Having planned an escape, he selected four noble fellows, as intrepid as himself, for his companions in the daring enterprise. One of them was a brave young man named Stephens, formerly a Lieutenant in the Rangers under the famous Maj. Robert Rogers, and had been taken prisoner while in service, shortly before the disastrous battle at Ticonderoga, in July, 1758. A Captain Beach, then also a prisoner at Quebec, was admitted into the scheme, but declined risking his life and fortunes in so hazardous an undertaking.

On the 1st of May, 1759, this adventurous little band embarked in "a crazy birch canoe," with more than one thousand miles to accomplish before they could reach the first British post, Louisburg, on the Island of Cape Breton; and the whole distance was like running one continued gauntlet, so numerous and watchful were the French cruisers. At this particular crisis, too, the French vessels of war were more than usually on the alert, for Wolfe and other British Generals were concentrating a large force at Louisburg, to make some capital stroke on their enemies. The chances were strongly against Stobo and his four brave and intrepid adventurers; to have been retaken, while on their way to a British fortress, and that fortress Louisburg, with ample intelligence of things at Quebec, must have cost them their lives, and perhaps at the yard-arm without a trial; but how true is it, with scarcely an exception, that fortune favors the brave. Even the very elements seemed to interpose in their behalf, for the weather proved hazy, thus enabling them in a great measure to evade the observation of their vigilant foe. Coming down the St. Lawrence, they discovered a French schooner "with five Monsieurs on board;" this they boldly seized, secured the prisoners, and set sail with their new craft. Soon after, on the 11th of May, off the isle of Beek, they observed four

teen sail of large ships under French colors, who fired two shots at the schooner to bring her too; but Stobo and his companions were made of "sterner stuff" than to yield ingloriously their prize and their liberty, and, under cover of the hazy weather, keeping, by good management, close in shore, fortunately escaped. They soon espied a French sloop with five hands on board, and contrived, either by stratagem or superior bravery, to "overpower" this vessel and its crew; and then, without further molestation, made the best of their way to Louisburg, where they safely arrived with their schooner, sloop and ten prisoners. All the circumstances considered, the enterprize proved singularly successful; and Captain Stobo was warmly congratulated on his heroic adventures.

A detailed account of every material event occurring from the time he left Fort Duquesne till his escape, was taken down in writing* by the officers at Louisburg; and although Admiral Saunders had just sailed, yet so interesting and important were the narrative and information of Stobo considered, that an express boat was despatched with the intelligence to Wm. Pitt, then the distinguished head of public affairs. Nor was this all. Of the greatest moment were his reports of the number of French in the garrison of Quebec, the position of the fort and means of access to it, the concentration there of the troops from Montreal and Crown Point, and the great preparations Montcalm was making to repel the anticipated British attack, by entrenching every place below Quebec where it was thought troops could possibly effect a landing, and

* No allusion is made to this interesting document in the public index of MS, collections of the State of New York, made by its agent, J. R. Brodhead, in Holland and England; the British official papers of this period appear to have been lost, for none relating to the conquest of Canada, the victory and death of Wolfe, are mentioned.

also by constructing sundry large floats, stored with an im mense quantity of combustibles, in hopes thereby to destroy the British fleet whenever it should make its appearance. Notwithstanding the care the enemy had taken, Stobo proposed to "undertake to lead his Majesty's forces to a place not many miles below Quebec, where they might land with little or no danger." Thereupon the Governor of Louisburg, well knowing that such a man with such intelligence, would be of infinite service to Gen. Wolfe, who with his troops had some little time before sailed on his Quebec expedition, immediately ordered a vessel to be got ready to convey him speedily to the British fleet. It is to be regretted that we have no further account of this important service of Stobo's; but we may safely conclude that his local knowledge and general information proved of no small moment to the gallant Wolfe, and that he performed well his part in the sanguinary engagement of July 31st and September 12th, at Montmorency and the memorable Plains of Abraham.

The campaign over, Capt. Stobo visited Williamsburg, the then capital of Virginia, where he arrived on the 18th of November, 1759. In the Maryland Gazette of Dec. 6th, under the Williamsburg head of Nov. 22d, occurs the following: "Capt. Robert Stobo, who has been many years a prisoner in Canada, came to town on Sunday last. The Assembly adjourned the succeeding Thursday, and among their resolves was this, viz:

Resolved, That the sum of one thousand pounds be paid by the treasurer of this Colony to Capt. Robert Stobo, over and above the pay that is due to him from the time of his rendering himself an hostage to this day, as a reward for his zeal to his country, and a recompense for the great

hardships he has suffered during his confinement in the enemy's country."

In the same Gazette, under the Williamsburg head of Nov. 30th, the following extract from the Journal of the House of Burgesses is given:

"MONDAY, November 19th, 1759.

"Upon a motion made, Resolved, That an humble address be made to his Honor the Governor, to desire that he will be pleased to take Capt. Stobo into his special care and favour, and promote him in the service of this Colony; and that Mr. Richard Henry Lee do wait on his Honor with the said address.

Upon a motion made, Resolved, That the thanks of this house be given to Mr. Robert Stobo, for his steady and inviolable attachment to the interest of this country; for his singular bravery and courage exerted on all occasions during the present war; and for the magnanimity with which he has supported himself during his confinement in Canada; and that he be congratulated, in the name of this House, on his safe and happy return to this Colony, and that Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Bland and Mr. Washington do wait on him for that purpose.

"THURSDAY, November 20th.

"Mr. Nicholas reported that the committee appointed had, according to order, waited on Captain Stobo with the resolution of this House, to return him their thanks for his late services to this Colony, to which he returned the following answer:

"Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses:

"The distinguishing tokens of favor and benevolence which you have vouchsafed voluntarily to confer on me,

and that unanimously and immediately upon my happy return to this country, have administered to my heart the greatest consolation of which it was susceptible, gratified every wish it was capable of entertaining, and imprinted upon it the most indelible sense of gratitude with which it could be possibly affected.

"To be informed by the voice of the public, that I had discharged my duty to their satisfaction, and merited their thanks for my conduct, is the highest glory my ambition could aspire to, and will determine me, upon any future occasion, to exert myself with all the vigour and alacrity which the united ardour of gratitude and duty can inspire. ROBERT STOBO."

Services that called forth the spontaneous and grateful expressions of the Virginia Assembly, composed of such men as Washington, Bland, Nicholas and Lee, could have been of no ordinary character. Little as we know of Stobo's adventures, it is not strange that the historian, Hume, should have eonsidered them extraordinary. After Washington's mention of Stobo, as being alive and probably residing in London, as late as 1771, we hear no more of him. It is quite likely that he was there in the service, or had perhaps retired on half pay. If alive when the American Revolution broke out, he may, from age and suffering, have become unfit for the performance of active duties in the field; or, what is equally probable, and more congenial with our feelings, he may not have had it in his heart to aid in oppressing a struggling people, for whom he had once endured uncommon hardships, and who, in turn, had paid him grateful honors, and shown him lasting kindnesses which could never be forgotten.

To this account of Capt. Stobo, Mr. Draper adds " a few kind words in behalf of Capt. Jacob Van Braam the fellow