3S2 A VOYAGE TO Book IX. 



penetrably fecrecy, that the firft notice of it at 

 Louifbourg muft be the arrival of the fleet before 

 it: and ^n Europe the account of its fnrrender : 

 that the former might be prevented from fending for 

 fuccoars to Canada, and that a force might not be 

 fent from France fu/ficient either to fave or reco- 

 ver it. The governor of New-England at that time 

 was Mr. Shirley, a gentleman of great abilities and 

 merit; and the commodore of the men of war on 

 ihat^oaft, was Mr. Petei* Warren, a perfon of the 

 like charader, befides his naval accomplifliments, 

 and an ardent zeal for the glory of his nation ; 

 and who in this affair had the additional incentive 

 of felf-intereft, being owner of lands and houfes to 

 a confiderable amount that he was looked upon as 

 one of the mod opulent inhabitants of Bofton. 

 Thefe two officers, in conjunction with the chief 

 inhabitants, determined to undertake the fiege of 

 Louifbourg, the governor offering to concur in it 

 with a body of land forces, provifions and other 

 necefTaries ; whilft the commodore, who had figna- 

 lized his courage on feveral occafions, engaged with 

 his fquadron, though confifling only of three or four 

 large fliips and a Imall frigate, fo to block up the 

 harbour, that no fuccours fhould be thrown into it ; 

 whilft the land forces befit^ged it in form. The 

 greateft difficulty was the want of regular troops, 

 and experienced officers cipable of conducing a 

 fiege ; and the difcipline of the foldiery, that there 

 might be fome probability of fucceeding. This em- 

 barraifm.ent was removed by an expedient of Mr. 

 Shirley's, and to which chiefiy was owing the hap- 

 py event of the expedition. There was a gentle- 

 man of the name of Pepperel, one of the largeft 

 traders in Bofton, who had a general correfpondence 

 among the country people of the colony, both In- 

 dians and Meflizos. He placed an entire confidence 

 in them, and trufted them with whatever goods 

 they wanted ; and they were no kfs pund:ual in 



their 



