the conquest of new france-第3节

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or　kneel；　shrieking　for　mercy。　Houses　are　set　on　fire　and　living

human　beings　are　thrown　into　the　flames。　By　midday　the　assailants

have　finished　their　dread　work　and　are　retreating　along　the

forest　paths　dragging　with　them　a　few　miserable　captives。　In　this

winter　of　1689…90　raiding　parties　also　came　back　from　the　borders

of　New　Hampshire　and　of　Maine　with　news　of　similar　exploits；　and

Quebec　and　Montreal　glowed　with　the　joy　of　victory。



Far　away　an　answering　attack　was　soon　on　foot。　Sir　William　Phips

of　Massachusetts；　the　son　of　a　poor　settler　on　the　Kennebec

River；　had　made　his　first　advance　in　life　by　taking　up　the　trade

of　carpenter　in　Boston。　Only　when　grown　up　had　he　learned　to　read

and　write。　He　married　a　rich　wife；　and　ease　of　circumstances

freed　his　mind　for　great　designs。　Some　fifty　years　before　he　was

thus　relieved　of　material　cares；　a　Spanish　galleon　carrying　vast

wealth　had　been　wrecked　in　the　West　Indies。　Phips　now　planned　to

raise　the　ship　and　get　the　money。　For　this　enterprise　he　obtained

support　in　England　and　set　out　on　his　exacting　adventure。　On　the

voyage　his　crew　mutinied。　Armed　with　cutlasses；　they　told　Phips

that　he　must　turn　pirate　or　perish；　but　he　attacked　the　leader

with　his　fists　and　triumphed　by　sheer　strength　of　body　and　will。

A　second　mutiny　he　also　quelled；　and　then　took　his　ship　to

Jamaica　where　he　got　rid　of　its　worthless　crew。　His　enterprise

had　apparently　failed；　but　the　second　Duke　of　Albemarle　and　other

powerful　men　believed　in　him　and　helped　him　to　make　another

trial。　This　time　he　succeeded　in　finding　the　wreck　on　the　coast

of　Hispaniola；　and　took　possession　of　its　cargo　of　precious

metals　and　jewelstreasure　to　the　value　of　three　hundred

thousand　pounds　sterling。　Of　the　spoil　Phips　himself　received

sixteen　thousand　pounds；　a　great　fortune　for　a　New　Englander　in

those　days。　He　was　also　knighted　for　his　services　and；　in　the

end；　was　named　by　William　and　Mary　the　first　royal　Governor　of

Massachusetts。



Massachusetts；　whose　people　had　been　thoroughly　aroused　by　the

French　incursions；　resolved　to　retaliate　by　striking　at　the　heart

of　Canada　by　sea　and　to　take　Quebec。　Sir　William　Phips；　though

not　yet　made　Governor；　would　lead　the　expedition。　The　first　blow

fell　in　Acadia。　Phips　sailed　up　the　Bay　of　Fundy　and　on　May　11；

1690；　landed　a　force　before　Port　Royal。　The　French　Governor

surrendered　on　terms。　The　conquest　was　intended　to　be　final；　and

the　people　were　offered　their　lives　and　property　on　the　condition

of　taking；　the　oath　to　be　loyal　subjects　of　William　and　Mary。

This　many　of　them　did　and　were　left　unmolested。　It　was　a

bloodless　victory。　But　Phips；　the　Puritan　crusader；　was　something

of　a　pirate。　He　plundered　private　property　and　was　himself

accused　of　taking　not　merely　the　silver　forks　and　spoons　of　the

captive　Governor　but　even　his　wigs；　shirts；　garters；　and　night

caps。　The　Boston　Puritans　joyfully　pillaged　the　church　at　Port

Royal；　and　overturned　the　high　altar　and　the　images。　The　booty

was　considerable　and　by　the　end　of　May　Phips；　a　prosperous　hero；

was　back　in　Boston。　



Boston　was　aflame　with　zeal　to　go　on　and　conquer　Canada。　By　the

middle　of　August　Phips　had　set　out　on　the　long　sea　voyage　to

Quebec；　with　twenty…two　hundred　men；　a　great　force　for　a　colonial

enterprise　of　that　time；　and　in　all　some　forty　ships。　The　voyage

occupied　more　than　two　months。　Apparently　the　hardy

carpenter…sailor；　able　enough　to　carry　through　a　difficult

undertaking　with　a　single　ship；　lacked　the　organizing　skill　to

manage　a　great　expedition。　He　performed；　however；　the　feat　of

navigating　safely　with　his　fleet　the　treacherous　waters　of　the

lower　St。　Lawrence。　On　the　morning　of　October　16；　1690；　watchers

at　Quebec　saw　the　fleet；　concerning　which　they　had　already　been

warned；　rounding　the　head　of　the　Island　of　Orleans　and　sailing

into　the　broad　basin。　Breathless　spectators　counted　the　ships。

There　were　thirty…four　in　sight；　a　few　large　vessels；　some　mere

fishing　craft。　It　was　a　spectacle　well　calculated　to　excite　and

alarm　the　good　people　of　Quebec。　They　might；　however；　take

comfort　in　the　knowledge　that　their　great　Frontenac　was　present

to　defend　them。　A　few　days　earlier　he　had　been　in　Montreal；　but；

when　there　had　come　the　startling　news　of　the　approach　of　the

enemy's　ships；　he　had　hurried　down　the　river　and　had　been

received　with　shouts　of　joy　by　the　anxious　populace。



