Page:The Siege of London - Posteritas - 1885.djvu/59

 hours before the French forces made their appearance on the slope of the Pentland Hills.

HILE the movements referred to in the preceding chapter were being carried out, the two lines of railway, by Berwick and Carlisle, were rapidly bringing up troops, but still the forces poured into the town from all sides were inadequate to the defence of such a city as Edinburgh. In addition to the regulars there was a large body of local volunteers, who were full of ardour and patriotism; but, as was subsequently proved, they were lacking in the discipline so essential to troops in action.

While the army was thus confident and hopeful of inflicting a crushing defeat on the invaders, the citizens themselves did not share in their enthusiasm, and many thousands of the unfortunate people left the town and streamed in a panic-stricken crowd down to Leith, where a powerful British ironclad lay, together with a gunboat, and several merchant steamers which had been hastily converted into fighting vessels. This fleet, however, could render no assistance, either by landing blue-jackets or marines, or receiving the inhabitants on board, as they had received orders to be prepared for a naval engagement, as it was known that several French ships were hovering about the mouth of the Forth.

Leith presented an extraordinary scene at this time. It was crowded with the miserable refugees, and every conceivable place of shelter was filled with them. The suffering and terror were inconceivable, and many women and children died of fright.