No sail was set; and as the oars were muffled, no noise was made. Everything was favourable to a surprise. As the boat containing Wolfe and his staff dropped down the stream, the general repeated Gray's Elegy in a low voice, dwelling solemnly on that verse which speaks of the common lot : Sept. 14, 1759 A.D. "The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, The paths of glory lead but to the grave." 8. Some light infantry, leaping ashore, climbed up the face of the cliffs, swinging themselves from one ledge to another by means of the ash and the maple trees that clothed the steep. Their duty was to 'dislodge the sentinels on the top; which they did by firing a few shots. The rest of the army then walked two abreast up the winding-path; and at dawn Wolfe had them drawn out on the lofty plain with a forest behind them. 9. "It can only be a small party come to burn a few houses and then go away," said Montcalm, the French General, when he heard that men in British uniform were seen on the heights. But he soon knew that it was the British army drawn up in order of battle. His own army was stronger than 10. After some firing on both sides from the artillery, Montcalm led the French to the attack. But the ground was full of hollows and was crossed with rail fences in many places, so that the soldiers in their advance fell into disorder and fired very wildly. Wolfe had told his men not to pull a trigger until the enemy were within forty yards of them; and consequently the discharge of the English muskets was very close and deadly. 11. When Wolfe saw the lines shaking under the fire, he led his men rapidly forward with the bayonet, and broke the hostile array completely. In the advance a bullet struck his wrist: he received another in the body; but neither wound could stop him. At last a third pierced his breast. "Hold me up," said he to an officer; "do not let my brave fellows see me drop." His head then drooped, and he almost swooned in the arms of those who were carrying him to the rear. 12. While one of them was holding water to his lips, the officer 'supporting him cried out suddenly, 'They run! they run!"-" Who run?" asked the dying man, starting up with an effort which brought the blood welling from his wounded breast." The French," was the reply, "are running everywhere." "Do they run already?" said Wolfe, with his last words giving an order to make the victory complete; "then go to Colonel Burton and bid him cut off the fugitives with Webb's regiment. I die happy." 13. Equally brave and glorious was the way in which Montcalm met his death. He too had received a bullet in his body; and the surgeon told him that it was a mortal wound. "How long shall I live?" said he.-" Perhaps less than twelve hours." So much the better. I am very glad," exclaimed the gallant soldier; "for I shall not live to see the surrender of Quebec." сс ac-com-pa-nied, went along with. dis-lodge', remove. her-ald-ry, high birth; nobility. in-di-cat-ed, showed. in-ev-i-ta-ble, not able to be avoided. in-struc-tions, orders. pre-vi-ous-ly, before. pro-jec-tion, headland. 38. THE TAKING OF QUEBEC. 1. Amidst the 'clamour of exulting joys Which triumph forces from the 'patriot heart, 2. O Wolfe! to thee a streaming flood of woe Sighing we pay, and think e'en 'conquest dear: Quebec in vain shall teach our breasts to glow, Whilst thy sad fate extorts the heart-wrung tear. 3. Alive, the foe thy dreadful 'vigour fled, And saw thee fall with joy-pronouncing eyes; Yet they shall know thou conquerest, though deadSince from thy tomb a thousand heroes rise! clam-our, noise. ex-ult-ing, rejoicing. GOLDSMITH. 39.-GEORGE III. (PART I.) 1760 to 1820 A.D.-60 years. 1. George the Third, grandson of the late King, came to the throne at the age of twenty-two, and at a time when Britain had become the most powerful nation in the world. During the Seven Years' War, in which England was the ally of Prussia against Austria, Russia, and France, twenty-five islands, nine cities, and twelve millions of treasure had been taken. by the Treaty of Paris. Peace was restored 1763 A.D. |