The　situation　was　one　well　suited　to　Frontenac's　genius　for　the

dramatic。　When　a　boat　under　a　flag　of　truce　put　out　from　the

English　ships；　Frontenac　hurried　four　canoes　to　meet　it。　The

English　envoy　was　placed　blindfold　in　one　of　these　canoes　and　was

paddled　to　the　shore。　Here　two　soldiers　took　him　by　the　arms　and

led　him　over　many　obstacles　up　the　steep　ascent　to　the　Chateau

St。　Louis。　He　could　see　nothing　but　could　hear　the　beating　of

drums；　the　blowing　of　trumpets；　the　jeers　and　shouting　of　a　great

multitude　in　a　town　which　seemed　to　be　full　of　soldiers　and　to

have　its　streets　heavily　barricaded。　When　the　bandage　was　taken

from　his　eyes　he　found　himself　in　a　great　room　of　the　Chateau。

Before　him　stood　Frontenac；　in　brilliant　uniform；　surrounded　by

the　most　glittering　array　of　officers　which　Quebec　could　muster。

The　astonished　envoy　presented　a　letter　from　Phips。　It　was　a　curt

demand　in　the　name　of　King　William　of　England　for　the

unconditional　surrender　of　all　〃forts　and　castles〃　in　Canada；　of

Frontenac　himself；　and　all　his　forces　and　supplies。　On　such

conditions　Phips　would　show　mercy；　as　a　Christian　should。

Frontenac　must　answer　within　an　hour。　When　the　letter　had　been

read　the　envoy　took　a　watch　from　his　pocket　and　pointed　out　the

time　to　Frontenac。　It　was　ten　o'clock。　The　reply　must　be　given　by

eleven。　Loud　mutterings　greeted　the　insulting　message。　One

officer　cried　out　that　Phips　was　a　pirate　and　that　his　messenger

should　be　hanged。　Frontenac　knew　well　how　to　deal　with　such　a

situation。　He　threw　the　letter　in　the　envoy's　face　and　turned　his

back　upon　him。　The　unhappy　man；　who　understood　French；　heard　the

Governor　give　orders　that　a　gibbet　should　be　erected　on　which　he

was　to　be　hanged。　When　the　Bishop　and　the　Intendant　pleaded　for

mercy；　Frontenac　seemed　to　yield。　He　would　not　take；　he　said；　an

hour　to　reply；　but　would　answer　at　once。　He　knew　no　such　person

as　King　William。　James；　though　in　exile；　was　the　true　King　of

England　and　the　good　friend　of　the　King　of　France。　There　would　be

no　surrender　to　a　pirate。　After　this　outburst；　the　envoy　asked　if

he　might　have　the　answer　in　writing。　〃No！〃　thundered　Frontenac。

〃I　will　answer　only　from　the　mouths　of　my　cannon　and　with　my

musketry！〃



Phips　could　not　take　Quebec。　In　carrying　out　his　plans；　he　was

slow　and　dilatory。　Nature　aided　his　foe。　The　weather　was　bad；　the

waters　before　Quebec　were　difficult；　and　boats　grounded

unexpectedly　in　a　falling　tide。　Phips　landed　a　force　on　the　north

side　of　the　basin　at　Beauport　but　was　held　in　check　by　French　and

Indian　skirmishing　parties。　He　sailed　his　ships　up　close　to

Quebec　and　bombarded　the　stronghold；　but　then；　as　now；　ships　were

impotent　against　well…served　land　defenses。　Soon　Phips　was　short

of　ammunition。　A　second　time　he　made　a　landing　in　order　to　attack

Quebec　from　the　valley　of　the　St。　Charles　but　French　regulars

fought　with　militia　and　Indians　to　drive　off　his　forces。　Phips

held　a　meeting　with　his　officers　for　prayer。　Heaven；　however；

denied　success　to　his　arms。　If　he　could　not　take　Quebec；　it　was

time　to　be　gone；　for　in　the　late　autumn　the　dangers　of　the　St。

Lawrence　are　great。　He　lay　before　Quebec　for　just　a　week　and　on

the　23d　of　October　sailed　away。　It　was　late　in　November　when　his

battered　fleet　began　to　straggle　into　Boston。　The　ways　of　God　had

not　proved　as　simple　as　they　had　seemed　to　the　Puritan　faith；　for

the　stronghold　of　Satan　had　not　fallen　before　the　attacks　of　the

Lord's　people。　There　were　searchings　of　heart；　recriminations；

and　financial　distress　in　Boston。



For　seven　years　more　the　war　endured。　Frontenac's　victory　over

Phips　at　Quebec　was　not　victory　over　the　Iroquois　or　victory　over

the　colony　of　New　York。　In　1691　this　colony　sent　Peter　Schuyler

with　a　force　against　Canada　by　way　of　Lake　Champlain。　Schuyler

penetrated　almost　to　Montreal；　gained　some　indecisive　success；

and　caused　much　suffering　to　the　unhappy　Canadian　settlers。

Frontenac　made　his　last　great　stroke　in　duly；　1696；　when　he　led

more　than　two　thousand　men　through　the　primeval　forest　to　destroy

the　villages　of　the　Onondaga　and　the　Oneida　tribes　of　the

Iroquois。　On　the　journey　from　the　south　shore　of　Lake　Ontario；

the　old　man　of　seventy…five　was　unable　to　walk　over　the　rough

portages　and　fifty　Indians　shouting　songs　of　joy　carried　his

great　canoe　on　their　shoulders。　When　the　soldiers　left　the　canoes

and　marched　forward　to　the　fight；　they　bore　Frontenac　in　an　easy

chair。　He　did　not　destroy　his　enemy；　for　many　of　the　Indians

fled；　but　he　b