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or kneel； shrieking for mercy。 Houses are set on fire and living
human beings are thrown into the flames。 By midday the assailants
have finished their dread work and are retreating along the
forest paths dragging with them a few miserable captives。 In this
winter of 1689…90 raiding parties also came back from the borders
of New Hampshire and of Maine with news of similar exploits； and
Quebec and Montreal glowed with the joy of victory。
Far away an answering attack was soon on foot。 Sir William Phips
of Massachusetts； the son of a poor settler on the Kennebec
River； had made his first advance in life by taking up the trade
of carpenter in Boston。 Only when grown up had he learned to read
and write。 He married a rich wife； and ease of circumstances
freed his mind for great designs。 Some fifty years before he was
thus relieved of material cares； a Spanish galleon carrying vast
wealth had been wrecked in the West Indies。 Phips now planned to
raise the ship and get the money。 For this enterprise he obtained
support in England and set out on his exacting adventure。 On the
voyage his crew mutinied。 Armed with cutlasses； they told Phips
that he must turn pirate or perish； but he attacked the leader
with his fists and triumphed by sheer strength of body and will。
A second mutiny he also quelled； and then took his ship to
Jamaica where he got rid of its worthless crew。 His enterprise
had apparently failed； but the second Duke of Albemarle and other
powerful men believed in him and helped him to make another
trial。 This time he succeeded in finding the wreck on the coast
of Hispaniola； and took possession of its cargo of precious
metals and jewelstreasure to the value of three hundred
thousand pounds sterling。 Of the spoil Phips himself received
sixteen thousand pounds； a great fortune for a New Englander in
those days。 He was also knighted for his services and； in the
end； was named by William and Mary the first royal Governor of
Massachusetts。
Massachusetts； whose people had been thoroughly aroused by the
French incursions； resolved to retaliate by striking at the heart
of Canada by sea and to take Quebec。 Sir William Phips； though
not yet made Governor； would lead the expedition。 The first blow
fell in Acadia。 Phips sailed up the Bay of Fundy and on May 11；
1690； landed a force before Port Royal。 The French Governor
surrendered on terms。 The conquest was intended to be final； and
the people were offered their lives and property on the condition
of taking； the oath to be loyal subjects of William and Mary。
This many of them did and were left unmolested。 It was a
bloodless victory。 But Phips； the Puritan crusader； was something
of a pirate。 He plundered private property and was himself
accused of taking not merely the silver forks and spoons of the
captive Governor but even his wigs； shirts； garters； and night
caps。 The Boston Puritans joyfully pillaged the church at Port
Royal； and overturned the high altar and the images。 The booty
was considerable and by the end of May Phips； a prosperous hero；
was back in Boston。
Boston was aflame with zeal to go on and conquer Canada。 By the
middle of August Phips had set out on the long sea voyage to
Quebec； with twenty…two hundred men； a great force for a colonial
enterprise of that time； and in all some forty ships。 The voyage
occupied more than two months。 Apparently the hardy
carpenter…sailor； able enough to carry through a difficult
undertaking with a single ship； lacked the organizing skill to
manage a great expedition。 He performed； however； the feat of
navigating safely with his fleet the treacherous waters of the
lower St。 Lawrence。 On the morning of October 16； 1690； watchers
at Quebec saw the fleet； concerning which they had already been
warned； rounding the head of the Island of Orleans and sailing
into the broad basin。 Breathless spectators counted the ships。
There were thirty…four in sight； a few large vessels； some mere
fishing craft。 It was a spectacle well calculated to excite and
alarm the good people of Quebec。 They might； however； take
comfort in the knowledge that their great Frontenac was present
to defend them。 A few days earlier he had been in Montreal； but；
when there had come the startling news of the approach of the
enemy's ships； he had hurried down the river and had been
received with shouts of joy by the anxious populace。
The situation was one well suited to Frontenac's genius for the
