“I never saw such a scene in my life as the opposite shore presented just as the dawn was breaking and the first gun boomed out, and we knew that we ought to have been marching in compact order along the crest of the hill to fall upon the gunners from behind.  Well, if this is how Quebec manages her affairs, she deserves to have her houses battered in.  We shall soon have the answer from the English batteries, and we shall deserve it, too!”

Colin was right.  The iron storm began all too soon, and proved to the full as destructive as had been feared.  Churches and houses were laid in ruins, and disastrous fires broke out, consuming others.  The unhappy occupants of the Lower Town fled from the smoking ruins, some to take refuge with friends in the Upper Town, which was considerably less exposed; others to fly into the open country beyond, where they trusted to be safe from the English invader.  As the military authorities had proclaimed, this destruction did not materially affect the position of the belligerents—­the English could not get much nearer their object by shelling the town—­but it did much to dishearten the citizens, and produced a strong moral effect of depression, and murmurs even arose in isolated quarters that it would be better to surrender than to be destroyed.

Moreover, disquieting reports came from other places.  The camp of Montcalm extended, as has been said, from the river St. Charles to the Falls of Montmorency.  That great gorge was considered protection enough, and it was believed that no enemy would be rash enough to try to cross the river higher up; indeed, it was popularly supposed that there was no ford.  Nevertheless it soon became known that Wolfe had effected a landing upon the farther shore of the Montmorency; that he was fortifying a camp there, and had found and was now holding a ford in the river above, whence, if he chose, he could cross and fall upon the camp at Beauport.

There had been some argument at first as to the advisability of dislodging him before he had made himself strong enough to resist attack.  The Intendant had given his voice in favour of the attack; but for once the Governor and the General had been of one mind, and had decided against it.

“Let him stay where he is,” said Montcalm, after he had surveyed the position; “he can do us little harm there.  If we dislodge him, he may find a footing elsewhere, and prove much more dangerous and troublesome.  If he tries to get across to us, we shall have a welcome ready!”

So, though parties of Canadians and Indians harassed the English in their camp, and were met and routed by the gallant Rangers, who always accompanied the English forces, the soldiers remained in their intrenchments, and took little notice of the rival camp.  Sometimes under flags of truce messages passed between the hostile camps.

“You will no doubt batter and demolish a great part of the town,” wrote Montcalm on one occasion, “but you will never get inside it!”