y the
grandeur of the miracle wrought in our behalf,--a marvellous effect of
God's love for Canada, which, of all these countries, is the only one
that professes the true religion."

Quebec was not ungrateful. A solemn mass was ordered every month during
a year, to be followed by the song of Moses after the destruction of
Pharaoh and his host.[181] Amazing reports were spread concerning the
losses of the English. About three thousand of "these wretches"--so the
story ran--died after reaching land, without counting the multitudes
drowned in the attempt; and even this did not satisfy divine justice,
for God blew up one of the ships by lightning during the storm. Vessels
were sent to gather up the spoils of the wreck, and they came back, it
was reported, laden with marvellous treasures, including rich clothing,
magnificent saddles, plate, silver-hilted swords, and the like; bringing
also the gratifying announcement that though the autumn tides had swept
away many corpses, more than two thousand still lay on the rocks, naked
and in attitudes of despair.[182] These stories, repeated by later
writers, find believers to this day.[183]

When Walker and his ships reached Spanish River, he called another
council of war. The question was whether, having failed to take Quebec,
they should try to take Placentia; and it was resolved that the short
supply of provisions, the impossibility of getting more from Boston
before the first of November, and the risks of the autumnal storms, made
the attempt impracticable. Accordingly, the New England transports
sailed homeward, and the British fleet steered for the Thames.

Swift writes on the sixth of October in his Journal to Stella: "The news
of Mr. Hill's miscarriage in his expedition came to-day, and I went to
visit Mrs. Masham and Mrs. Hill, his two sisters, to condole with them."
A week after, he mentions the arrival of the general himself; and again
on the sixteenth writes thus: "I was to see Jack Hill this morning, who
made that unfortunate expedition; and there is still more misfortune,
for that ship which was admiral of his fleet [the "Edgar"] is blown up
in the Thames by an accident and carelessness of some rogue, who was
going, as they think, to steal some gunpowder: five hundred men are
lost."

A report of this crowning disaster reached Quebec, and Mother Juchereau
does not fail to improve it. According to her, the Admiral, stricken
with divine justice, and wrought to despera