meditated a sally, with the
determination of seizing the capital of Nova Scotia. They immediately
took the most serious precautions, and screwed up their municipal
regulations to the highest pitch. All the loyal citizens entrusted
with arms, were ordered to keep themselves in readiness to march at a
minute's warning to repel the meditated attack of about a thousand
unarmed Yankees, rendered formidable by a reinforcement of a few dozen
half starved soldiers, who were taken by the Indians and British, and
sent from Quebec down the river St. Lawrence to the formidable
American post on Melville Island, under the command of turnkey Grant!
who was himself under the command of Lieut. General Mr. Agent Miller!

It was reported and believed by many in Halifax, that the prisoners
had made arrangements for the attack, and had sworn to massacre every
man, woman and child. When we found that they really believed the
ridiculous story, we must confess that we enjoyed their terror, and
laughed, inwardly, at their formidable precautions of defence. They
placed a company of artillery, with two pieces of cannon on a height
south of the prison; and cleared up a piece of land, and stationed
another corps of artillery with a cannon so placed as to rake our
habitation lengthwise, while sentries were placed at regulated
distances on the road, all the way into the town of Halifax. An
additional number of troops were stationed on the island, who
_bivouacked_[A] in the open air near to the officers' dwellings; in
other words, they were placed there to prevent us from cutting the
officers' throats with clam shells, or oyster shells, for we had
nothing metallic for the purpose.

When we saw these formidable preparations, and reflected on our own
helpless condition, without any means of offence, beside our teeth and
nails, we could not but despise our enemies; and we did not omit to
increase their ridiculous alarm, by whispering together, pointing our
fingers sometimes E. and sometimes W. and sometimes N. and sometimes
S. and rubbing our hands and laughing, and affecting to be in high
spirits. The conduct of the agent at this threatening crisis of his
affairs, did not diminish our contempt of him. He would often mount
his rostrum, the head of the stair-case, to address us, and assure us,
that we should soon be delivered from our confinement, and be sent
home. He said that he did not expect to see any of us in prison six
weeks longer; and that our