The city of Quebec when the British entered into possession was little better than a shapeless mass of ruins, having been reduced to that state by the guns of the fleet. The population was thoroughly¹ demoralised, and given over to theft and pillage²; liquor was abundant and the British soldier was thirsty; in fact it needed all Murray's firmness to restore any kind of order.[331] In December severe weather began in earnest, and the effects of bad quarters, bad food, insufficient³ clothing and insufficient fuel speedily made themselves felt. The sentries⁴ were relieved every hour, yet it was impossible to keep them free of frost-bite. The Highlanders despite their natural hardihood suffered more than their comrades, the kilt being but a sorry protection against a Canadian winter; and they were only relieved by a supply of long woollen hose knitted for them, perhaps as much for decency's as for charity's sake, by the nuns⁵ of the city. Still the men remained cheerful, for they were kept constantly at work cutting fuel and dragging it in sledges⁶ to their quarters, an errand on which they set forth⁷ always with muskets⁸ as well as with axes, from fear of Indians and bushrangers. Nevertheless their sufferings were great. Fifty men were frost-bitten on a single day while employed on this duty; three days later sixty-five more were similarly afflicted¹⁰, and before[390] Christmas there were over a hundred and fifty cases.[332] This, however, would have been a small matter but for the more deadly scourge¹¹ that was added to it. The

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