han a year's absence endured disappointments and
trials that would have crushed one less resolute and stout hearted.
Her efforts in her native country were foiled by her adversaries, she
was even threatened with death if she should venture to leave France,
but setting the royal command at defiance she went to England and
there chartered a ship to carry stores and munitions of war to St.
John. The master of the ship, instead of proceeding directly to his
destination, went up the River St. Lawrence to trade with the Indians.
When, after a six months' voyage, they at length entered the Bay of
Fundy some of Charnisay's vessels were encountered, and the English
captain to avoid the seizure and confiscation of his ship was obliged
to conceal Madame la Tour and her people and proceed to Boston. Here
his own tribulations began for Madame la Tour brought an action
against him for violation of his contract and after a four days' trial
the jury awarded her two thousand pounds damages. With the proceeds of
this suit she chartered three English ships in Boston and proceeded
to St. John with all the stores and munitions of war that she had
collected. The garrison at Fort la Tour hailed her arrival with
acclamations of delight for they had begun to despair of her return.

Charnisay's attempt to reduce la Tour to subjection was foiled for the
time being, but his opportunity came a little later. In February,
1645, he learned of la Tour's absence and that his garrison numbered
only fifty men. He determined at once to attack the fort. His first
attempt was an abject failure. The Lady la Tour inspired her little
garrison with her own dauntless spirit, and so resolute was the
defence and so fierce the cannon fire from the bastions that
Charnisay's ship was shattered and disabled and he was obliged to warp
her off under the shelter of a bluff to save her from sinking. In this
attack twenty of his men were killed and thirteen wounded. Two months
later he made another attempt with a stronger force and landed two
cannon to batter the fort on the land side. On the 17th of April,
having brought his largest ship to within pistol shot of the water
rampart, he summoned the garrison to surrender. He was answered by a
volley of cannon shot and shouts of defiance.

The story of the taking of Fort la Tour, as told by Nicholas Denys, is
well known. For three days Madame la Tour bravely repelled the
besiegers and obliged them to retire beyond the reach o