dramatic。 When a boat under a flag of truce put out from the
English ships； Frontenac hurried four canoes to meet it。 The
English envoy was placed blindfold in one of these canoes and was
paddled to the shore。 Here two soldiers took him by the arms and
led him over many obstacles up the steep ascent to the Chateau
St。 Louis。 He could see nothing but could hear the beating of
drums； the blowing of trumpets； the jeers and shouting of a great
multitude in a town which seemed to be full of soldiers and to
have its streets heavily barricaded。 When the bandage was taken
from his eyes he found himself in a great room of the Chateau。
Before him stood Frontenac； in brilliant uniform； surrounded by
the most glittering array of officers which Quebec could muster。
The astonished envoy presented a letter from Phips。 It was a curt
demand in the name of King William of England for the
unconditional surrender of all 〃forts and castles〃 in Canada； of
Frontenac himself； and all his forces and supplies。 On such
conditions Phips would show mercy； as a Christian should。
Frontenac must answer within an hour。 When the letter had been
read the envoy took a watch from his pocket and pointed out the
time to Frontenac。 It was ten o'clock。 The reply must be given by
eleven。 Loud mutterings greeted the insulting message。 One
officer cried out that Phips was a pirate and that his messenger
should be hanged。 Frontenac knew well how to deal with such a
situation。 He threw the letter in the envoy's face and turned his
back upon him。 The unhappy man； who understood French； heard the
Governor give orders that a gibbet should be erected on which he
was to be hanged。 When the Bishop and the Intendant pleaded for
mercy； Frontenac seemed to yield。 He would not take； he said； an
hour to reply； but would answer at once。 He knew no such person
as King William。 James； though in exile； was the true King of
England and the good friend of the King of France。 There would be
no surrender to a pirate。 After this outburst； the envoy asked if
he might have the answer in writing。 〃No！〃 thundered Frontenac。
〃I will answer only from the mouths of my cannon and with my
musketry！〃
Phips could not take Quebec。 In carrying out his plans； he was
slow and dilatory。 Nature aided his foe。 The weather was bad； the
waters before Quebec were difficult； and boats grounded
unexpectedly in a falling tide。 Phips landed a force on the north
side of the basin at Beauport but was held in check by French and
Indian skirmishing parties。 He sailed his ships up close to
Quebec and bombarded the stronghold； but then； as now； ships were
impotent against well…served land defenses。 Soon Phips was short
of ammunition。 A second time he made a landing in order to attack
Quebec from the valley of the St。 Charles but French regulars
fought with militia and Indians to drive off his forces。 Phips
held a meeting with his officers for prayer。 Heaven； however；
denied success to his arms。 If he could not take Quebec； it was
time to be gone； for in the late autumn the dangers of the St。
Lawrence are great。 He lay before Quebec for just a week and on
the 23d of October sailed away。 It was late in November when his
battered fleet began to straggle into Boston。 The ways of God had
not proved as simple as they had seemed to the Puritan faith； for
the stronghold of Satan had not fallen before the attacks of the
Lord's people。 There were searchings of heart； recriminations；
and financial distress in Boston。
For seven years more the war endured。 Frontenac's victory over
Phips at Quebec was not victory over the Iroquois or victory over
the colony of New York。 In 1691 this colony sent Peter Schuyler
with a force against Canada by way of Lake Champlain。 Schuyler
penetrated almost to Montreal； gained some indecisive success；
and caused much suffering to the unhappy Canadian settlers。
Frontenac made his last great stroke in duly； 1696； when he led
more than two thousand men through the primeval forest to destroy
the villages of the Onondaga and the Oneida tribes of the
Iroquois。 On the journey from the south shore of Lake Ontario；
the old man of seventy…five was unable to walk over the rough
portages and fifty Indians shouting songs of joy carried his
great canoe on their shoulders。 When the soldiers left the canoes
and marched forward to the fight； they bore Frontenac in an easy
chair。 He did not destroy his enemy； for many of the Indians
fled； but he b