For two hours, the English boats drifted down with the stream. As they
neared their destination, they suddenly were challenged by a French
sentry. An officer, who spoke the language replied, "France."
"A quel regiment?"
"De la reine," the officer replied, knowing that a part of that
regiment was with Bougainville. The sentry, believing that they were
the expected provision boats, allowed them to pass on.
A few hundred yards further, another sentry challenged them. The same
officer replied in French, "Provision boats. Don't make a noise; the
English will hear us."
A few minutes later, the boats rowed up to the strand, at the foot of
the heights. Vergor had placed no sentry on the shore, and the troops
landed unchallenged. Guided by James Walsham, Colonel Howe, with his
twenty-four volunteers, led the way. As silently as they could, they
moved up the pathway, until they gained the top, and saw before them
the outline of the tents. They went at them with a rush. Vergor leaped
from his bed, and tried to run off, but was shot in the heel and
captured. His men, taken by surprise, made little resistance. One or
two were caught, but the rest fled.
The main body of the troops were waiting, for the most part, in the
boats by the edge of the bank.
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