On the latter there was no explosion, for the seamen threw overboard all the powder before taking to boats to save themselves. When the fire reached the guns they were discharged indiscriminately, a more serious danger to friend than to foe. "Le Prudent" and "Le Bienfaisant," the only two men of war left, warped off to the other end of the harbor to escape destruction.

The besiegers were so near the walls on the 24th that their small arms were fired through the embrasures of the ramparts and drove the gunners from their stations. Deserters reported that the inhabitants of the town were so much distressed that they entreated the Governor, on their knees, to capitulate without delay. They entreated in vain, however. The story, whether true or overdrawn, served to stimulate the besiegers who expected to gain much reputation to close their campaign.

On the 25th an act requiring unusual courage and address was undertaken by the fleet.

The admiral determined to destroy or to take the two French ships remaining in the harbor.

Six hundred sailors favored by a dark night and commanded by Captains Balfour and Laforey boarded "Le Bienfaisant and "Le Prudent" with little difficulty. The former vessel was towed away, while the other being aground was burned. The gallantry of his action is much praised by "A Spectator," who relates the incidents with much detail. The garrison was now in a very bad condition. For eight days officers and men had been without rest and every day they saw the nearer approach of the enemy while their own defence grew more and more feeble.

Not a spot within the walls was safe even for the sick or wounded. Ammunition was running low and almost any thing of metal was used as a substitute for cannon balls. Wolfe on the 25th reported that if more ammunition and artillery officers were sent early he would breach the walls in the afternoon, and that one of his officers was then within fifty or sixty yards of the glacis. The French fleet was now destroyed and the British might enter the harbor at their convenience and batter the town from another quarter.

Early on the 26th, Governor de Duncour, after holding a council of war wrote to General Amherst offering to capitulate on the same terms that had been accorded to the British at Port Mahon. The Admiral and the Commander in chief who had already agreed upon a formal summons in form of a letter to be sent to the Governor of the Garrison communicated the contents to the French messenger. The Governor was offered no terms but was required to surrender at discretion.

Two hours were given for deliberation.

At the end of this time another officer came from the Governor to remonstrate against the severity of the terms and asking for more favorable conditions. After consultation the British officers agreed to soften the expression "at at discretion" into "as prisoners of war," and to add that women and children and such as had not borne arms should be returned to France.

The combattants were to be sent to England. An hour was allowed for the consideration of this final reply. Again the French asked for further modification,

They wished that the prisoners of war should be sent to France on parole of not serving for a time to be specified by the General. When this was refused another hour was asked for deliberation; fifteen minutes were given, with the threat that if the time was exceeded upon any pretext the batteries would be opened upon the garrison again.

In a few moments the terms were accepted, and were shortly put in form, translated and signed.

On the day following the capitulation the soldiers of the garrison laid down their arms with very bad grace. Their surrender notwithstanding the modifications which had been made in the terms of the capitulation was humiliating. They had, however, little to reproach themselves with after the close of the 8th of June.

The troops had sallied forth whenever possible and shown reasonable courage in the face of a superior force, and the gunners had served the cannon until forty out of a total of fifty-two had been disabled by the enemy. They had suffered in danger and distress whilst shot and shell had whistled about their unprotected heads. Women and children had been huddled together in unsafe casemates sharing the dangers incident to a siege until the walls were breached, houses burned, and the British were ready to storm the town by sea and land. The moral and physical courage implied in such conduct deserved all praise, but did not appeal to the victors as to those unused to war and its horrors. The ever gallant Wolfe whom we must now follow closely in the remainder of this narrative went into Louisbourg to pay his respects to the ladies, but he found them so pale, thin, and shaken by their