piles where the wild vines grow, and an inner yard where the cows of
the fisher folk pasture.

Not a poor beginning for the campaign of 1758, though bad enough news
has come from Major General Abercrombie, which was the real explanation
of Amherst's refusal to push on to Quebec.

Abercrombie, with fifteen thousand men, the pick of the regulars and
provincials, had launched out on Lake George on the 5th of July with
over one thousand boats, to descend the lake northward to the French
fort of Carillon or Ticonderoga. Again, it would require artist's
brush to paint the scene. Rogers' Rangers, dressed in buckskin, led
the way in birch canoes. Lord Howe was there, dressed like a
bushfighter; and with bagpipes setting the echoes ringing amid the
lonely mountains, were the Highland regiments in their tartan plaids.
Flags floated from the prow of every boat. Each battalion had its own
regimental {257} band. Scarcely a breath dimpled the waters of the
lake, and the sun shone without a cloud. Little wonder those who
passed through the fiery Aceldama that was to come, afterwards looked
back on this scene as the fairest in their lives.

[Illustration: AMHERST]

Montcalm had only arrived at Ticonderoga on June 30th. There was no
doubting the news. His bushrovers brought in word that the English
were advancing in such multitudes their boats literally covered the
lake. It looked as if the fate of Fort William Henry were to be
reversed. Montcalm never dreamed of Abercrombie attacking without
artillery. To stay cooped up in the fort would invite destruction.
Therefore Montcalm ordered his men out to construct a circular
breastwork from the River of the Chutes on the southeast, which empties
Lake George, round towards Lake Champlain on the northwest. Huge trees
were felled, pile on pile, top-most branches spiked and pointed
outwards. Behind these Montcalm intrenched his four thousand men,
lying in lines three deep, with grenadiers in reserve behind to step up
as the foremost lines fell. At a cannon signal from the fort the men
were to rise to their places, but not to fire till the English were
entangled in the brushwood. It was blisteringly hot weather. It is
said that the troops took off their heavy three-cornered hats and lay
in their shirt sleeves, hand on musket, speaking no word, but waiting.

{258} On came the English in martial array, pausing in the Narrows at
five o'clock for the troops' evening meal, moving