Ch. VIJT. south AMERICA. 385 



applying for fuccour blocked up. Thus he becamí^ 

 befieged in form, his forces unequal to the defence of 

 the place 5 and without any probability of receiving a 

 reinforcement either from Canada or Europe. This 

 was the firft, and not the lead error to which his dif- 

 grace for the lofs of Louiibourg may be imputed, as 

 with the fuccours offered he would have found himfelf 

 at the head of a body of men more than fufBcient not 

 only to defend himfelf, but to fally out, and drive be- 

 fore them the raw undifciplincd multitude which were 

 come aeainfl: them. 



o 



The defign of the Englilh having been to furprife 

 the place when unprovided, they puiThed the enterprizc 

 with the greateft difpatch and vigour, that they might 

 prevent the arrival of the annual lupply from France: 

 and with this view it was no later than the end of April 

 or beginning of May, when they appeared before the 

 town, in hopes of the double advantage, that initead of 

 its reaching the French, the fhips that brought it would 

 fall into their hands, as it indeed happened. Another 

 accident equally unfortunate with the former, was, that 

 a man of war and a frigate having been ñ:ted out at 

 Brcft for carrying ñiccours to this place, and loaded 

 with all kinds of milirary (lores, and ready to put to fea - 

 within two or three days, the man of war took fire, and 

 was burnt to the water's edge. Nor was there at that 

 time any other iliip fit to fupply her place, except the 

 Vigilante, juft on the point of launching. The captain 

 of the fliip which had been burnt, was the marquis de 

 la Maifon Forte j who alfo was appointed to command 

 the Vigilante: and get her ready with the utmoft expe- 

 dition for the fame voyage. This delay, however, gave 

 an opportunity to the EngliOi of making themfelvcs 

 mailers of the entrance of the harbour, and landing the 

 troops for the fiege, though they did not venture to 

 open the trenches for battering in breach. 



WfiEN the Vigilante arrived near the coaft of this 

 iiland, the atmofphere was filled with fuch a thick fog, 



V«L. II, C c that 



