II] OUR more near and especial Dangers in North-America,—in these Particulars.—

1. In the last Winter and early Spring, the French with the utmost Application sitted out at Brest and Rochfort, the grea­test and most powerful Armament against these Northern Colonies, that was ever sent into North-America: Having twenty Men of War, a hundred Transports, about Eight Thou­sand disciplined Troops with veteran Officers, and vast Quantities of Provision, Powder, Shot, Arms, Cannon, Bombs and Mortars, sufficient to take the strongest Places.

2. They were all under one Commander of Figure, Duke D'Anville; a Nobleman of Ability, Skill and Courage; who came with Resolution to exert himself to his own Ho­nour, and to the Glory of his King and Nation, or die in the Cause: And the whole Armament and all their Officers, both vavel and terrene being united under him, had a na­tural Tendency to prevent Contention, and promote the Execution of every Order.

3. They own'd they had the best Plans and many skilful Pilots with them, well acquainted with all the Coasts and Harbours of Newfoundland, Cape-Breton, Nova-Scotia, and New England; in particular of Louisbourg, Canso, Jebucta, Annapolis, Casco Bay, Boston, &c.

[Page 4]4. They came with the very exciting Motives, both of Resentment, Policy and Necessity.— Of Resentment; for our saving Annapolis, and disappointing the French Invasion there in 17 [...]4; and for on [...] taking Louisbourg, destroying the Fishery, blocking up the Bay of St. Lawrence, and taking their great Man of War, and their East India and South Sea Ships, in 1745:—Of Policy; to recover their lost fortified City and Harbour of Louisbourg, their lost Opportunity by their Privateers thence to seize our Vessels, their lost Fish­ery with the infinite Profits thence arising, their lost Fort and Harbour of Annapolis, their lost Territory of Nova-Scotia, and their lost Reputation both in Europe and Ameri­ca, especially among the Indian Salvages: And lastly, of Necessity; to save their Canada, with all their Settlements and Trade, in North America; and either by taking Cape Breton, oblige us to come to a Peace and save their En­croachments in the Netherlands; or by taking Annapolis, o­blige us to return Cape Breton; and to save themselves from ignominious Death or Ruin, in case they returned without taking the one or the other.

5. That which rendred our case more dangerous, was, that we were a long while wholly ignorant of their De­signs against us: And when we had them hinted, we were easy with hearing that Admiral Martin was blocking them up, first at Brest and then at Rrochfort, and that we had a powerful Fleet of Men of War and Transports preparing at Portsmouth in England; to come on the Expedition to Canada.

6. At length they got out of Brest and sailed to Rochfort: On June 11, they sailed from this last Port, passed by Ad­miral Martin's Squadron unobserved, and he could not find what way they were gone: Yea, while they were coming to­ward us, Admiral Leslock, with his Fleet at Portsmouth, sailed seven Times from England; and was as oft drove back by con­trary Winds, 'till Mid-September, when our Enemies Fleet was come to Nova Scotia, and the British Ministry judging it too late in the Year, diverted their Enterprize.

7. In the mean Time; while Duke D'Anville's Fleet is coming, a fatal Illess sweeps away many of our New Eng­land Soldiers at Cape Breton: And being now without any Help from England, or any where else; if GOD had given [Page 5] our Foes a speedy Passage, and had brought them on in Health to Louisbourg; they had come there with Surprize: And with their Showers of Bombs from twenty five Mortars, and Cannon Shot from fifty Brass Field Pieces, it seems highly probable, they wou'd soon have taken the Place. And then Placentia and St. John's in Newfoundland, with all their Fish and Vessels would have been as nothing to them. All the French and Indians in Nova Scotia, and the neigh­bouring Places would have join'd them at once, and made them ten or twelve Thousand strong, besides their Seamen. Annapolis would have been soon reduced. And then their mighty and triumphing Forces, both French and Indians, both by Land and Sea, wou'd have doubtless come quick all along our Eastern Shores, carried all before them like a sweeping Deluge: And where they cou'd be stop'd, and whether this Town cou'd have baffled them GOD only knows.

