now had continued falling, the only
part of a body that appeared above the surface was that of Montgomery
himself, part of whose left arm and hand stood up erect, but the corpse
was doubled up, the knees being drawn up to the face. Beside him lay his
brave aids, McPherson and Cheeseman and one sergeant. The whole were
frozen hard. Montgomery's sword was found near by. A drummer boy
snatched it up, but Thompson secured it for himself and it is kept to
this day as an heirloom in his family.

Meigs, who served with Montgomery, pays this affecting tribute. "He was
tall and slender, well-limbed, of a genteel, easy, graceful, manly
address, and had the voluntary love, esteem and confidence of the whole
army. His death, though honourable, is lamented, not only as the death
of an amiable, worthy friend, but as an experienced, brave general; the
whole country suffers greatly by such a loss at this time. The native
goodness and rectitude of his heart might easily be seen in his actions.
His sentiments, which appeared on every occasion, were fraught with that
unaffected goodness which plainly discovered the goodness of the heart
from whence they flowed."

Montgomery had said: "We shall eat our Christmas dinner in Quebec."

Alas.

XX.

SAULT-AU-MATELOT.

Arnold moved his division from the General Hospital in the St. Roch's
Suburb, but not so secretly as Montgomery had done. The roar of cannon,
the ringing of bells, the rattle of drums aroused and alarmed the
slumbering town. His men crept along the walls in single file, covering
the locks of their guns with the lappets of their coats, and holding
down their heads on account of the driving snow storm, until they
reached the point of their attack in Sault-au-Matelot street. This is
one of the legendary streets of Quebec. It lies directly under the Cape,
and is supposed to derive its name from a sailor who leaped into it from
above. Creuxius has a prosier explanation: "_Ad confluentem promontorium
assurgit quod saltum nautae vulgo vocant ab cane hujus nominis qui se
alias ex eo loco praecipitum dedit._" Of Arnold's followers the most
notable were Morgan's brave riflemen, and the whole column consisted of
five hundred men. He marched in advance of them, animating their courage
by word and example. His impetuous bravery led him to needless exposure
in the attack on the first barrier, in front of which he was at once
struck down by a musket-wound in the knee, and carried o