fuppofed poffible, even for fuch to have reduced the city, under all those disadvantageous circumstances.

THUS ended this expedition, with the lofs of about 1000 men in the whole, and feveral transports in their return fromQuebec: An expedition,certainly ill-timed,being undertaken fo late in the year. And hereby was incurred an heavy charge to this government; which gave rife to the first emiffion of a paper currency among us; a moft pernicious fcheme, the bad effects of which we have not got over to this day; the fortunes of many, and perhaps the morals of more, having been ruined by it.

HOWEVER, we ought to speak with honor of Sir William Phips. Tho' neither his education, nor his experience afterwards, and poffibly not his genius, qualified him either for the profoundest policy, or for a great military command, he was a brave, honeft man, of an enterprising turn, a lover of his country, and zealous for its honor and fervice; qualities which certainly make his character and memory respectable. And here, at the close of this brief account of his unfortunate expedition, it will not be amifs to speak of one circumftance to his honor, told in the Lives of the Admirals before mentioned, tho' relating to quite another Affair. Sir William, then only captain Phips, had, by the interceffion of Chriftopher Duke of Albermarle, obtained a fhip of King Charles II. in order to fish on a rich Spanish wreck on the coaft of Hifpaniola. He went, and returned without making the defir'd difcovery ; a confiderable proportion of the profits arifing from which, was to have gone into the King's coffers, for the expence he had been at in fitting out the fhip. Captain Phips being again fitted out by private adventurers on the fame defign, made the difcovery; and returned to England with 300,000 Sterl. in filver. "On his arrival, there wanted not fome, who would have perfuaded the King to feize his fhip and cargo, under the pretence that captain Phips had not given an exact information, when he applied for licence, and the royal affiftance: but his Majefty generously answered, that he knew the captain to be an honeft man, and a man of honour; and that if he had brought home twice as much treasure, his proprietors should divide it. His Majefty farther expreffed his fatisfaction by knighting him." Lives of the Admirals, vol. 2. p. 376.

THE

THE other former, and much greater expedition against Quebec and Canada, was in the reign of Queen Ann, twenty one years after the above mentioned, viz. A. D. 1711. The late Lord Viscount Bolinbroke, then only Mr. St. John, fecretary of flate to the Queen, appears to have had the chief hand in planning and directing this expedition. There were fent from England either 11 or 12 line of battle fhips, (for accounts differ) 1 frigate, 2 bombs with their tender, and 32 tranfports with feveral regiments, making in all upwards of 5000 men; as alfo 8 tranfports and tenders belonging to the train of artillery. Sir Hovenden Walker was the admiral of the fleet, and general Hill commander in chief of the British troops. It feems they were delayed some time in the channel of England by contrary winds; at which Mr. fecretary St. John, in his letters then written to the admiral, expreffes the greatest concern and uneafinefs. After being put back feveral times, from the 28th of April to the 5th of May, the fleet at length proceeded from Plymouth, and continuing its voyage, arrived at Boston June 24th, without any material difafter; when the troops were debarked, and encamped for fome time on Noddle's ifland. To thefe were joined two regiments from the Maffachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Ifland and New-Hampshire; all which were deftin'd against Quebec and Canada, by the way of St. Lawrence.

GENERAL Nicholfon was at the fame time to take under his command a body of militia from Connecticut, NewYork and the Jerfies, together with the Indians of the five, alias fix nations, which we commonly, tho' not quite properly, blend all together under the general name of Mohawks. This army under the laft mentioned general, was to proceed by the way of Lake Champlain, in order to attack Montreal, or at least to make a diverfion in thofe parts; and by keeping the enemy at bay there, to forward the reduction of Quebec by the fleet and principal army. With this view they proceeded from Albany towards the Jake; tho' not till the 20th of Auguft. Of what number this army confifted, I have either never exactly learnt, or have forgotten probably about 3000 including Indians, This army we now leave in its progrefs towards the lake, and return to the other army and the fleet.

IT is faid by fome, that these were delayed at Boston a long time for want of neceffary provifions, fome feamen, &c.

and

and this thro' the negligence, or rather the mercenary and wicked defigns of certain perfons here, whofe bufinefs it was to forward them with all poffible expedition. The admiral and general, to be fure, were loud in their com plaints, not against particular perfons only, but the government in general. For the former, in one of his letters to governor Dudley, then in the chair, expreffes himself in the following terms: "I concur, fays he, with the opinion of all the fea and land officers here, that the government of this colony have prejudiced the prefent expedition, inftead of affifting it." And fuch representations were fent home, of this matter, as left, for fome time, impreffions on the minds of many perfons there, much to the prejudice and difadvantage of this government. As to the negligence, ill defigns, or ill conduct of fome particular perfons; thus far the accufation might poffibly be juft; which, however, I do not affert. But the imputation, as it refpected the government, and people in general, was doubtlefs a very unworthy one, to fay nothing worse of it. No government could well be more zealous in promoting any expedition; all the people in general had the fuccefs of it greatly at heart and it may be added, that as much was done by the government to promote it, as could well be done, confidering their circumftances, and that they had little or no previous warning to make the needful preparations. A great genius, Jer. Dummer, Efq; while agent for this province at the court of London, in his excellent defence of our charter, long fince did the government and province juftice; and wiped off these foul and bafe afperfions, by fetting this matter in a true and clear light.

