ec. They had passed us as we came down, for we had sailed inside
some islands of the coast, getting shelter and better passage, and the
fleet had, no doubt, passed outside. This was a blow to me, for I
had hoped to be in time to join General Wolfe and proceed with him to
Quebec, where my knowledge of the place should be of service to him. It
was, however, no time for lament, and I set about to find my way
back again. Our prisoners I handed over to the authorities. The two
Provincials decided to remain and take service under General Amherst;
Mr. Stevens would join his own Rangers at once, but Clark would go back
with me to have his hour with his hated foes.

I paid Mr. Stevens and the two Provincials for their shares in the
schooner, and Clark and I manned her afresh, and prepared to return
instantly to Quebec. From General Amherst I received correspondence to
carry to General Wolfe and Admiral Saunders. Before I started back,
I sent letters to Governor Dinwiddie and to Mr. (now Colonel) George
Washington, but I had no sooner done so than I received others from them
through General Amherst. They had been sent to him to convey to General
Wolfe at Quebec, who was, in turn, to hand them to me, when, as was
hoped, I should be released from captivity, if not already beyond the
power of men to free me.

The letters from these friends almost atoned for my past sufferings,
and I was ashamed that ever I had thought my countrymen forgot me in
my worst misery; for this was the first matter I saw when I opened the
Governor's letter:

By the House of Burgesses.

Resolved, That the sum of three hundred pounds be paid to Captain Robert
Moray, in consideration of his services to the country, and his singular
sufferings in his confinement, as a hostage, in Quebec.

This, I learned, was one of three such resolutions.

But there were other matters in his letter which much amazed me. An
attempt, he said, had been made one dark night upon his strong-room,
which would have succeeded but for the great bravery and loyalty of an
old retainer. Two men were engaged in the attempt, one of whom was
a Frenchman. Both men were masked, and, when set upon, fought with
consummate bravery, and escaped. It was found the next day that the safe
of my partner had also been rifled and all my papers stolen. There
was no doubt in my mind what this meant. Doltaire, with some renegade
Virginian who knew Williamsburg and myself, had made essay to get
my pa