Just previous to the arrival of the expedition, a French frigate, heavily laden with gunpowder for the garrison, had arrived at Martinique; but before it could be landed, preparations for cutting her out having been observed amongst the English fleet, she was blown up at night by the French. The whole island was shaken by the explosion; and the mountain of fire, with floating wreck clearly visible, was inconceivably grand and awful. At this time, war with America appearing to be imminent, the North American Division was immediately embarked, and sailed for the defence of these provinces, landing at Halifax. The 8th Regiment was ordered to embark, and sailed for Quebec in 1810, when it was thought the navigation of the River St. Lawrence would be open. The transports passed through the Gut of Causo towards evening, and entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence. About midnight they found themselves surrounded by broken ice, and four of the ships put back; but that in which I sailed continued her course. For three days and nights she was imperilled amongst floes of broken ice; fortunately, however, to leeward of a field of ice extending about 40 miles in length. The nights were dark, and men were placed on the bowsprit to watch the floating ice and give warning for the ship to put about. Very often the time was insufficient, and the ship’s sides were so frequently felt to be grinding against the ice, that it was feared the planks might not be able to resist such frequent abrasions. A few days later she cleared the Gulf and entered the noble River St. Lawrence, 90 miles wide at its mouth, and 400 miles distant from Quebec. On approaching the city the scene was magnificent. On the right, the large Island of Orleans—a perfect garden. Further on, the Falls of Montmorency, 240 feet high; and in front, the river here taking a bend, the Citadel, and the City of Quebec on a very lofty elevation. The latter has a most remarkable appearance, all the steeples and houses being covered with bright tin, to facilitate the snow in shooting off from the roofs. Both banks of the river, so far as it had been settled by the French in Lower Canada, were laid out on a uniform military plan—a town with a steeple every nine miles, where the Captain of Militia was stationed, one of his lieutenants being on the other flank and another in the centre.