bottomed boats, which silently dropped down the current. It was
intended to land three miles above Cape Diamond, and then ascend to the
high grounds above. The current, however, carried the boats down to
within a mile and a half of the city. The night was dismally dark, the
bank seemed more than ordinarily steep and lofty, and the French were
on the _qui vive_. A sentinel bawled out, "_Que vive_," who goes there?
"_La France_," was the quick reply. Captain Macdonald, of the 78th
Highlanders, had served in Holland, and knew the proper reply to the
challenge of a French sentry. "A quel regiment?" asked the sentry, "De
la Reine" was the response. "Passe" said the soldier, who made the
darkness vibrate as he brought his musket to the carry. Other sentinels
were similarly deceived. One was more particularly curious than the
others. Something in the voice of the passing friend did not please his
ear. Running down to the water's edge, he called "Pour quoi est-ce que
vous ne parlez plus haut," why don't you speak louder? "Tais toi, nous
serons entendu!" Hush, we shall be overheard and discovered, said the
cunning highlander, still more softly. It was enough, the boats passed.
Within one hour of daylight a landing was effected, and the British
army began to scale the heights, the base of which was then washed by
the St. Lawrence. By daylight, the army was drawn up in battle array,
on the "Plains of Abraham." The ground was somewhat undulating, and
well calculated for manoeuvring. Every knoll was taken advantage of.
Every little hillock served the purpose of an earthwork. For the
invaders it was victory or death. To retreat was impossible. The
position of the British army was speedily made known to Montcalm. There
was not a moment to be lost. The French General rapidly crossed the St.
Charles, and advanced with his whole army, to meet that of Wolfe.
Fifteen hundred Indians first ascended the hill, from the valley of the
St. Charles, and stationing themselves in cornfields and bushes, fired
upon the English, who took no notice of their fire. Between nine and
ten o'clock, the two armies met, face to face, and when the main body
of the French, advancing rapidly, were within forty yards, the English
opened their fire, and the carnage was terrible. The French fought
gallantly, but under a galling and well directed fire, they fell, in
spite of the exertions of their officers, into disorder. The British
Grenadiers charged at this critic