nam wanted to fortify Prospect Hill, commanding the
passage from Charlestown Neck, but could not get permission. Yet the
whole country about Boston was dotted with low hills, on which might
easily be made a chain of fortifications.

Besides such work as Thomas's, for a month little was done. To be sure,
early in May a party of provincials, gathered in Connecticut and
Vermont, and headed by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, took Ticonderoga
by surprise, and gained for America a fine supply of cannon. We shall
later see what was done with this artillery, but there was no present
means of transporting it to Boston, and no powder for its use, and so
there was no profit to the country save in encouragement. Until the 21st
of May nothing happened near Boston save small skirmishes, and brushes
of outposts. Here and there a floating battery of the British warped up
near land and fired a few shots, and occasionally a squad of riflemen
did a little pot-hunting on its own account. These skirmishes, except as
they accustomed the provincials to the smell of powder, had no effect on
the situation, until at last the opposing sides found that they had
something worth contending for.

Gage had in Boston no supply of fresh meat, but plenty of horses needing
hay. It occurred to him, finally, that the islands in the harbor were
plentifully stocked with sheep and cattle, and besides grew plenty of
grass. He sent, therefore, on the 21st of May, a party to bring hay from
Grape Island, near Weymouth. The Americans took the alarm, soldiers were
sent from the camp, the militia who were at home turned out, and much
long-range shooting was indulged in. "It was impossible to reach them,
for want of boats," wrote Abigail Adams, "but the sight of so many
persons, and the firing at them, prevented their getting more than three
tons of hay, though they carted much more down to the water. At last a
lighter was mustered, and a sloop from Hingham, which had six port
holes. Our men eagerly jumped on board, and put off for the island. As
soon as they perceived it, they decamped. Our people landed upon the
island, and in an instant set fire to the hay, which, with the barn, was
soon consumed,--about eighty tons, it is said."

Emboldened by this success, the provincials began to take steps to
remove from the islands the whole stock of cattle, sheep, and hay.
Though, on the 25th of May, the garrison of Boston was largely
reinforced and ships were added to the