hree thousand men, and there were two
hundred and nineteen cannons and seventeen mortars mounted on the
ramparts and outworks, and forty-four in reserve.

Of the outworks, the strongest were the grand battery at Lighthouse
Point, at the mouth of the harbour; and that on Goat Island, a rocky
islet at its entrance. The strongest front of the works was on the land
side, across the base of the triangular peninsula on which the town
stood. This front, twelve hundred yards in extent, reached from the
sea, on the left, to the harbour on the right, and consisted of four
strong bastions with connecting works.

The best defence of Louisbourg, however, was the craggy shore, which,
for leagues on either side, was accessible only at a few points, and,
even there, a landing could only be effected with the greatest
difficulty. All these points were watched, for an English squadron, of
nine ships of war, had been cruising off the place, endeavouring to
prevent supplies from arriving; but they had been so often blown off,
by gales, that the French ships had been able to enter, and, on the 2nd
of June, when the English expedition came in sight, more than a year's
supply of provisions was stored up in the town.

Chapter 17: Louisbourg And Ticonderoga.

All eyes in the fleet were directed towards the rocky shore of Gabarus
Bay, a flat indentation some three miles across, its eastern extremity,
White Point, being a mile to the west of Louisbourg. The sea was rough,
and the white masses of surf were thrown high up upon the face of the
rock, along the coast, as far as the eye could reach.

A more difficult coast on which to effect a landing could not have been
selected. There were but three points where boats could, even in fine
weather, get to shore--namely, White Point, Flat Point, and Fresh Water
Cove. To cover these, the French had erected several batteries, and, as
soon as the English fleet was in sight, they made vigorous preparations
to repel a landing.

Boats were at once lowered, in order to make a reconnaissance of the
shore. Generals Amherst, Lawrence, and Wolfe all took part in it, and a
number of naval officers, in their boats, daringly approached the shore
to almost within musket shot. When they returned, in the afternoon,
they made their reports to the admiral, and these reports all agreed
with his own opinion--namely, that there was but little chance of
success. One naval captain alone, an old officer named Ferguss