CAPTURE OF LOUISBURG. 379

became the victims of their c1uelty; and although the F1ench pretended to consider them an indepen- dent people, they even countenanced, during peace, the aggressions of the savages on the English.

Cape Breton was restored to France by the treaty of AiX-la-Chapelle, Lnreturn for Madras, and re- mained in possession of that power until the surren- der of Louisburg, on the 26th July, 1758, to the Bri- tish forces under the command of General Amherst and Brigadier-Generals Lawrence and \Volfe, and the fleet commanded by Admiral Boscawen.

The French, commanded by M. de Drucourt, defended Louisburg, from the 8th of July until its capitulation, with extraordinary bravery, against a powerful fleet, consisting of twenty-three ships of the line, eighteen frigates, with sloops of war and tran- sports amounting to one hundred and fifty-seven ships, and against 16,000 land forces. On this occa- sion, Madame de Drucourt behaved with great hero- ism, appearing daily on the ramparts, animating the soldiers in the unceasing duty which the defence of the place required.

The merchants, and the greater part of the inha- bitants of Louisburg, were, after its capture, sent to France in English vessels. But the officers of govern- In ent, the military and naval officers, soldiers,1narines, and sailors, in number 5720, were transported as pri- soners of war to England. The stores and ammu- nition, besides 227 pieces of artillery, found in Louis- burg, were of great value.

The following description of the then metropolis it