[1749.] Supplies for the new post at St. John's could only be obtained from Quebec, and transmitted by the long and difficult circuit of the whole Acadian peninsula. M. de Vergor was sent on this mission in an armed sloop, containing military and other stores for the French and Indians. He was ordered to avoid all English vessels, but, if he could no longer shun pursuit, to fight to the last. This stern command was not obeyed, for he surrendered without an effort to Captain Rous, who, apprised of his design, had intercepted him on the coast. On the news of the capture of this sloop, M. de la Jonquière empowered the governor of Louisburg[437] to make reprisals upon all English vessels that might enter his port.
General Cornwallis, governor of Halifax,[438] sent a detachment of British troops, under Major Lawrence, to watch the movements of La Corne, the French commander, who had been directed to build a fort on the Bay of Fundy, called Beau-sejour.[439] As soon as Le Loutre became aware of the arrival of the English, he caused the houses and homesteads of those unfortunate Acadians who remained faithful to England to be burned. Soon after this cruel severity the French and English leaders held a conference, and agreed to erect forts opposite to each other on each side of the River Beau-bassin,[440] but to remain at peace till they received further instructions.
While occasions of dispute were thus arising on the Nova Scotia peninsula, a still more dangerous difficulty threatened the cause of peace in the far West. The governors of the British colonies continued to grant license to their merchants to trade on the banks of the Ohio, in contempt of the haughty pretensions of French sovereignty. By the orders of La Jonquière, three of these adventurers were seized, with all their goods, and carried captive to Montreal: after a long examination, however, they were discharged.
FOOTNOTES:
[412] "Vis à vis de Montreal, du côté du sud est un endroit qu' on appellé la Prairie de la Madeleine."—Charlevoix, tom. ii., p. 233.
"Le Cap de la Madeleine a eu son nom de l'Abbé de la Madeleine, un des membres de la Compagnie des cent Associés." The name of the Prairie had probably the same origin.—Charlevoix, tom. v., p. 167.
[413] There was a flourishing settlement at Mount Louis in 1758, which was destroyed by General Wolfe.
[414] "Sans avoir le brilliant de son prédécesseur, il en avait tout le solide; des vûës droites et désinteressés, sans préjuge et sans passion; une fermeté toujours d'accord avec la raison, une valeur, que le flegme sçavoit modérer et rendre utile: un grand sens, beaucoup de probité et d'honneur, et une pénétration d'esprit, à laquelle une grande application et une longue expérience avoient ajonté tout ce que l'expérience peut donner de lumières. Il avoit pris des les commencemens un grand empire sur les sauvages, qui le connoisoient exacte à tenir sa parole, et ferme à vouloir qu' on lui gardât celles qu' on lui avoient données. Les François de leur côté étaient convaincus qu'il n' exigeroient jamais rien d'eux, que de raisonnable; que pour n' avoir ni la naissance, ni les grandes alliances du Comte de Frontenac, ni le rang de lieutenant général des armées du roi, il ne sçauroit pas moins se faire obéir que lui."—Charlevoix, tom. iii., p. 353.
[415] "Enfin la retraite des deux armées Anglaises qui devaient attaquer en même tems la Nouvelle France par terre et par mer, et diviser ses forces en les occupant aux deux extremités de la colonie, n' étant plus douteuse, et le bruit s' étant répandu que la première avait fait naufrage dans le fleuve St. Laurent vers les Sept Isles, M. de Vaudreuil y envoya plusieurs barques. Elles y trouverent les carcasses de huit gros vaisseaux, dont on avoit enlevé les canons et les meilleurs effets, et près de trois mille personnes noyées, dont les corps étoient étendus sur le rivage. On y reconnut deux compagnies entières des Gardes de la Reine, qu' on distingua à leurs casaques rouges, et plusieurs familles Ecossoises, destinées à peupler le Canada, mais quoique le reste de la flotte eut reste mouillé plusieurs jours au même endroit, pour enlever toute la charge des vaisseaux brisés, on ne laissa point d' y faire un assez grand butin."—Charlevoix, tom. iv., p. 82.
[416] The city of Detroit dates its history from July, 1701. At that time M. de la Motte Cadillac, with one hundred men, and a Jesuit, carrying with them every thing necessary for the commencement and support of the establishment meditated, reached this place. "How numerous and diversified," said a public literary document, "are the incidents compressed within the history of this settlement. No place in the United States presents such a series of events interesting in themselves and permanently affecting, as they occurred, its progress and prosperity. Five times its flag has changed; three different sovereignties have claimed its allegiance; and since it has been held by the United States, its government has been thrice transferred. Twice it has been besieged by the Indians, once captured in war, and once burned to the ground."