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never be forgotten by any of those who survived. We 

 could not hold out any longer ; what would have availed 

 us firing at foes carefully entrenched behind trees ? No 

 relief at hand, our palisades crumbling and defective, 

 it would have been an act of inhumanity to sacrifice 

 the lives of any more of our devoted Virginians. That 

 merry fellow, Munro, my ensign, I shall never forget 

 his rueful countenance when I conveyed to him your 

 order to hoist the white flag. " What, Captain ! " said 

 he, " are we then reduced to this, you and I, who so 

 lately organised this pleasure-party to thrash the 

 French ? Why, our good cheer was the envy of all ! 

 our venison, quail and comfits, with a full team behind 

 to draw the King's ammunition, viz. a butt of Madeira, 

 and crowds of camp followers. " Captain, captain, I shall 

 never survive it ! " But he did survive it. He was 

 luckier than my poor lieutenant, to whom, on becoming 

 a hostage, I surrendered my then useless sword. My 

 dear George, did you not know my buoyant, mercurial 

 nature, you would wonder how I could find space to 

 record all these trifles, with death staring me in the 

 face ; but death has stared me in the face before this, 

 and I generally succeed in staring the unwelcome 

 monster out of countenance. You, no doubt, will be 

 surprised to hear that the athletic French officer, Pean's 

 friend, whom I purchased for forty pistoles from the 

 Mohawks, just as they were preparing to scalp him, 

 has turned up in Quebec. Whilst I was here on parole, 

 I used to meet him in the best salons, at Vaudreuil's, 

 and at the petits-soupers of that charming little rascal, 

 Bigot. His name is Duchesnay : he is Laird of a Sei- 

 gneurie facing Quebec. His manor, at Beauport, is 

 within three miles of the city. It contains two budding- 

 beauties of uncommon promise. Gratitude made him 

 extend to me, in my wretchedness, a helping hand ; his 

 doors were ever open to me. I sometimes wish I had 

 never crossed the threshold. " 



