. His hospitality was profuse, and, his private
means being large, he was able to keep a capital table, which, on the
line of march, all officers who happened to pass by were invited to
share. This was a contrast, indeed, to the discipline which had
prevailed in Braddock's columns, and James felt as if he were starting
upon a great picnic, rather than upon an arduous march against a
superior force.

After some hesitation as to the course the army should take, it was
resolved to march for Lake George. Gangs of axemen were sent to hew a
way, and, on the 26th, 2000 men marched for the lake, while Colonel
Blanchard, of New Hampshire, remained with 500 to finish and defend
Fort Lyman. The march was made in a leisurely manner, and the force
took two days to traverse the fourteen miles between Fort Lyman and the
lake. They were now in a country hitherto untrodden by white men save
by solitary hunters.

They reached the southern end of the beautiful lake, which hitherto had
received no English name, and was now first called Lake George in
honour of the king. The men set to work, and felled trees until they
had cleared a sufficient extent of ground for their camp, by the edge
of the water, and posted themselves with their back to the lake. In
their front was a forest of pitch pine, on their right a marsh covered
with thick brush wood, on their left a low hill. Things went on in the
same leisurely way which had marked the progress of the expedition.

No attempt was made to clear away the forest in front, although it
would afford excellent cover for any enemy who might attack them, nor
were any efforts made to discover the whereabouts or intention of the
enemy. Every day waggons came up with provisions and boats.

On September 7th, an Indian scout arrived about sunset, and reported
that he had found the trail of a body of men moving from South Bay, the
southern extremity of Lake Champlain, towards Fort Lyman. Johnson
called for a volunteer to carry a letter of warning to Colonel
Blanchard. A waggoner named Adams offered to undertake the perilous
service, and rode off with the letter. Sentries were posted, and the
camp fell asleep.

While Johnson had been taking his leisure on Lake George, the commander
of the French force, a German baron named Dieskau, was preparing a
surprise for him. He had reached Crown Point at the head of 3573
men--regulars, Canadians, and Indians--and he at once moved forward,
with the greater portion