EXERCISES.-1. The Saxon prefix a- means at, to, on, in; as astern, at the stern; afield, to the field; ashore, on shore; aboard, on board; afoot, on foot; abed, in bed.

2. Analyse and parse the following: 'He came back determined to put everything to the hazard, and gave orders that all should be in readiness for passing the river on the morrow.'

3. Make sentences of your own, and use in each one or more of the following words: Conspirator, disperse, vanquish, decide.

THE TAKING OF QUEBEC.

[The following lesson narrates the taking of Quebec by the English under General Wolfe in 1759. Till that time Canada had been a French colony.]

1. Quebec stands on the slope of a lofty eminence on the left bank of the St Lawrence. A table-land extends westward from the citadel for about nine miles; the portion of the heights nearest the town, on the west, is called the Plains of Abraham. Wolfe had discovered a narrow path winding up the side of the steep precipice from the river. For miles on either side, there was no other possible access to the heights. Up this narrow path Wolfe decided to lead secretly his whole army, and make the Plains his battle-ground!

2. At nine o'clock at night, the first division of the army, sixteen hundred strong, silently moved into flat-bottomed boats: the soldiers were in high spirits; Wolfe led in person. About an hour before daylight, the flotilla fell down with the ebb-tide: Weather favourable; a star-light night.'

3. Silently and swiftly, unchallenged by the French

sentries, Wolfe's flotilla dropped down the stream, in the shade of the overhanging cliffs. The rowers

scarcely stirred the waters with their oars; the soldiers sat motionless. Not a word was spoken, save by the young general. He, as a midshipman on board of his boat afterwards related, repeated in a low voice, to the officers by his side, Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard; and as he concluded the beautiful verses, he said: 'Now, gentlemen, I would rather be the author of that poem than take Quebec.' But while Wolfe thus, in the poet's words, gave vent to the intensity of his feelings, his eye was constantly bent upon the dark outline of the heights under which he hurried

past. He recognised at length the appointed spot, and leaped ashore.

4. The light company of the 78th Highlanders, under Captain Donald M'Donald, were the first to land. Immediately over their heads hung a woody precipice, without path or track upon its rocky face; on the summit a French sentinel marched to and fro, still unconscious of their presence. Without a moment's hesitation, M'Donald and his men dashed at the height. They scrambled up, holding on by rocks and branches of trees, guided only by the stars that shone over the top of the cliff. Half the ascent was already won, when, for the first time, 'Qui vive?' broke the silence of the night. 'La France,' answered the Highland captain, with ready self-possession, and the sentry shouldered his musket, and pursued his round. In a few minutes, however, the rustling of the trees close at hand at length alarmed the French guard. They hastily turned out, fired one irregular volley down the precipice, and fled in panic. In the meantime, nearly five hundred men landed, and made their way up the height: those who had first reached the summit then took possession of the intrenched post at the top of that path which Wolfe had selected for the ascent of his army.

5. The boats plied busily: company after company was quickly landed; and as soon as the men touched the shore, they swarmed up the steep ascent with ready alacrity. When morning broke, the whole disposable force of Wolfe's army stood in firm array upon the table-land above the cove. Only one gun, however, could be carried up the hill, and even that was not got into position without incredible difficulty.

6. Montcalm was already worsted as a general; it was

His order

still, however, left him to fight as a soldier. of battle was steadily and promptly made. He commanded the centre column in person. His total force engaged was 7520 men, besides Indians. Wolfe showed only a force of 4828 of all ranks; but of these every man was a trained soldier.

7. The French attacked. After a spirited advance made by a swarm of skirmishers, their main body, in long unbroken lines, was seen approaching Wolfe's position. Soon a murderous and incessant fire began. The British troops fell fast. Wolfe, at the head of the 28th, was struck in the wrist, but not disabled. Wrapping a handkerchief round the wound, he hastened from one rank to another, exhorting the men to be steady and to reserve their fire. No English soldier pulled a trigger: with matchless endurance they sustained the trial. Not a company wavered: their arms shouldered as if on parade, and motionless, save when they closed up the ghastly gaps, they waited the word of command.

8. When the head of the French attack had reached within forty yards, Wolfe gave the order to 'fire.' At once, the long row of muskets was levelled, and a volley, distinct as a single shot, flashed from the British line. For a moment the advancing columns still pressed on, shivering like pennons in the fatal storm, but a few paces told how terrible had been the force of the long-suspended blow.

9. Montcalm commanded the attack in person. Not fifteen minutes had elapsed since he had first moved on his line of battle, and already all was lost! But the gallant Frenchman, though ruined, was not dismayed; he rode through the broken ranks, cheered them with his voice, encouraged them by his dauntless bearing,

I

and, aided by a small redoubt, even succeeded in once again presenting a front to his enemy.

He

10. Meanwhile, Wolfe's troops had reloaded. seized the opportunity of the hesitation in the hostile ranks, and ordered the whole British line to advance. At first they moved forward in majestic regularity, receiving and paying back with deadly interest the volleys of the French; but soon the ardour of the soldiers broke through the restraints of discipline— they increased their pace to a run, rushing over the dying and the dead, and sweeping the living enemy off their path. Wolfe was a second time wounded in the body; but he concealed his suffering, for his duty was not yet accomplished: again a ball from a redoubt struck him on the breast; he reeled on one side, but at the moment this was not generally observed. 'Support me,' said he to a grenadier officer who was close at hand, 'that my brave fellows may not see me fall.' In a few seconds, however, he sank, and was borne a little to the rear.

11. The brief struggle fell heavily upon the British, but was ruinous to the French. They wavered under the carnage; the columns which death had disordered were soon broken and scattered. Montcalm, with a courage that rose above the wreck of hope, galloped through the groups of his stubborn veterans, who still made head against the enemy, and strove to show a front of battle. His efforts were vain; the head of every formation was swept away before that terrible musketry; in a few minutes the French gave way in all directions. Just then their gallant general fell with a mortal wound: from that time all was utter rout.

12. While the British troops were carrying all before them, their young general's life was ebbing fast away.