3%t A VOTAGE TO Book IX. 



hailen his retreat: and, without (laying till he had tried 

 the fuccefs of his cannon on the enemy, who continued 

 quiet in their camp; that very fame night embarked 

 his men, and made over to the fort in a hurry, on pre- 

 tence that the enemy had made an aíTault on the battery 

 with a large force. But the falfity of this plea was foon 

 difcovered, the French flag flying for fome time after; 

 an evident ílgn that there was no perfon in the fort to 

 lower it : which could not have been the cale had the 

 Englifh made the pretended attack. 



The enemy obfcrving from their camp, that no per- 

 fon appeared as ufual on the parapet of the royal bat- 

 tery, concluded that the garrifon were employed on fome 

 fecrct attempt, or on fome works within the fort, and 

 therefore did not make any approaches, till queftioning 

 whether the French might not privately have aban- 

 doned it, a Bofl;on Indian (for the Engliih army was a 

 medley of various kinds of people) lefs fearful than the 

 others, offered to clear up the difficulty. Accordingly, 

 without any arms, as if difordered in his fenfes, he went 

 in a rambling manner towards the gate: where, for- 

 faken as it was, he had no great difficulty of getdng 

 into the fort; and immediately gave notice of its con- 

 dition by lowering the French flag. On this fignal the 

 Engliih army advanced with great alacrity to take pof- 

 feíTion; and the artillery not having been well nailed 

 up, was made fit for fervice j and proved a very great 

 detriment to tlie town, which it battered in flank. 



All the guns of the royal battery were from 36 to 

 40 pounders, the Vigilante alio carried fome of the 

 fame fize ; all which the Engliih, on being mailers of 

 this fort, employed againll the principal place; and un- 

 der the ihelter of thefe guns, which kept a very fmart 

 fire, they began their approaches, and raifed forts for 

 battering in breach. 1 he place was bravely defended: 

 but a large breach having been made, and every thing 

 prepared for a llorm, it was thought proper to capitu- 

 late on honourable terms j which were readily granted 



by 