8. In the mean Time we are this Summer exceedingly mo­lested with our Indian Enemies round about, both in this and the neighbouring Provinces: Murthering our Men, Women, Children; carrying many into a barbarous Cap­tivity; breaking up many Houses and divers Villages and new Towns, destroying Cattle and Fields of Corn; yea se­ven hundred French and Indians destroying a Fort an hundred Foot square on our western Borders on August 19: Reducing us to such Distresses as have not been known in the present Generation: And Sept. 2. we are informed, that about two thousand French and Indians were assembled at Menis in No­va Scotia, in order to besiege Annapolis.

9. Our Trouble is yet increased by our suprizing Intelli­gence from the six valiant Nations of Mohawk Indians above our western Borders, who had been our constant Friends from the Beginning of these Colonies:—That the French had made them believe, they had taken an English Letter, where­in they pretend we wrote, ‘We intended first to subdue Canada, and then destroy the Indian Nations, the French in Canada being the only Obstacles that hinder us:’ —Which made most dangerous Impressions on them, raised their Jea­lousies, began an Alienation, disposed them to join our Ene­mies, and was like to lead to fatal Consequences.

10. All this while we were wholly ignorant of the French Fleet coming towards us—'till at the same Time, viz. Sept. 2. [Page 6] we had a Hint in a Letter from Hull in England of June 24. by a Ship from Newcastle, that they were sailed about ten Days before, but none knew whither: Sept. 9, by a Ship from Liverpool, was the Hint above confirmed, and that ma­ny in England thought them bound for North-America. A­bout a Week after, we begin to hear a Rumour of a large Number of Ships seen near Cape Sable Shore; but whether French or English, we are at a Loss to guess. About a Week after, the Rumour is confirmed; but who they are, remains uncertain, 'till Sept. 28: And then by Express from Gover­nor Knowles and Admiral Townsend at Louisbourg, we are in­form'd they are the French Armada, were seventy Sail when they came from France; fourteen being Ships of the Line from fifty to seventy four Guns, two Fire Ships, with eight thousand Troops on board; standing for Jebucta or le Have: And by a Vessel from Jamaica, that the four French Men of War which had escaped Commodore Mitchel near Domin­go, were design'd to join them.

11. And lastly, About Mid-September, Eight Ships of the Line and about forty others arrive at Jebucta, the Port of their Rendezvous, on the south eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, one of the finest Harbours of the Globe; in which the Bri­tish Nation had utterly neglected for a Course of thirty Years from the Peace of Utrecht, to settle one Inhabitant; and in the very Way to interrupt all our Fishery, and even all the Trade from Great Britain, Ireland, Newfoundland and Cape Breton, to the Colonies on the Main, and from These to them: There they water, wood, refresh, careen, refit; thence take our Ships, strike Surprize and Terror through the Countries round about them. And thence deserting their Design of attempting Louisbourg, they set sail with all their Power towards us.

And thus, in the Room of our long look'd for Friends from England to go against Canada, there are now coming on a powerful Armament of resolute Enemies; and none to prevent them or defend us against them. We look for our powerful Friends, but our Eyes sail us, and we look in vain. Our Case seems like that of David, Psalm 142 and 3▪ ‘We look on our right Hand and behold; but there is no Man that knows us, Refuge fails us, no Man seems to care for our Souls: We cry unto Thee, O Lord! Thou art our Refuge and Portion in the Land of the Living! O attend [Page 7] to our Cry, for we are brought very low—we stretch forth our Hands to Thee!—hear us speedily, O Lord:—Cause us to hear thy Lovingkindness in the Morning, for in Thee do we trust—Deliver us O LORD from our Enemies: —We flee to Thee to hide us!’ And we further cried as Asaph in Psalm 83; ‘Keep not thou Silence O GOD! Hold not thy Peace and be not still, O GOD! For lo thine Ene­mies make a Tumult, and they that hate Thee lift up the Head: They have taken crafty Council against thy Peo­ple: They have said, ‘Come and let us cut them off from being a People, that the Name of New-England may be no more in Remembrance.’ O our GOD, make them as Stubble before the Wind: As the Fire burneth the Woods, and as the Flame setteth the Mountains on Fire; [as we often see in America] so persecute them with thy Tem­pest, and make them afraid with thy Storm: Fill their Faces with Shame; that they may seek thy Name, O LORD! [or if they will not seek it] let them be con­founded and troubled for ever: That Men may know, that Thou, whose Name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most High over all the Earth, &c.’

