1690.] THE ENGLISH DISCOMFITED. 277 



find and kill a number of cattle, which they cooked 

 and ate on the spot ; whereupon, being greatly 

 refreshed and invigorated, they clashed forward in 

 complete disorder, and were soon met by the fire 

 of the ambushed Canadians. Several more com- 

 panies were sent to their support, and the skirmish- 

 ing became lively. Three detachments from Quebec 

 had crossed the river ; and the militia of Beauport 

 and Beaupre had hastened to join them. They 

 fought like Indians, hiding behind trees or throw- 

 ing themselves flat among the bushes, and laying 

 repeated ambuscades as they slowly fell back. At 

 length, they all made a stand on a hill behind the 

 buildings and fences of a farm ; and here they held 

 their ground till night, while the New England 

 men taunted them as cowards who would never 

 fight except under cover. 1 



Walley, who with his main body had stood in 

 arms all day, now called in the skirmishers, and 

 fell back to the landing-place, where, as soon as it 

 grew dark, the boats arrived from the fleet. The 

 sick men, of whom there were many, were sent on 

 board, and then, amid floods of rain, the whole 

 force embarked in noisy confusion, leaving behind 

 them in the mud five of their cannon. Hasty as 

 was their parting, their conduct on the whole had 

 been creditable ; and La Hontan, who was in Quebec 

 at the time, says of them, " They fought vigor- 

 ously, though as ill-disciplined as men gathered 

 together at random could be ; for they did not 

 lack courage, and, if they failed, it was by reason 



1 Relation de la Descente des Anglois. 



