Francis Parkman’s Works. NEW LIBRARY EDITION. VOL. VII. [Illustration: Sir William Pepperrell. _Copyright 1897 by Little, Brown, & C^o._ _Goupil & C^o. Paris._] _Sir William Pepperrell._ From the painting by John Smibert. A HALF CENTURY OF CONFLICT, II., _Frontispiece_ A HALF-CENTURY OF CONFLICT. FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA. PART SIXTH. BY FRANCIS PARKMAN. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. BOSTON: LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. 1898. _Copyright, 1892_, BY FRANCIS PARKMAN. _Copyright, 1897_, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. University Press: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A. CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. 1716-1761. SEARCH FOR THE PACIFIC. PAGE The Western Sea.--Schemes for reaching it.--Journey of Charlevoix.--The Sioux Mission.--Varennes de la Vérendrye: his Enterprise; his Disasters; visits the Mandans; his Sons; their Search for the Western Sea; their Adventures.--The Snake Indians.--A Great War-party.--The Rocky Mountains.--A Panic.--Return of the Brothers; their Wrongs and their Fate 3 CHAPTER XVII. 1700-1750. THE CHAIN OF POSTS. Opposing Claims.--Attitude of the Rival Nations.--America a French Continent.--England a Usurper.--French Demands.-- Magnanimous Proposals.--Warlike Preparation.--Niagara.-- Oswego.--Crown Point.--The Passes of the West secured 44 CHAPTER XVIII. 1744, 1745. A MAD SCHEME. War of the Austrian Succession.--The French seize Canseau and attack Annapolis.--Plan of Reprisal.--William Vaughan.-- Governor Shirley: he advises an Attack on Louisbourg.--The Assembly refuses, but at last consents.--Preparation.-- William Pepperrell.--George Whitefield.--Parson Moody.--The Soldiers.--The Provincial Navy.--Commodore Warren.--Shirley as an Amateur Soldier.--The Fleet sails 59 CHAPTER XIX. 1745. LOUISBOURG BESIEGED.