They advanced slowly, landing from time to time, skirmishing with
detachments of the enemy who followed them along the shore, or
more frequently trading with the farmers who brought them vegetables,
poultry, eggs, and fresh meat. They passed the fortified hill of
Jacques-Cartier, whence they were saluted with shot and shell,
stopped at various parishes, disarmed the inhabitants, administered
oaths of neutrality, which were taken without much apparent reluctance,
and on the fourth of August came within sight of Three Rivers, then
occupied by a body of troops expecting an attack. "But," says Knox,
"a delay here would be absurd, as that wretched place must share the
fate of Montreal. Our fleet sailed this morning. The French
troops, apparently about two thousand, lined their different
works, and were in general clothed as regulars, except a very
few Canadians and about fifty naked Picts or savages, their
bodies being painted of a reddish color and their faces of
different colors, which I plainly discerned with my glass.
Their light cavalry, who paraded along shore, seemed to be
well appointed, clothed in blue, faced with scarlet; but their
officers had white uniforms. In fine, their troops, batteries,
fair-looking houses; their situation on the banks of a delightful
river; our fleet sailing triumphantly before them, with our
floating batteries drawn up in line of battle; the country on
both sides interspersed with neat settlements, together with
the verdure of the fields and trees and the clear, pleasant
weather, afforded as agreeable a prospect as the most lively
imagination can conceive.
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