e from
them, and the news of which re-echoed in their midst, struck the
inhabitants of Quebec with grief and terror. Mgr. de Laval was cruelly
affected by it, but, accustomed to adore in everything the designs of
God, he seized the occasion to invoke Him with more fervour; he
immediately ordered in his seminary public prayers to implore the mercy
of the Most High. M. de Frontenac, who was about to begin his second
administration, learned the sinister news on his arrival at Quebec on
October 15th. He set out immediately for Montreal, which he reached on
the twenty-seventh of the same month. He visited the environments, and
found only ruins and ashes where formerly rose luxurious dwellings.

War had just been rekindled between France and Great Britain. The
governor had not men enough for vast operations, accordingly he prepared
to organize a guerilla warfare. While the Abenaquis, those faithful
allies, destroyed the settlements of the English in Acadia and killed
nearly two hundred persons there, Count de Frontenac sent in the winter
of 1689-90, three detachments against New England; all three were
composed of only a handful of men, but these warriors were well
seasoned. In the rigorous cold of winter, traversing innumerable miles
on their snowshoes, sinking sometimes into the icy water, sleeping in
the snow, carrying their supplies on their backs, they surprised the
forts which they went to attack, where one would never have believed
that men could execute so rash an enterprise. Thus the three detachments
were alike successful, and the forts of Corlaer in the state of New
York, of Salmon Falls in New Hampshire, and of Casco on the seaboard,
were razed.

The English avenged these reverses by capturing Port Royal. Encouraged
by this success, they sent Phipps at the head of a large troop to seize
Quebec, while Winthrop attacked Montreal with three thousand men, a
large number of whom were Indians. Frontenac hastened to Quebec with M.
de Callieres, governor of Montreal, the militia and the regular troops.
Already the fortifications had been protected against surprise by new
and well-arranged entrenchments. The hostile fleet appeared on October
16th, 1690, and Phipps sent an officer to summon the governor to
surrender the place. The envoy, drawing out his watch, declared with
arrogance to the Count de Frontenac that he would give him an hour to
decide. "I will answer you by the mouth of my cannon," replied the
representativ