This is Part of our late dangerous Circumstances: And now, stand still and see the Salvation of the LORD!

On two Accounts in general, though widely different, both the last Year and this, have been as remarkable as any we have seen, since the happy Accession of the Protestant House of Hanover to the British Crown:—The last Year, 1745,—for GOD'S succeeding our Enterprize in a wond­rous Manner, and giving us Cape Breton;— and This, — for his working wonderful Salvations for us, while we could only stand still and see them with Admiration:— Let this be ever the Character of 1746.

While we knew nothing of Danger, GOD beheld it, and was working Salvation for us. And when we had none to help in America, He even prevented our Friends in Europe from coming to succour us; that we might see our Sal­vation was his Work alone, and that the Glory belongs in­tirely to Him.

And here are the following Things observable—

[Page 8]1. That our Enemies Fleet were detained so long in the Harbours of France, even to the 11th of June, though ready long before: Whereby a greater Fome was prepared for scorbutical Weaknesses and Ails, before they arrived at A­merica; whereby they also lost the cooler Weather and more easterly Winds of the Spring, were kept for the Calms and Heat of the Summer, their Voyage must be lengthened, and they could not come with quite so much Surprize upon us.

2. That after their getting clear from the Coast of France, they should be led to bear so far to the South­ward: Whereby they not only went from the straiter Course, but likewise into a more rarified Air and calmer Latitudes, which yet further served to lengthen their Voyage: And whereby they also went into more sultry Climates, even in the hottest Months of the Summer; the Air between decks among so great a Number so closely stowed, must be more suffocating, putrid and nauseous, and both further weaken, and breed Diseases.

3. That partly by these Means, partly by Calms, and partly by contrary Winds; their Voyage was so length­ened out, even to ninety Days from Rochfort, that it was the 9th of September before the forwardest of them ar­rived at Jebucta.

4. That by the Means above, and it may be others, GOD was pleased to visit them with such a mortal Sickness; that they owned, Thirteen Hundred died at Sea; and most of the rest were extreamly weakened, wasted and dispirited.

5. That by terrible Storms they were likewise so disper­sed in the midst of the Ocean; that by Aug. 26. they had left but twelve Ships of the Line and forty one others be­sides five Prizes they happened to meet with.

6. That on Sept. 2. at One at Noon, when they came near the Shoals of the Isle of Sables, the most dangerous Place in all their Passage, and had but three Days Sail to Jebucta; GOD was pleased to raise against them such a violent Storm of Wind, which held all that Day and Night: Wherein one of their Transports was lost on the Shoals; four Ships of the Line and a Transport were seen in [Page 9] great Distress, and never heard of after, and the rest of the Fleet had like to have run on the Shoals in that ter­rible Night, and were wholly dispersed: Or if they had been but three Days earlier, they had got to Jebucta be­fore the Storm.

7. The Weather after the Storm, was so very foggy for several Days, that Duke D' Anville, their Admiral and Gene­ral was obliged to lie off and on, not venturing to approach the Nova Scotia Shore; that it was Sept. 12, before he got, with but one more Ship of the Line, viz. his Vice Admiral, three more Men of War and five Transports, into Jebucta: There being but one of the Fleet got in three Days before him, and but three more in three Days after him; his Rear Admiral with ten of the Line, and all the rest yet missing. And finding his few Ships so shattered, so many Men dead, so many sickly, and no more of his Fleet come in, he sunk into Discouragement, and Sept. 15 died; but in such a Condition, and so much swelled, it was generally thought he poysoned himself, and was buried without any Ceremo­ny. Upon which their Government fell upon the Council of War, their Union was entirely broken, and their Coun­sels grew divided.

