been treated with every species of respect were put on shore and released at Diamond Harbour. The English admiral, full of gallantry, ordered the bombardment of the city to be suspended, in order to afford the Quebec ladies time to seek places of safety." [See Journal du ,Siége de Québec, 1759; J. U. Panet: p. 15.] The incident is referred to in a letter communicated to the Literary and Historical Society by Capt. Colin McKenzie. (1)

[(1) Extract from a Letter of a volunteer in Wolfe’s army, presented to the LITERARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, by Captain Colin McKenzie, of H. M,. 78th Ross-shire Buffs—Highlanders.

"On board of the STIRLING CASTLE, two miles below Quebec, 1759."

"The ravages of war are truly terrible, but may be rendered still more so, if cruelty grows wanton. Happily this is not the temper of Britons, whose natural humanity forbids their sporting with real distress. Some severity became necessary to curb the pride of an insulting enemy, and to convince them we were actually in earnest.

Hence proceeded those devastations already mentioned, which drew from the Governor of Quebec a sort of remonstrance, addressed to our commanding officer, with a menace to this effect. "That if the English did not desist from burning and destroying the country, he would give up all the English prisoners in his power to the mercy of the Indian savages." To this threat our spirited commander is said to have sent a reply to the following purport:

"That his Excellency could not be unapprized of his having in his possession a considerable number of fair hostages; that as to the prisoners he might do as he pleased; but, at the same time, he might be assured, that the very instant he attempted to carry his threats into execution, all the French ladies, without distinction, should be given up to the delicate embraces of the English tars.

N.B.—We have at least three, if not four transports, full freighted with French females; some of them, women of the first rank in this country."]

Stobo next points out the spot, at Sillery where Wolfe landed, and soon after was sent with despatches, via the St. Lawrence, to General Amherst; but, during the trip, the vessel was overhauled and taken by a French privateer, the despatches having been previously consigned to the deep. Stobo might have swung at the yard-arm in this new predicament, had his French valet divulged his identity with the spy of Fort du Quesne; but fortune again stepped in to preserve the adventurous Scot. There