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to decide who should die first amidst the 〃adamantine frosts〃 and
〃mountains of snow〃 of bleak and barren Canada。
The Gulf and River St。 Lawrence spell death to an incompetent
sailor。 The fogs； the numerous shoals and islands； make skillful
seamanship necessary。 It is a long journey from Boston to Quebec
by water。 For three weeks； however； all went well。 On the 22d of
August； Walker was out of sight of land in the Gulf where it is
about seventy miles wide above the Island of Anticosti。 A strong
east wind with thick fog is dreaded in those waters even now； and
on the evening of that day a storm of this kind blew up。 In the
fog Walker lost his bearings。 When in fact he was near the north
shore he thought he was not far from the south shore。 At
half…past ten at night Paddon； the captain of the Edgar； Walker's
flagship； came to tell him that land was in sight。 Walker assumed
that it was the south shore and gave a fatal order for the fleet
to turn and head northward； a change which turned them straight
towards cliffs and breakers。 He then went to bed。 Soon one of the
military officers rushed to his cabin and begged him to come on
deck as the ships were among breakers。 Walker； who was an
irascible man； resented the intrusion and remained in bed。 A
second time the officer appeared and said the fleet would be lost
if the Admiral did not act。 Why it was left for a military rather
than a naval officer to rouse the Admiral in such a crisis we do
not know。 Perhaps the sailors were afraid of the great man。
Walker appeared on deck in dressing gown and slippers。 The fog
had lifted； and in the moonlight there could be seen breaking
surf to leeward。 A French pilot； captured in the Gulf； had
taken pains to give what he could of alarming information。 He now
declared that the ships were off the north shore。 Walker turned
his own ship sharply and succeeded in beating out into deep water
and safety。 For the fleet the night was terrible。 Some ships
dropped anchor which held； for happily the storm abated。 Fog guns
and lights as signals of distress availed little to the ships in
difficulty。 Eight British transports laden with troops and two
ships carrying supplies were dashed to pieces on the rocks。 The
shrieks of drowning men could be heard in the darkness。 The scene
was the rocky Isle aux Oeufs and adjacent reefs off the north
shore。 About seven hundred soldiers； including twenty…nine
officers； and in addition perhaps two hundred sailors； were lost
on that awful night。
The disaster was not overwhelming and Walker might have gone on
and captured Quebec。 He had not lost a single war…ship and he had
still some eleven thousand men。 General Hill might have stiffened
the back of the forlorn Admiral； but Hill himself was no better。
Vetch spoke for going on。 He knew the St。 Lawrence waters for he
had been at Quebec and had actually charted a part of the river
and was more familiar with it； he believed； than were the
Canadians themselves。 What pilots there were declared； however；
that to go on was impossible and the helpless captains of the
ships were of opinion that； with the warning of such a disaster；
they could not disregard this counsel。 Though the character of
the English is such that usually a reverse serves to stiffen
their backs； in this case it was not so。 A council of war yielded
to the panic of the hour and the great fleet turned homeward。
Soon it was gathered in what is now Sydney harbor in Cape Breton。
》From here the New England ships went home and Walker sailed for
England。 At Spithead the Edgar； the flag…ship； blew up and all on
board perished。 Walker was on shore at the time。 So far was he
from being disgraced that he was given a new command。 Later； when
the Whigs came in； he was dismissed from the service； less； it
seems； in blame for the disaster than for his Tory opinions。 It
is not an unusual irony of life that Vetch； the one wholly
efficient leader in the expedition； ended his days in a debtor's
prison。
Quebec had shivered before a menace； the greatest in its history。
Through the long months of the summer of 1711 there had been
prayer and fasting to avert the danger。 Apparently trading ships
had deserted the lower St。 Lawrence in alarm； for no word had
arrived at Quebec of the approach of Walker's fleet。 Nor had the
great disaster been witnessed by any onlookers。 The island where
it occurred was then and still remains desert。 Up to the middle
of October； nearly two months after the disaster； the watchers at
Quebec feared that they might see any day a British fleet
rounding the head of the Island of Orleans。 On the 19th of
October the first news of the disaster arrived and then it was
easy for Quebec to believe that God had struck the English
wretches with a terrible vengeance。 Three thousand men； it was
said； had reached land and then perished miserably。 Many bodies
had been found naked and in attitudes of despair。 Other thousands
had perished in the water。 Vessel…loads of spoil had been
gathered； rich plate； beautiful swords； magnificent clothing；
gold； silver； jewels。 The truth seems to be that some weeks after
the disaster the evidences of the wrecks were discovered。 Even to
this day ships are battered to pieces in those rock…strewn waters
and no one survives to tell the story。 Some fishermen landing on
the island had found human bodies； dead horses and other animals；
and the hulls of seven ships。 They had gathered some
wreckageand that was the whole story。 Quebec sang Te Deum。 From
attacks by sea there had now been two escapes which showed God's
love for Canada。 In the little church of Notre Dame des
Victoires； consecrated at that time to the memory of the
deliverance from Phips and Walker； daily prayers are still poured
out for the well…being of Canada。 God had been a present help on
land as well as on the sea。 Nicholson； with more than two
thousand men； had been waiting at his camp near Lake Champlain to
descend on Montreal as soon as Walker reached Quebec。 When he
received the news of the disaster he broke up his force and
retired。 For the moment Canada was safe from the threatened
invasion。
In spite of this apparent deliverance； the long war； now near its
end； brought a destructive blow to French power in America。
Though France still possessed vigor and resources which her
enemies were apt to underrate； the war had gone against her in
Europe。 Her finest armies had been destroyed by Marlborough； her
taxation was crushing； her credit was ruined； her people were
suffering for lack of food。 The allies had begun to think that
there was no humiliation which they might not put upon France。
Louis XIV； they said； must give up Alsace； which； with Lorraine；
he had taken some years earlier； and he must help to drive his
own grandson from the Spanish throne。 This exorbitant demand
stirred the pride not only of Louis but of the French nation； and
the allies found that they could not trample France