Indians. The Canadians present had looked on. The French,
headed by Montcalm, had risked their lives to save the
prisoners. But such distinctions had been blotted out in
the general rage among the British on both sides of the
Atlantic; and so Louisbourg was now made the scapegoat.

Drucour at once wrote back to say that he stood by his
first proposal, which meant, of course, that he was ready
to face the storming of his works and no quarter for his
garrison. His flag of truce started off with this defiance.
But Prevost the intendant, with other civilians, now came
forward, on behalf of the inhabitants, to beg for immediate
surrender on any terms, rather than that they should all
be exposed to the perils of assault. Drucour then gave
way, and sent an officer running after the defiant flag
of truce. As soon as this second messenger got outside
the walls he called out, at the top of his voice, 'We
accept! We accept!' He then caught up to the bearer of
the flag of truce, when both went straight on to British
headquarters.

Boscawen and Amherst were quite prepared for either
surrender or assault. The storming parties had their
scaling-ladders ready. The Forlorn Hopes had been told
off to lead the different columns. Every gun was loaded,
afloat and ashore. The fleet were waiting for the signal
to file in and turn a thousand cannon against the walls.
Nothing was lacking for complete success. On the other
hand, their terms were also ready waiting. The garrison
was to be sent to England as prisoners of war. The whole