and canoes were carried over
a fall and capsized, the occupants struggling to land. But this reckless
courage did wonders. By October 30th, after more than a month of
unspeakable hardship, Arnold had reached the borderland of civilization
in Canada, and was sending back provisions to his men. It is little
short of marvellous that at Point Levi on November 9th he could muster
six hundred men, five hundred of whom were fit for duty.

The Canadians and Indians had been very friendly; without their aid the
greater part of Arnold's force would have perished. Even before Quebec
he was dependent on their kindly offices. Its defenders, among whom were
Nairne and Fraser, moved every boat to the north side of the St.
Lawrence; the frigate _Lizard_ and the sloop-of-war _Hunter_, pigmy
representatives at Quebec of Britain's might upon the sea, lay near
Wolfe's Cove ready to attack him if he tried to cross. But the Indians
brought canoes and on the night of November 13th, silently and
unobserved, they carried Arnold's force across the river almost under
the bows of the ships watching for them. The Americans landed where
Wolfe had landed sixteen years earlier. On the morning of the 14th, to
the surprise of Quebec's garrison, a body of Americans appeared on the
Plains of Abraham, not eight hundred yards from the walls, and gave
three loud huzzas. The British answered with three cheers and with the
more effective retort of cannon, loaded with grape and canister shot,
and the hardy pioneers of Arnold's attacking force retired.

Quebec was not in a happy situation. Montreal had already fallen to the
Americans advancing by Lake Champlain, and to force the final surrender
of Canada General Montgomery was hurrying to join Arnold at Quebec. For
a time its defenders were uncertain whether Carleton himself, absent at
Montreal, had not fallen into the hands of the enemy. A miraculous
escape he indeed had. Leaving Montreal on a dark night, when the
Americans were already within the town, Carleton went in a skiff down
the river, both shores of which were already occupied by the enemy for
fifty miles below Montreal. At the narrows at Berthier their blazing
camp fires sent light far out over the surface of the water. Carleton's
party could hear the sentry's shout of "All's Well," and the barking of
dogs. But they let the boat float down with the current so that it might
look like drifting timber, and, when they could, impelled it silently
with th