Levi, Sillery, Ste Foye, Lorette, Charlesbourg, the Island of Orleans, Beauport and every inch of British territory around the city were in possession of the invaders, every house in the suburbs sheltered an enemy--every bush in the country might conceal a deadly foe. Treachery stalked within the camp--disaffection was busy inside and outside of the walls. At first many of the citizens, English as well as French, seemed disinclined to take part in the great family quarrel which had originated at Boston--the British of New England pitted against the British of Canada. The confusion of ideas and opinions must at first have been great. Several old British officers who had served in the wars of the conquest of Canada, had turned their swords against their old messmates--their brothers-in-arms--amongst others, Richard Montgomery, Moses Hazen and Donald Campbell. Quebec, denuded of its regulars, had indeed a most gloomy prospect to look upon. No soldiers to man her walls except her citizens unaccustomed to warfare--no succour to expect from England till the following spring--scantiness of provisions and a terrified peasantry who had not the power, often no desire, to penetrate into the beleaguered city during winter. Were not these trying times for our worthy sires? Such was the posture of affairs, when to the general joy, our gallant Governor Guy Carleton, returned and rejoined his dauntless little army at Quebec, having succeeded, thanks to Captain Bouchette and other brave men, in eluding the vigilance of the enemy in possession of Three Rivers, Sorel and Montreal. Turn over the records of those days and yon will see the importance our fathers attached to the results of the Sault-au-Matelot and Près-de-Ville engagements. For more than twenty-five years, the 31st December, 1775, was annually commemorated, generally by a club dinner given at Ferguson's Hotel, (Freemasons' Hall?) or at some other hotel of note--sometimes a Château ball was added by the Governor of the Province. In 1778, we find in the old _Quebec Gazette_, a grand _fête champêtre_, given by Lady Maria Carleton and her gallant partner Sir Guy, at the Red House, a fashionable rustic Hostelry, kept by Alex. Menut, the prince of Canadian _Soyers_ of those days, who had been _Maître d'Hôtel_ to General Murray, and selected that year by Their Excellencies. It stood on the Little River road, (the land is now owned by Mr. Tozer) about two miles from Quebec. It reads thus in the _Gazette_ of 8th January, 1778: Quebec, 8th January, 1778._