8. That though after the Storm, the Rear Admiral with five more of the Line, and twenty seven more of the Fleet, besides the Prizes, discovered each other and gathered to­gether; yet the Weather being foggy and thick, they did not arrive at Jebucta until the Day after Duke D' Anville died—Or their Arrival two Days sooner might have revi­ved his Spirits and saved his Life: Though they were so exceedingly shattered and sickly, they were forced to stay and loose their fittest Time for doing us Mischief, until near the midst of October.

9. That upon the Death of the Duke, the Vice Admiral Estournell, being the chief Commander, in Consideration of the deplorable Case they were in, proposed to return to France to save the rest of the Men: But the Council of War opposing and voting against him, he was on Sept. 19. in the Morning, found in his Apartment fallen on his Sword, and the next Morning died also: Whereby the chief Command devolved on the Rear Admiral Jonquire, who with the Council of War resolved to attack some En­glish [Page 10] Place in these northern Parts, before they would think of returning. In the mean while, they landed their Men to refresh them: And yet their Sickness so prevailed, that they owned there died Eleven Hundred and Thirty more at Jebucta, before they left it.

10 It was also very remarkable, that while the French were so generally very sickly, and so many constantly dy­ing, both aboard and ashore; our English Captives, though compassionately tending upon and helping them continu­ally, were so universally healthy and strong, that the poor sickly French could not forbear to express their Wonder: Our People taken captive by them being more merciful to them than those of their own Nation. And yet the Sick­ness spread among our enemy Indians in Nova Scotia, and it is said carried off near half their Number.

11. In the mean Time our careful Governour sends out Spies and gets Intelligence —By the Help of GOD removes the Jealousies of the Mohawk Indians, renews our ancient League of Friendship with them, engages them on our Side against the French Canadians — sends Companies of Soldiers, who listed Volunteers for Canada, to help defend Annapolis; Admiral Warren sending his 50 Gun Ship also: And then our Governour calls in most of the Regiments of this Pro­vince to defend our Capital, who come in with wondrous Chearfulness: Sends Express to Governour Knowles, and Admiral Townsend at Louisbourg, with the London Prints, in­forming of Admiral Lestock's waiting for a fair Wind in England, with eighteen Ships of the Line, to sail thither: And Octo. 6, with Advice of his Majesty's Council, and at the Desire of the House of Representatives, orders Thursday the 16th a Day of Prayer and Fasting through the Province on this great Occasion.

12. About October 10, the French Council of War at Je­bucta being sensible that by dispersing Storms and wasting Sickness, they are utterly disabled for attempting Louis­bourg, resolve to sail and take Annapolis. And if they had staid but one Week longer they would have had a Sea­son of suitable Weather for it. But a Cruizer of their's having happily taken the Express above for Louisbourg, with the London Prints, informing of Admiral Lestock's ex­pected coming, and the Master of the Vessel happily for­getting [Page 11] to observe his Order and throw his Packets over­board; they were carried into Jebucta, and opened on the 11th early in the Morning in a Council of War. Up­on which, surprized, in the utmost Hurry, they pull down all their Tents, burn a Line of Battle Ship, with a Snow from Carolina, a Vessel from Antigua, and some Fishing Schooners, embark their Soldiers; order two Thousand French and Indians to march from Menis to Annapolis:— And October 13, with about forty Sail, twenty Engineers, and thirty Pilots from near Annapolis, they came out to go round Cape Sables, and meet them there; having wrote to the Court, that they determined to keep the Seas until Nov. 15. N. S. if they could not get in sooner.

13 The next Day, they sent three or four of their Fleet with their Sick to France: The Distemper still increasing, our Captives saw them throwing their Dead out of most of their Ships into the Sea, every Day after they left Je­bucta, for the three Days they continued with them. Oc­tober 15, near the Isle of Sables, a second Time came on a great and cold Storm, which scattered them again: Yet the next Day, getting once more together; and persevering in their Purpose, they dismiss'd our Captives, who that Night left them lying by, and saw them no more.

