and of Montreal, without any opposition, except from
some flying parties, which exchanged a few shot, and then fled with
precipitation. That same day he repaired a bridge which they had broken
down in their retreat; and, after a march of two leagues, formed his
army on a plain before Montreal, where they lay all night on their
arms. Montreal is, in point of importance, the second place in Canada,
situated in an island of the river St. Laurence, at an equal distance
from Quebec and the lake Ontario. Its central situation rendered it
the staple of the Indian trade; yet the fortifications of it were
inconsiderable, not at all adequate to the value of the place. General
Amherst ordered some pieces of artillery to be brought up immediately
from the landing-place at La Chine, where he had left some regiments for
the security of the boats, and determined to commence the siege in form;
but in the morning of the seventh he received a letter from the marquis
de Vaudreuil by two officers, demanding a capitulation; which, after
some letters had passed between the two generals, was granted upon as
favourable terms as the French had reason to expect, considering that
general Murray, with the troops from Quebec, had by this time landed on
the island; and colonel Haviland, with the body under his command,
had just arrived on the south side of the river, opposite to Montreal;
circumstances equally favourable and surprising, if we reflect upon the
different routes they pursued, through an enemy's country, where they
had no intelligence of the motions of each other. Had any accident
retarded the progress of general Amherst, the reduction of Montreal
would have been attempted by general Murray, who embarked with his
troops at Quebec on board of a great number of small vessels, under the
command of captain Deane in the Diana. This gentleman, with uncommon
abilities, surmounted the difficulties of an unknown, dangerous, and
intricate navigation; and conducted the voyage with such success, that
not a single vessel was lost in the expedition. M. de Levis, at the head
of his forces, watched the motions of general Murray, who, in advancing
up the river, published manifestoes among the Canadians, which produced
all the effect he could desire. Almost all the parishes on the south
shore, as far as the river Sorrel, submitted, and took the oath of
neutrality; and lord Rolle disarmed all the inhabitants of the north
shore, as far as Trois Rivieres, whi