vessels generally took on board river pilots. Here he hoisted
the French flag at the masthead, and the pilots, believing the ships to
be a French squadron, which had eluded the watch of the English, came
off in their boats, and were all taken prisoners, and forced, under
pain of death, to take the English vessels safely up.

The first difficulty of the passage was at Cape Tourmente, where the
channel describes a complete zigzag. Had the French planted some guns
on a plateau, high up on the side of the mountains, they could have
done great damage by a plunging fire; but Vaudreuil had neglected to
take this measure, and the fleet passed up in safety, the manner in
which they were handled and navigated astonishing the Canadians, who
had believed it to be impossible that large ships could be taken up.

On the 26th, the whole fleet were anchored off the Island of Orleans, a
few miles below Quebec. The same night, a small party landed on the
island. They were opposed by the armed inhabitants, but beat them off,
and, during the night, the Canadians crossed to the north shore. The
whole army then landed.

From the end of the island, Wolfe could see the full strength of the
position which he had come to attack. Three or four miles in front of
him, the town of Quebec stood upon its elevated rock. Beyond rose the
loftier height of Cape Diamond, with its redoubts and parapets. Three
great batteries looked threateningly from the upper rock of Quebec,
while three others were placed, near the edge of the water, in the
lower town. On the right was the great camp of Montcalm, stretching
from the Saint Charles, at the foot of the city walls, to the gorge of
the Montmorenci. From the latter point to the village of Beauport, in
the centre of the camp, the front was covered with earthworks, along
the brink of a lofty height; and from Beauport to the Saint Charles
were broad flats of mud, swept by the fire of redoubts and
intrenchments, by the guns of a floating battery, and by those of the
city itself.

Wolfe could not see beyond Quebec, but, above the city, the position
was even stronger than below. The river was walled by a range of
steeps, often inaccessible, and always so difficult that a few men
could hold an army in check.

Montcalm was perfectly confident of his ability to resist any attack
which the British might make. Bougainville had long before examined the
position, in view of the possibility of an English expedition again