on them. Moreover, they all
knew, and some remembered, how the assault of a few months back had
been repulsed; and not realizing the different scale upon which
this one was to be conducted, were full of hopeful confidence and
emulation.

Before hostilities actually commenced, Colonel Monro summoned his
officers about him. Great excitement prevailed in the fort, for it
was known that a messenger had been admitted under a flag of truce,
and that he brought a letter from the Marquis de Montcalm. It was
to the reading of this letter that Monro invited his officers.

"We have to deal with an honourable foe, gentlemen," said the
veteran, looking at those about him, "as you will know when I read
to you his words. 'I owe it to humanity,' so writes M. de Montcalm,
'to summon you to surrender. At present I can restrain the savages,
and make them observe the terms of a capitulation, as I might not
have power to do under other circumstances; and the most obstinate
defence on your part can only retard the capture of the place a few
days, and endanger an unfortunate garrison which cannot be
relieved, in consequence of the dispositions I have made. I demand
a decisive answer within an hour.' That, gentlemen, is the message
brought to us. What answer shall we return to our high-minded
adversary?"

There was only one word in the mouths of all.

"No surrender! no surrender!" they called aloud, waving their
swords in the air; and the cry was taken up by those without, and
reached the soldiers upon the ramparts, and the welkin rang with
the enthusiastic shout:

"No surrender! no surrender!"

By this time the Indians were swarming about close outside the
ramparts, and hearing this cry and knowing its meaning, they looked
up and gesticulated fiercely.

"You won't surrender, eh?" bawled in broken French an old Indian
chief. "Fire away then and fight your best; for if we catch you
after this, you shall get no quarter!"

The response to this threat was the heavy boom of the cannon as
Fort William Henry discharged its first round of artillery.

For a moment it produced immense effect amongst the swarms of
painted savages, who scuttled away yelling with fear; for though
well used to the sound of musketry, and having considerable skill
with firearms themselves, they had never heard the roar of big guns
before, and the screaming of the shells as they whistled overhead
filled them with terror and amaze.

They were intensely eager for