the defence of the city of Quebec. The Lower Canadians, willing to
undergo training, had formed themselves into corps of cavalry, artillery
and infantry, at no expense to the Government, but the Government gave
them no encouragement.

This was the state of affairs in Quebec when Lieutenant-General Sir
James Craig arrived to take office as Governor-General of the British
Provinces in North America as well as Commander of the Forces. Brock
soon became the _confidant_ of the new administrator, who was not slow
to observe the exceptional capacity of our hero. The day came all too
quickly for the Governor when occasion arose for the presence of a
strong man to take command in Montreal, and with great reluctance he had
to call upon Isaac Brock to assume the office.




CHAPTER IX.

FUR-TRADERS AND HABITANTS.


Montreal--the Mount Royal of Jacques Cartier--was then in the heyday of
its pioneer glory. It was the seat of government of the North-West
Company, which exercised feudal sway over an empire of wilderness, lake
and prairie, and whose title to monopoly was challenged only by the
powerful Hudson's Bay Company. Since 1670 this older syndicate of
adventurers had held the destinies of the great lone land in the farther
North-West, its fruitful plains and pathless forests, in the hollow of
its hand. Later, when the two companies amalgamated, their joint