BUT to whatever caufe or causes, the delay of the fleet and army at Boston was owing, the fact is, that they did not proceed from hence on the expedition till July the 30th, much too late for fuch an enterprife, at fuch a distance, thro' fuch a navigation, and in fuch a country as Canada, The fleet, when it took its departure from hence for the river, confifted of about 68 or 70 fail, having on board 6,463 troops, including the provincials. Being got into the gulph of St. Lawrence, and having taken a French prize, the people of which gave the moft difcouraging and formidable accounts poffible, the admiral in his journal writes thus, August 15th; from whence it will appear, not only how much he was deceived in fome refpects, but how much he was difconcerted by that means; "Having informed

myself

myfelf by all means poffible, fays he, of the nature of Canada river, both from the French and English, I ftill perceive there were more difficulties to furmount than could have been imagined; for the mafter of the French prize, who had made forty voyages, as he told me, in that river, out and home, affured me no fhip ever winter'd there, but hazarded every thing, rather than let the froft overtake them. That between the mouth of the river and Quebec, being about 130 leagues, there was neither road, bay, or harbour, where ships could be in tolerable fecurity; that he never found ground, tho' he tried with a line of 400 fathom; that the fhoar was fteep too all along, being exceeding high and mountainous, and in moft places you fhould have 100 fathom within a cable's length of the fhoar; in fome parts as deep water, and the fhips fides touching the rocks. That it has been impoffible for any perfon-to know the currents; that fogs and ftorms were fo frequent, as they might well be efteem'd continual," &c. &c. But these things leave without pretending to determine, whether this admiral were then the more eafy believer, or the Frenchman the greater L-r.

ON the 18th of Auguft the fleet was not far from the mouth of the river; but the wind blowing hard against them, as the admiral fays, he put into the bay of Gafpee, to the fouthward. There they were detain'd till the 20th, when they made fail for the river. The night of the 23d, being thick and dark, and the advice of the English pilots, as they declar'd, not being follow'd by the admiral, prov'd fatal to part of the fleet, and put an end to this expédition. Being enter'd the river as far as the egg-iflands on the northern fhoar, eight tranfports were there caft away, and near rooo people perifhed; amongst whom, however, there were none of the New-England troops. About ten days after, the fleet put into Spanish river in the island of CapeBreton. After confulting there fome time, what was to be done, particularly whether any thing fhould be attempted against the enemy at Placentia on Newfoundland, it was at length determined in a council both of land and fea officers, that it was impracticable to do any thing; except to return directly to England, after giving general Nicholfon, whom we left in his progrefs towards Montreal, advice of the difafter which had befallen them: For his now going forward could anfwer no valuable end. The fleet accordingly took its departure from Spanish river Sept. 16. In a fhort paffage

paffage they were in foundings near the British channel; and Oct. 16. the admiral's fhip then lying at anchor at Spithead, was blown up, with moft of his papers, and many people on board, the admiral himself being on fhore. No difcovery was ever made, by what means this happened. Some have thought it was not an accidental thing, but done with defign, as being the most expeditious and fafelt way of fettling the voyage. However this fuggeftion seems hardly credible.

THUS ended the fecond, grand expedition against Canada; that of admiral Kirk mentioned above, not being here reckoned as one. "The charge incurred by the province of the Maffachusetts-Bay was fomething more than £.24,000 fterling, allowed by parliament." Doug. Summ.

THERE were three circumftances especially, attending this expedition, either of which might probably have proved fatal to the fuccefs of it without the other two. In the firft place, it was much too late in the year before the fleet failed from England. In the next, seasonable notice had not been given here, to make preparation for its arrival, and for that part which the colonies were to bear in the enterprize. And lastly, there was want of a number of throughly and fufficiently experienced pilots for the river; at least, of fuch as the admiral, who was doubtless a gentleman of very good fenfe and accomplishments, could place full confidence in, and rely upon; which feems to have entirely difconcerted him. Some have hinted at deep, dark and treacherous defigns, relative to this expedition. Nor is it ftrange that there fhould have been fome fufpicions of this fort, confidering who were then at the helm, and how fome other matters were carried on about that time. But that there was really any treachery in the cafe, is by no means clear, or certain; and perhaps, upon laying all' things together, very improbable. However, it is quite beyond the defign of this appendix, to make any fort of inquiry into that matter; which, to be fure, would be of no advantage to thofe, whofe gratification was propofed hereby.

As the account of thefe two expeditions was introduced with the mention of one which preceeded them, when both Canada and New-England were in their infant ftate; it may be follow'd with the mention of another, which was planned fince thefe; but without being carried into execution, or fo much as attempted, except fo far as the enlifting of troops here for that end. This was during the laft

war