Gh.VIL south AMERICA. 395 



applying for fuccour blocked up. Thus he became 

 befieged in form, his forces unequal to the defence of 

 the place-, and without any probability of receiving 

 a reinforcement either from Canada or Europe. This 

 was the firft, and not the leaf!: error to which his dif- 

 grace for the lofs of Louiil^ourg may be imputed, as 

 with the fuccours offered he would have found himfeif 

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

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

 fore them the raw undifciplined multitude which v/erc 

 €ome againft them. 



The defio^n of the Eno-lifli havin.^ been to far- 

 prife the place when unprovided, they pufned the 

 enterprize v/iih the greateft difpatch and vigour, 

 that they might prevent the arrival Oof the annual 

 fupply from France : and vv^ith this view it v/as no 

 later than the end of April or beginning of May> 

 when they appeared before the tov/n, in hopes of the 

 double advantage, that inftead of its reaching the 

 French, the fbips that brought it would fall inta 

 their hands, as it indeed happened. Another acci- 

 dent equally unfortunate with the former, v/as, that 

 a man of v/ar and a frigate having been fitted out 

 at Brefi: for carrying fuccours to this place, and 

 loaded with all kinds of millcary ftores, and ready to 

 put to fea within two or three days, the man of v/at" 

 took fire, and was burnt to the water's edge. Nor 

 Was there at that time any other fliip fit to fupply 

 her place, except the Vigilante, juft on the point of 

 launching. The captain of the fiiip which had been 

 burnt, was the marquis de la Maifon Forte ; who alfo 

 was appointed to command the Vigilante : and get her 

 ready with the utmoft expedition for the fame voyage. 

 This delay, however, gave an opportunity to the 

 Englifh of making themfelves maflers 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, 



Vol/IL C c When 