14. But the same Day, viz. Thursday Octo 16. is kept the Day of General Fasting and Prayer throughout the Churches in this Province, on this great Emergency. And that very Night ensuing, the glorious GOD entirely baffled all their Purposes, and put a total End to their mischievous Enter­prize. He mightily arose, and wrought a full Salvation for us. He sent a more furious Storm of Wind and Rain and Hail, than ever—which held to the next Day Noon— which they could not stand before—which so dispersed and broke them, they could never get together again: And several Ships were so crazy, and weakly handed, that it is apprehended by our dismissed Captives, who were in the same Storm; that some were overset▪ some others foundered and sunk in the mighty Waters: And the remaining Men of War in View, so shatterted and discouraged, that they determined for the West India Islands; and sent their Nova Scotia Pilots home, with Orders to the French and Indian Army who had march'd to Annapolis, to leave their Enterprize and get away. The scattered Remnants, it [Page 12] seems most likely, are gone back to France, abased and confounded.

In fiue, It is also remarkable, that two French Frigates who privately came to Jebucta in May or June to gather the French and Indians in all the neighbouring Countries, and raised their mighty Expectations; should sail from thence a little before the Fleet's arrival:—That the four large Men of War who escaped Commodore Mitchel near Domingo, and sailed to the Cape Sable Shore, in full Ex­pectation of finding them; but surprized to hear nothing of them, and it growing late in the Year, should sail a­way but a few Days before the Duke's Arrival, and en­tirely miss them:—And that a few Days after the Fleet sailed from Jebucta, arrived there two more Men of War from France, with absolute Orders to take Annapolis, and not presume to return without it: And being told they were gone for the Purpose, made haste after them: But arriving thither, and instead of the triumphing Fleet and Army, the Menis Pilots returning with the dreadful Ty­dings, and our Man of War there going to attack them; confounded also, they hastened away.

Thus, when on our solemn Day of General Prayer, we expresly cried to the LORD, as in Psal. lxviii.1, 2. ‘Let GOD arise, let his Enemies be scattered; let them that hate him flee before him: As Smoak is driven away, so drive thou them away: As Wax melteth before the Fire, so let the [inveterate] Wicked perish at the Presence of God!’ —When notwithstanding all the Displays of his Anger against them, he see them set upon Mischief:— ‘And when he looked, and there was none to help us, and he wondered there was none to uphold us.—Then his Arm brought Salvation to us, and his Fury upheld him: He trode down our Enemies in his Anger, he made them drunk in his Fury, and he brought down their Strength to the Earth. Terrors took hold on them as Waters:— A Tempest bore them away in the Night—The East Wind carried them away, and they departed: And with a Storm he hurled them out of their Place.’

‘The Sorrows of Death encompassed us, and the Floods of ungodly Men made us afraid: In our Distress we cal­led upon the LORD, and cried to our GOD: He heard [Page 13] our Voice out of his Temple, and our Cry came before him, even into his Ears. Then, he bowed the Heavens and came down, and Darkness was under his Feet: He rode on a Cherub, and did fly; yea, he did fly on the Wings of the Wind: He made Darkness his secret Place; his Pavilion round about him were dark Waters and thick Clouds of the Skies: Yea, he sent out his Arrows and scattered them: Then the Channels of Waters were seen, and the Foundations of the World were discover­ed; at thy Rebuke, O LORD, at the Blast of the Breath of thy Nostrils!’

‘Before him went the Pestilence, and burning Coals of Diseases went forth at his Feet: He stood and mea­sured the Earth; he beheld and drove asunder the Na­tions. I saw the Tents of Cushon in Affliction, and the Cur­tains of the Land of Midian did tremble. Was thy Wrath against the Sea, that thou didst ride upon thy Horses? But thy Chariots were Salvation! The Mountains saw thee and they trembled: The overflowing of the Water passed by: The Deep uttered his Voice, and lift up his Hands on high! Thou wentest forth for the Salvation of thy People: Thou woundedst the Head out of the House of the Wicked: They came out as a Whirlwind to scat­ter us: Their Rejoicing was to devour the Poor: Thou didst walk through the Sea with thine Horses, through the Heap of great Waters! When we heard, our Belly trembled, our Lips quivered at the Noise, Rottenness entred into our Bones; and we trembled in ourselves, that we might rest in the Day of Trouble, when they were coming to the People, to invade us with their Troops.’

