men could form up. Wolfe, directing every movement with
his cane, like Gordon in China a century later, shouted
to the others to follow them; and then, amid the crash
of artillery and the wild welter of the surf, though many
boats were smashed and others upset, though some men were
shot and others drowned, the landing was securely made.
'Who were the first ashore?' asked Wolfe, as the men were
forming up under the ledge. Two Highlanders were pointed
out. 'Good fellows!' he said, as he went up to them and
handed each a guinea.

While the ranks were forming on the beach, the French
were firing into them and men were dropping fast. But
every gap was closed as soon as it was made. Directly
Wolfe saw he had enough men he sprang to the front;
whereupon they all charged after him, straight at the
batteries on the crest of the rising shore. Here there
was some wild work for a minute or two, with swords,
bayonets, and muskets all hard at it. But the French now
saw, to their dismay, that thousands of other redcoats
were clambering ashore, nearer in to Louisbourg, and that
these men would cut them off if they waited a moment
longer. So they turned and ran, hotly pursued, till they
were safe in under the guns of the fortress. A deluge of
shot and shell immediately belched forth against the
pursuing British, who wisely halted just out of range.

After this exciting commencement Amherst's guns, shot,
shell, powder, stores, food, tents, and a thousand other
things had all to be landed on the surf-lashed, open