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On this, Ramesay retreated to his old station at Chignecto, and Noble and his men occupied Grand Pre without opposition. The village consisted of small, low wooden houses, scattered at intervals for the distance of a mile and a half, and therefore ill fitted for defence.
"And will you remain within the walls of Quebec yourself, my dear Marquis? or is it true what I hear that your headquarters will be with the camp at Beauport?" "My place is here there everywhere!" answered Montcalm, with a smile and a meaning gesture. "Within the city the Chevalier de Ramesay will hold command with sixteen thousand men.
Pliny says, "These birds, crows and rooks, all of them keep much prattling, and are full of chat, which most men take for an unlucky sign and presage of ill-fortune." Ramesay, in his work Elminthologia , writes: "If a crow fly over the house and croak thrice, how do they fear they, or someone else in the family, shall die." The bittern is also a bird of ill omen.
Ramesay had decided to capitulate, in view of the ruined condition of the city and walls, the scarcity of rations, and the unwillingness of the Canadian troops and citizens to continue the defence, when they found that the English were about to resume the attack.
It was known that a messenger had gone forth to confer with the English commander, and the negotiations were drawn out hour after hour, in the hope of some succour from without; till a stern message came back that if they were not signed within an hour, the assault would be ordered. Then Ramesay signed, having secured more favourable terms than he had dared to hope for.
Here's an order on Monsieur Ramesay, the Commandant. Choose you the men, and fail me not, or you shall swing aloft, dear Gabord. Sweet lovers of hell, but Master Devil shall have swinging too one day." He put his thumb to his nose, and spread his fingers out.
The most pressing danger, as he thought, rose from the presence of Ramesay and and his Canadians at Chignecto; for that officer spared no pains to induce the Acadians to join him in another attempt against Annapolis, telling them that if they did not drive out the English, the English would drive them out. He was now at Mines, trying to raise the inhabitants in arms for France.
And it is true: he took his revenge out of M'sieu' Cadet, for he win I saw it three hunder' louis. Then M'sieu' Doltaire lean over to him and say, 'M'sieu', you will carry for me a message to the citadel for M'sieu' Ramesay, the commandant. Ah, it was a sight to see M'sieu' Cadet's face, going this way and that.
They returned when the news came that D'Anville was at Chibucto, and Ramesay, with a part of his command, advanced upon Port Royal, or Annapolis, in order to support the fleet in its promised attack on that place. If France was bent on recovering Acadia, Shirley was no less resolved to keep it, if he could.
This feeling was not lessened when it began to be whispered that the Chevalier Ramesay had received instructions from the Governor not to attempt to hold the town in face of a threatened assault, but to wait till the scanty provisions had been exhausted, and then raise the white flag and obtain the best terms he could. The Abbe had stayed to bring this last letter from the flying Governor.
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