The French Officers told one of our Masters—that when they came from Rochfort, they were ninety seven Sail, thirty of which were Men of War: That they had forty Thousand Arms, with proportionable Ammunition and Blankets for the Indians; and the Master saw above a Hundred Chests of Arms with a great Quantity of Lead landed out of one Ship of thirty Guns which took him: That there were seven Thousand North American French and Indians to join them: That upon their taking Annapolis, they expected eighteen French Ships of the Line, and twenty two Spanish Men of War would be sent early in the Spring to join [Page 14] the Fleet on these Coasts; which was a Matter generally believed and depended upon among them: That they were resolved to destroy the Frontier Settlements of the English Colonies, and had a great Dependance on getting a strong Footing on this Part of the North American Con­tinent.

‘But how do the Heathen rage, and the People imagine a vain Thing! The Kings of the Earth set themselves, and the Rulers take Counsel together. He that sits in the Heavens has them in Derision. He disappoints the Devi­ces of the Crafty, so that their Hands cannot perform their Enterprize: He taketh the Wise in their own Craf­tiness, and the Counsel of the Froward is carried head-long. Yea, he speaketh to them in his Wrath, and vexeth them in his sore Displeasure: He breaks them in Pieces as with a Rod of Iron: He dashes them in Pieces like a Potter's Vessel. But he saveth the Poor from the Sword, from their Mouth, and from the Hand of the Mighty. Be wise therefore, O ye Kings: Be instructed ye Judges of the Earth: Serve the LORD with Fear, and rejoice with Trembling: Submit to the SON of GOD; least he be an­gry, and ye perish: When his Wrath is kindled but a lit­tle, blessed are all they that put their Trust in him.’

‘But we will sing to the LORD; for he hath triumphed gloriously: He hath thrown our Enemies into the Sea. The LORD is our Strength and Song, and he is become our Salvation: He is our GOD, and we will prepare him on Habitation in the highest Room of our Souls; our Fa­thers GOD, and we will exalt him: The LORD is a Man of War, JEHOVAH is his Name. Our Enemies Hosts he has broke in the Sea: With the Blast of thy Nostrils, the Waters were gathered together; the Floods stood upright as an Heap: Thou didst blow with thy Wind; the Sea covered them, they sank as Lead in the mighty Waters.’

‘But the LORD is our Light and Strength, our Shield and our Salvation. We will extol thee O GOD! For thou hast lifted us up, and not made our Foes to rejoice over us. In our Time of Trouble, we cried to thee; and thou hast sent from Heaven and saved us from those who would have swallowed us up; thou hast put them to Shame that hated us. Thou hast turned our Mourning into Dan­cing: [Page 15] Thou hast put off our Sackloth, and girded us with Gladness; that our Glory may sing Praise to thee, and not be silent: O LORD our GOD! We will give Thanks to Thee and praise thy Name forever.’

‘Yea, we will Praise thee O LORD, among the People: We will sing to thee among the Nations. Be thou exalt­ed O GOD above the Heavens: Let thy Glory be above all the Earth! Sing unto GOD ye Kingdoms of the Earth: O sing Praises unto the LORD;—to him that rideth upon the Heavens of Heavens; ascribe ye Strength unto him: His Excellency is over Israel, his Strength is in the Clouds. Let the Heavens and Earth praise him, the Seas, and eve­ry Thing that moves therein: Let the Sea roar, and the Fulness thereof: Let the Floods clap their Hands: Let the Hills be joyful together before the LORD; for he com­eth to judge the Earth; with Righteousness shall he judge the World, and the People with Equity.’