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NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS. |
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it being settled; especially at this juncture they are more buissy than ordinary, seeing their hopes of this Countrys falling into their hands againe is like to be at an end. And that the Savages are the tooles in their hands with which they worke the mischiefs which themselves dare not appear in.
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I need not trouble you here with the particulars of that misfortune, they being contained in the inclosed papers, and shall only acquaint you that the ffishermen being drove off from their Stages into their boats by the Savages who surprised them in the dead of the night, and their fish and merchandize left to the pillage of the ffrench, who lay ready for that end, they held a consultation the next morning and concluded to send a Sloop to Cape Breton to seek for redress; but not finding to their satisfaction they sent to me by one Mr. Henshaw for relief, whome I dispatch'd with arms, amunicon and provissions, & would have given him an Officer with a detachment of the Garrison but he thought there would be no occasion. This person brought me five french prisoners, taken in severall Shallops loaden with the English fish & merchandize, whose examinations together with his memoriall to me, aloe inclosed markt No.1, by which Sir you will see how far the Counsells of Cape Breton may have been concerned in contriveing & abetting this mischief. I also sent my Major on board him to Cape Breton with copys of those examinations to demand restitution of the fish & goods, and Satisfaction for the loss of his Majestys subjects, three haveing been kill'd upon that occasion. His instructions with my letter to the Governor are inclosed markt No.2.
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As to the Indians I have the honour to assure you, & every body here will beare me witness, that I have taken particular care to treat them in the civillest manner, that ever any Governor yet has done; there has scarce past a week, since I am here, but some of them have been with me, whome I never failed to assure of his Majesty's good will & protection, and required them to acquaint all their nation therewith, and that I expected considerable Presents for them from the King, in token of his affection; at the same time I never dismissed them without presents (which they alwayes expect) for which I am out of pocket above a hundred & fifty pounds. But I am convinced that a hundred thousand will not buy them from the ffrench interest while the Priests are among them, who haveing got in with them by the way of religion & 'brought them to regular confessions twice a yeare, they assemble punctually at those times & receive their absolution conditionally that they be alwayes Enemyes to the English.
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