s, with a body of
grenadiers, light infantry, and rangers,--in all three thousand men.
They landed before daybreak in front of the parish of L'Ange Gardien, a
little below the cataract. The only opposition was from a troop of
Canadians and Indians, whom they routed, after some loss, climbed the
heights, gained the plateau above, and began to intrench themselves. A
company of rangers, supported by detachments of regulars, was sent into
the neighboring forest to protect the parties who were cutting fascines,
and apparently, also, to look for a fording-place.

Levis, with his Scotch-Jacobite aide-de-camp, Johnstone, had watched the
movements of Wolfe from the heights across the cataract. Johnstone says
that he asked his commander if he was sure there was no ford higher up
on the Montmorenci, by which the English could cross. Levis averred that
there was none, and that he himself had examined the stream to its
source; on which a Canadian who stood by whispered to the aide-de-camp:
"The General is mistaken; there is a ford." Johnstone told this to
Levis, who would not believe it, and so browbeat the Canadian that he
dared not repeat what he had said. Johnstone, taking him aside, told him
to go and find somebody who had lately crossed the ford, and bring him
at once to the General's quarters; whereupon he soon reappeared with a
man who affirmed that he had crossed it the night before with a sack of
wheat on his back. A detachment was immediately sent to the place, with
orders to intrench itself, and Repentigny, lieutenant of Levis, was
posted not far off with eleven hundred Canadians.

Four hundred Indians passed the ford under the partisan Langlade,
discovered Wolfe's detachment, hid themselves, and sent their commander
to tell Repentigny that there was a body of English in the forest, who
might all be destroyed if he would come over at once with his Canadians.
Repentigny sent for orders to Levis, and Levis sent for orders to
Vaudreuil, whose quarters were three or four miles distant. Vaudreuil
answered that no risk should be run, and that he would come and see to
the matter himself. It was about two hours before he arrived; and
meanwhile the Indians grew impatient, rose from their hiding-place,
fired on the rangers, and drove them back with heavy loss upon the
regulars, who stood their ground, and at last repulsed the assailants.
The Indians recrossed the ford with thirty-six scalps. If Repentigny had
advanced, and Levis h