joined by Wolfe in the Richmond, and five days after
picked up Durell at the Ile aux Coudres. Here Saunders transferred his
flag to the Stirling Castle, which he had selected in England for the
purpose, owing to her handiness (Cook's friend, Mr. Bissett, was still on
board), and leaving Durell with eleven of the deepest draught to guard
against any interference from a French fleet, he proceeded up the river
with the remainder. The work was hard, constantly anchoring and weighing
to take every advantage of wind and tide, and the progress was slow; but
at length the whole of the ships passed the Traverse, and on the 26th the
fleet anchored off St. Laurent, on the Ile d'Orleans, and the troops were
landed on the following day. Thus the much-dreaded passage up the St.
Lawrence had been carried out, and the fact that no loss of any kind had
occurred to either man-of-war or transport, reflects the very greatest
credit on all engaged in the operation. Knox relates how the Master of
the transport he was on, a Brother of Trinity House and Thames pilot,
named Killick, refused the services of a French prisoner as pilot, and
observing, "Damme, I'll show them an Englishman can go where a Frenchman
dar'n't show his nose," took his ship up himself, chaffing the occupants
of the mark boats as he passed, and in the end declared that it was no
worse than the Thames.

The wonderful success of their passage was emphasised the afternoon after
their arrival at St. Laurent when a heavy gale struck the fleet, driving
several ships into collision or ashore, and causing considerable loss in
anchors and cables. As soon as possible the men-of-war boats were out
rendering every assistance, and all the vessels were secured but two,
which were too firmly fixed to be towed off shore, and these were soon
afterwards burnt by the enemy.

FIREWORKS.

Thinking to profit by the disorder which must necessarily have been
caused by the storm, the French made a determined attempt to destroy the
fleet by means of eight fireships which were floated down stream on the
unsuspecting British. Fortunately they were ignited prematurely, and the
boats of the Pembroke and other ships were again out, employed in the
hazardous task of towing these undesired visitors into such places as
would permit them to burn themselves out without danger to the shipping.
Six were quickly got into safety, whilst the other two grounded and burnt
out without causing further inconvenienc