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A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

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62 A MAD SCHEME. [1744.Mascarene had few or none to give them, they proved<strong>of</strong> doubtful value.Duvivier <strong>and</strong> his followers, white <strong>and</strong> red, appearedbefore the fort <strong>in</strong> August, made their camp beh<strong>in</strong>dthe ridge <strong>of</strong> a hill that overlooked it, <strong>and</strong> marchedtowards the rampart; but be<strong>in</strong>g met by a discharge<strong>of</strong> cannon-shot, they gave up all thoughts <strong>of</strong> an immediateassault, began a fusillade under cover <strong>of</strong> darkness,<strong>and</strong> kept the garrison on the alert all night.Duvivier had looked for help from the Acadians <strong>of</strong>the neighbor<strong>in</strong>g village, who were French <strong>in</strong> blood,faith, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ation. They would not jo<strong>in</strong> himopenly, fear<strong>in</strong>g the consequences if his attack shouldfail;but they did what they could without committ<strong>in</strong>gthemselves, <strong>and</strong> made a hundred <strong>and</strong> fifty scal<strong>in</strong>gladdersfor the besiegers. Duvivier now returned tohis first plan <strong>of</strong> an assault, which, if made withvigor, could hardly have failed.Before attempt<strong>in</strong>git, he sent Mascarene a flag <strong>of</strong> truce to tell him thathe hourly expected two powerful armed ships fromLouisbourg, besides a re<strong>in</strong>forcement <strong>of</strong> two hundred<strong>and</strong> fifty regulars, with cannon, mortars, <strong>and</strong> othereng<strong>in</strong>ery <strong>of</strong> war. At the same time he proposedfavorable terms <strong>of</strong> capitulation, not to take effecttill the French war-ships should have appeared.Mascarene refused all terms, say<strong>in</strong>g that when hesaw the French ships, he would consider what to do,<strong>and</strong> meanwhile would defend himself as he could.The expected ships were the "Ardent" <strong>and</strong> the"Caribou," then at Louisbourg. A French writer

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