let us march forward. It is not death that I fear, but seeing these weak
and helpless ones suffer. I should not envy the feelings of the men who
decided on resistance, when the time came that the women and children
were dying of hunger around them. There is a time to fight; and a time to
sheath the sword, and to wait until a chance of drawing it successfully
again arrives; and methinks that, having such good terms offered, the
present is the time for waiting."

The preacher waved his hand impatiently, and, wrapping himself in his
cloak, left the house without another word. The next day the capitulation
was signed, and the following day the army of James was seen approaching,
and presently halted, on a hill within cannon shot of the town.

Londonderry stands in a bend of the river Foyle, and the position which
the army took up at once isolated it from the surrounding country. The
offer of capitulation had already been sent out to General Hamilton by
Captain White, the bearer receiving instructions to stipulate that the
army should not advance within four miles of the town, until all was
ready to hand over the city. In the meantime, General Rosen, who was in
chief command of the army, stationed it so as to extend from one corner
of the bend of the river to the other, and so to cut off all
communication between the city and the surrounding country; but, in the
course of the day, a country gentleman named Murray made his way through
their lines, with a body of cavalry, and rode up to the gate of the town.

The governor refused to open it, but, in spite of his orders, some of the
townspeople opened the gate, and Murray rode into the town, and, going
from point to point, exhorted the people not to surrender but to resist
to the last, accusing the governor and council of foul treachery, in thus
handing over the city.