THE SIEGE OF LOUISBOTJEG. 49 



reenforcements for the Louisbourg garrison, if required. But that officer felt himself quite 

 safe iu his stroughold, aud declined the offer. "When, however, he found himself sorely- 

 pressed by the enemy, he repented of his decision. He then bethought him of a force 

 tinder Marin, which had been sent iu the previous year to aid in the attack ou Annapolis. 

 It had wintered at Beaubassin, and was now on its way to make another attack on Anna- 

 polis. It was supposed to be at Minas, and thither Duchambon sent messengers, ordering 

 Marin to come at once to Louisbourg with all the troops under his command. On the 

 arrival of the messengers at Minas, they found that Marin aud his party had already 

 gone on to Annapolis. They followed thither. On receipt of Duchambon's order, Marin 

 held a council of war. Some of his officers were disposed to disregard the order, and go on 

 with the attack of Annapolis. But Marin persuaded the bulk of his party to obey. But 

 then came the difficulty of transport. All Acadia could not furnish ships enough for the 

 purpose. At last, however, Marin succeeded in procuring a vessel of twenty-five tons 

 and also some 150 bark canoes. In these he embarked his men, numbering — Canadians 

 aud Indians together — some 400 men, aud set off for Louisbourg. He made fair progress 

 down the bay, till in doubling a headland near Cape Sable, he found himself close upon a 

 British privateer, which immediately opened fire. Nothing daunted, Marin and his party 

 returned the fire, and rushed on the privateer. They^were already scaling her sides, with 

 a prospect of soon getting possession of her, when a second privateer, a comrade of the 

 other, hove in sight and prepared to take part in the contest. The Canadians and 

 Indians, seeing that there was no further chance for them, abandoned the attack and, 

 flying in their canoes to the shore, hid themselves in the forest. When the privateers left, 

 the party gathered themselves together. The skirmish had thinned their ranks. They had 

 lost their vessel and many of their canoes. At length they got afloat again and pro- 

 ceeded on their vogage. But the delay was fatal. They did not reach Isle Royale till 

 over a fortnight after Louisbourg had fallen. Duchambon, in his report to the minister, 

 says that, if they had arrived when he expected them, the fort would have been saved ; 

 that the English supposed the force to consistof 2,500 men, and would have raised the 

 siege on the arrival of Marin's force. This is one of the many excuses which Duchambon 

 assigns for his failure. 



The English forces entered into possession of Louisbourg. The garrison marched out 

 with the honors of war, flags flying aud drums beating. The men, after giving up their 

 arms, went on board the English ships. Under the terms of the capitulation, over 4,000 

 souls were afterwards sent to France. 



All England was in a state of delirous excitement, over the capture. Church bells 

 proclaimed the joyful tidings in every town of the kingdom. The grateful monarch gave 

 Pepperel a title and Warren a flag. The spoils of war taken at Louisbourg were enormous. 

 To these were added, a few days afterwards, two Indiamen, richly laden, decoyed into 

 Louisbourg by the French flag, left purposely floating on the citadel. One of these carried 

 half a million of Spanish dollars, hidden under a cargo of cocoa. The value of the captures 

 exceeded three millions of pounds sterling. 



We have alluded to the strong element of religious enthusiasm in the adventurers. 

 One of the chaplains brought with him a hatchet for the express purpose of hewing down 

 idolatrous images in the Roman Catholic churches. When the miracle of the capture of 

 the grand battery took place, it was looked upon, and not unnaturally, as a special inter- 

 Sec, ii, 1887. 1. 



