Vaudreuil on his part was not idle.  He sent a counter-proclamation through the parishes as an antidote to that of Murray.  “I have been compelled,” he writes to the Minister, “to decree the pain of death to the Canadians who are so dastardly as to desert or give up their arms to the enemy, and to order that the houses of those who do not join our army shall be burned."[841] Execution was to be summary, without court-martial.[842] Yet desertion increased daily.  The Canadians felt themselves doubly ruined, for it became known that the Court had refused to redeem the paper that formed the whole currency of the colony; and, in their desperation, they preferred to trust the tried clemency of the enemy rather than exasperate him by persisting in a vain defence.  Vaudreuil writes in his usual strain:  “I am taking the most just measures to unite our forces, and, if our situation permits, fight a battle, or several battles.  It is to be feared that we shall go down before an enemy so numerous and strong; but, whatever may be the event, we will save the honor of the King’s arms.  I have the honor to repeat to you, Monseigneur, that if any resource were left me, whatever the progress the English might make, I would maintain myself in some part of the colony with my remaining troops, after having fought with the greatest obstinacy; but I am absolutely without the least remnant of the necessary means.  In these unhappy circumstances I shall continue to use every manoeuvre and device to keep the enemy in check; but if we succumb in the battles we shall fight, I shall apply myself to obtaining a capitulation which may avert the total ruin of a people who will remain forever French, and who could not survive their misfortunes but for the hope of being restored by the treaty of peace to the rule of His Most Christian Majesty.  It is with this view that I shall remain in this town, the Chevalier de Levis having represented to me that it would be an evil to the colonists past remedy if any accident should happen to me.”  Levis was willing to go very far in soothing the susceptibilities of the Governor; but it may be suspected this time that he thought him more useful within four walls than in the open field.

[Footnote 841:  Vaudreuil au Ministre, 29 Aout, 1760.]

[Footnote 842:  Levis a Bourlamaque, 25 Aout, 1760.]

There seemed good hope of stopping the advance of Haviland.  To this end Vaudreuil had stationed Bougainville at Isle-aux-Noix with seventeen hundred men, and Roquemaure at St. John, a few miles distant, with twelve or fifteen hundred more, besides all the Indians.[843] Haviland embarked at Crown Point with thirty-four hundred regulars, provincials, and Indians.[844] Four days brought him to Isle-aux-Noix; he landed, planted cannon in the swamp, and opened fire.  Major Darby with the light infantry, and Rogers with the rangers, dragged three light pieces through the forest, and planted them on the river-bank in the