der them. The line of march was resumed, and on the ninth of November this gallant corps reached Point Levi, opposite Quebec.

The town was almost entirely without a garrison; and nothing could exceed the astonishment of the inhabitants. They would almost as soon have expected to see an army descending from the clouds, as emerging from the hideous wilderness through which this hardy detachment had made Could Arnold have immediately crossed the St. Lawrence, and availed himself of their first consternation, it is believed to be certain that he might have entered the place without opposition; but a very high wind, and the want of boats, rendered the passage of the river impossible.

its way.

One of his Indian messengers, dispatched with letters to General Schuyler, had either betrayed him, or been intercepted; whereby intelligence of his approach was communicated to Colonel M'Lean, then at the mouth of the Sorel; and that experienced officer, trembling for the capital of the province, immediately determined to throw himself into it, and endeavour to defend it. In the mean time the winds, for several nights, continued so high as to render the passage of the river, in the canoes collected from the people of the country, and found on the southern bank, too hazardous to be attempted; and it was only in the night that the Americans could hope to cross, be

cause

cause the Lizard frigate had anchored opposite the: town, and three other armed vessels of smaller sizer were distributed in different stations, so as to: guard the river for some distance above Wolfe's Cove. Armed boats were also employed to ply around the ships, and thus the passage of the river, even in the night, had become a very critical ope- › ration. Whilst the Americans were thus unavoid-, ably detained, Colonel M'Lean, with his corps of: emigrants, entered the city.

At length the wind moderated, and Arnold, leaving behind him about a hundred and fifty mento make ladders, determined to attempt the river. Eluding the armed vessels, and conquering a very, rapid current, he, with infinite difficulty and danger, crossed over in the night, and landed the van of his little army about a mile and a half above the place, which is rendered so very memorable by the debarkation of General Wolfe in the year 1759. The rugged cliffs which continue on the northern bank of the St. Lawrence, for some distance above Quebec, being at this place absolutely impracticable, he marched down on, the shore to Wolfe's Cove; and ascending with his band of hardy followers, the same precipice which had opposed such obstacles to the British hero, he, too, formed his small corps on the heights near the plains of Abraham.

The dangerous and difficult operations of cross

ing the river in canoes, while the passage was so vigilantly guarded by ships of war, and gaining the almost perpendicular heights of the opposite shore, were completed by the advanced party, consisting of the rifle companies, soon after midnight. It was necessary to wait for the residue of the detachment, and in the mean time, a council of all the officers was held for the purpose of determining on their future measures. nants Humphries and Keith, of Morgan's company of Virginia rifle-men, who had been detached towards the town for the purpose of reconnoitring the enemy, reported that they had perceived the sentinels, who seemed alert at their posts, and who challenged them on their approach.

Lieute

Neither this intelligence, nor the circumstance of their having, while on the river shore, fired into a barge making from the harbour to the Lizard sloop of war, nor the situation of his troops, who were neither properly supplied with bayonets, spears, or ammunition, deterred Arnold from proposing in council to march immediately against Quebec. He counted on surprising the place and finding the gates open.

But this opinion, which was not very earnestly pressed, was overruled. After having shewn themselves on Point Levi, and having fired from the northern shore into a barge which immediately returned towards the harbour, and after the report

of

of their reconnoitring party, the expectation of finding the garrison entirely off its guard, was deemed too much against every probability, to be in any degree calculated on: yet subsequent information assured them that, notwithstanding these appearances, the gate called St. John's was then open, at which the town might undoubtedly have been entered. From some unaccountable negligence, no report was made to the Governor, by the crew of the boat which had been fired into, till the next day; and no suspicion was entertained that Arnold had crossed the river.

Though disappointed in the expectation of surprising Quebec, Arnold did not immediately relinquish the hope of obtaining possession of that important place. Not superior to the enemy in point of numbers, and without a single piece of artillery, or other implements for a siege, he was obviously incapable of acting offensively; but he flattered himself, that a defection in the garrison might yet put the capital of Canada into his hands. With this view, he paraded on the heights, near the town, for some days; and sent two flags to summon it to surrender. But the presence of Colonel M Lean, an experienced and vigilant officer, and who was indefatigable in making arrangements for the defence of the town, restrained those measures which the fears of the inhabitants dictated. Deeming it unsafe to admit of any

communication with the assailants, he refused to receive the flag, and fired on the officer who bore it. Intelligence too was soon obtained, that the first alarm was visibly wearing off, and giving place to other sentiments unfavourable to the hopes of the assailants. Fears for the vast property contained in the town, soon united the disaffected; and they were, at their own request, embodied and armed. The sailors too were landed, and placed at the batteries; and by these means, the garrison had become more numerous than the American army..

Arnold, whose numbers, after collecting those he had left on the south side of the St. Lawrence, did not now exceed seven hundred men, was in no condition to risk an action. In his laborious and almost unparalleled march through the wilderness, 'nearly one-third of his muskets had been rendered useless; and his ammunition was found, upon examination, to have sustained such damage, that his riflemen had not more than ten, nor his other troops more than six, pounds per man. In this hazardous situation he was informed, that abody of two hundred men, who had escaped from Montreal, were descending the river; and that M Lean intended making a sortie from the town, at the head of his garrison, attended by some field pieces. Under these circumstances, he thought it most advisable to retire with his small party to Point Aux

Trembles,