The French came over the lake with as much secrecy as possible. In the darkness they landed behind some brushwood and tall timber and took up what they thought was a position of advantage.
The battle began the next day, while the English were hard at work chopping down trees and cutting them up into proper sizes for the new fort. A scout gave the alarm and this was immediately followed by several shots from the French and the blood-curdling war-cry of the hostile Indians.
Realizing at once that the enemy had tried to steal a march on him, Haldimand ordered his command to stop work and make for the "pork fort." Dropping their axes, the soldiers and pioneers seized their guns and ran for the shelter of barrels and brushwood. Several were wounded, one seriously, and seeing this, the command was given to fire in return, and something of a pitched battle occurred. But the Frenchmen between the English and the improvised fort were easily scattered, and then Haldimand brought up his troops inside the barrel barricade and manned his guns with such vigor that all of the enemy lost no time in seeking the shelter of the forest so close at hand.
It was this first encounter which reached the ears of Henry and his friends. By the time they were on shore the firing had ceased and utter silence pre-
