Chapter 15

           "Thengowein,toknowhisembassy;

           WhichIcould,withreadyguess,declare,

           BeforetheFrenchmanspeakawordofit."

           KingHenryV.

           Afewsucceedingdayswerepassedamidtheprivations,theuproar,andthedangersofthesiege,whichwasvigorouslypressedbyapoweragainstwhoseapproachesMunropossessednocompetentmeansofresistance.ItappearedasifWebb,withhisarmy,whichlayslumberingonthebanksoftheHudson,hadutterlyforgottenthestraittowhichhiscountrymenwerereduced.Montcalmhadfilledthewoodsoftheportagewithhissavages,everyyellandwhoopfromwhomrangthroughtheBritishencampment,chillingtheheartsofmenwhowerealreadybuttoomuchdisposedtomagnifythedanger.

           Notso,however,withthebesieged.Animatedbythewords,andstimulatedbytheexamples,oftheirleaders,theyhadfoundtheircourage,andmaintainedtheirancientreputation,withzealthatdidjusticetothesterncharacteroftheircommander.Asifsatisfiedwiththetoilofmarchingthroughthewildernesstoencounterhisenemy,theFrenchgeneral,thoughofapprovedskill,hadneglectedtoseizetheadjacentmountains;whencethebesiegedmighthavebeenexterminatedwithimpunity,andwhich,inthemoremodernwarfareofthecountry,wouldnothavebeenneglectedforasinglehour.Thissortofcontemptforeminences,orratherdreadofthelaborofascendingthem,mighthavebeentermedthebesettingweaknessofthewarfareoftheperiod.