The Cairo bulletin., 1904-08-19


the boats crossed to the Quebec side
the seamen rowing gently as the.
passed rapidly down the river.
Presently the boats swept around ,
huge headland jutting out into Thu
stream. Below the headland hay lit
lie cove. The current shot swift,
about the promontory and swep
around the little bay. The boats were
carried below the landing-place aud i
took some hard pulling before theil
stems touched the shore.
Wolfe had gone forward in the cut.
ter. and the Others drawing back &c
give him passage, he was the first man
to set foot upon the muddy shore II
was four O'Clock now. They could hear
] eight bells Ginning family across the
| hills. Around them in the shadow ii
| was as still as death--that most ST.
lent hour before the day breaks. A
gentle breeze had sprung up and was
signing softly through the trees at
the top of the cliff; the sky was over
cast; they would have rain presently.
About 200 feet away, since ii was
low tide, the bluffs rose preeipitously
from the level beach. There was room
at their base to disembark the whole
army. After Wolfe and the officers, in
Guiding Grafton, had landed, the light
infantry noiselessly clambered out of
the boats and advanced toward the
foot of the cliffs.
A zigzag path, up which a single
file of men might with difficulty make
its way, broke the sheer face of the
cliff. 1t had been barricaded with
heavy timbers and was at present UNI
scalable.
There was momentary pause
II seemed as If the whole enterprise,
so brilliantly conceived and so sue
cessfully carried out hitherto, would
be blocked by this unfortunate OBJ
stacle. They had succeeded in landing
unobserved, but if they attempted to
tear down the barricade they would
inevitably attract the attention Of the
negligent defenders at the top OF the
path. Under such circumstances the
attempt would have to be given over.
As Wolfe had said, 100 men might
hold that towering cliff against an
army.
II think we can scramble up the cliff
by the aid OF these trees, said Howe
at last
II was a bold proposition. Wolfe
looked at him gratefully and APPROX
ingly 1t was their only chance, and
the young general gave the signal for
the attempt in these not very eneoar-
aging words:
"You may try 1t, Col Howe, but !
do not think you will succeed. Cap
tain" he added, turning to, one of his
staff, tell Gen. Monckton to keep the
rest of the men quiet in the boats for
a few moments. We may have no need
for them
As he spoke Howe and his gallant
"a sprang at the cliff. They we're soon
lost in the shadow covering the face |
Of il, and the watchers below could |
trace the course of their slow and |
painful ascent by the crashing sounds |
they made, as by the aid of stunted
trees growing in clumps here and |
there they made their toilsome way /
upward. Why the French did not dis
cover them has never been explained.
Presently the sounds died away al
together. The silence was broken ~ |
he sound of a musket-shot, followed |
by another and another. quick |
rang out from the sky above
them. They were there, then! They
we're engaged! What had been the
ISSUE?
Concealment was no longer possible
Or desirable. At word from their
the men on shore sprang
1t the barricades. The scene changed
rom one of absolute quiet TO intense
activity.
Have they won, think you?" asked
Grafton.
I'VE shall know in a moment" an
,wered Wolfe. IF they have lost
somebody will come tumbling down
he clin to tell the tale, Meanwhile,
am stalking all on the chance OF their
success" .....l s4ag
The little cove was now filled with
noise. Catching the contagion the
men began to spring from the boats
md fell IN on the shore. The feel
ngs of the soldiers. repressed so long
through the night, found vent in
,heers and cries. Presently a hail
anne down from the cliff II was
Howe's voice.
I'VE have the post" he shouted.
The enemy has fed! The way is
'penl"
Hold it at all hazards, cried the
The cheering men fairly tore the
,arrieades to pieces and scrambled up
he path. Wolfe himself in the lead.
apt. de vergor. who commanded the
french guard. was incapable and a
oward He had kept negligent watch.
lowe and his handful of men had
urprised them. The fall of New
france must be laid at the feet of one
,erson: and. singularly enough. the
,eginninC Of American independence
nay be traced to the splendid exploit
= 10 a n 3