GENERAL WOLFE AT THE TAKING OF QUEBEC.

Western Star, Issue 944, 2 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

GENERAL WOLFE AT THE TAKING OF QUEBEC.

The ships passed on, and at last dropped anchor. On boald were about 30 flat-boats ; these were quietly lowered into the water, and in death-, like stillness and complete silence the first division of the. army, 1600 tteß) embarked in them. To the men it seem* ed a thing of course that the youiJg General should step into the first— ever impetuous, ever rushing to the front. Thi, light of confident hope shone in his! keen bright eyes, and those around grew! confident in his presence. . . .. $■ The only sound that broke the silence was the voice of the young General, who perhaps to still his own excitement or that of others, repeated, in a low Woe to those around him, Gray’s beautiful lines, “The Curfew tolls the knell of parting day.” Was there no omen in these words,- <* The paths of glory lead but to the graVei” Then, scarcely pad* sing, the young General added, “ Gentle* men, 1 would rather be the author of that poem than take Quebec.” No one spoke, and he said no more, bat continued to gaze through the darkness at the thickly-wooded cMb'until-the appointed spot came in sight, aud when the boat touched the shore he was.. the fin* IrtQspring on laud and search for the .upward path. For a moment even hi| venturesome spirit seemed' to, quail; Overhead hung the almost precipitous cliff ; thick trees and brushwood, mingled with loose rooks, covered the face of it; the path was but a scratch— hardly to be seen in the darkness. “ Well, we must have a try,” he said to those who followed him, as ha dashed at it, closely pursued by. his men, who struggled vainly to keep Mm in sight, as, with hit usual vehemence, he forced his way np the giddy assent. . . . Slipping, springing, and clinging to roots of trees and friendly branches, privates and .officers made slow but steady progress np the path; others of the boats having drifted down the river, l&nded thsir freight at a point where no. path whatever was to be seen up tberoughlaoe of the cliff. Among the troops in thsss boats were some companies of the 78th Highlanders, who, little dismayed by the frowning aspect of the hillside made straight at it, and, by dint of clinging to trees and bits of rock, forced their way boldly up the precipitous heights— Account oj Amyat Brough,"