Nova Scotia Archives

Acadian Heartland

Records of the Deportation and Le Grand Dérangement, 1714-1768

230

NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS.

but will die like miserable wretches. The vehemence, or rather the petulance, with which he preached, exhausted him to such an extent that he was obliged to go at it twice. He then told these poor refugees to appear, after mass, at the commandant's who had a letter from the general of Canada for them. The refugees did not come, however. Monsieur de Vergor* sent a sergeant twice, to summon them; a score of them arrived in the fort. As they seemed in no hurry to enter, the impatient commander went to his door and called them himself, and in order to induce them to enter more rapidly, he threatened to put them in irons, and spoke to them in the harshest manner.

After they had got in, M. De Vergor's clerk read to them the letter, which is in terms more polite.

Its tendency is to urge them to stay with the French and to establish themselves. It promises them various assistance. This letter, as you can well imagine I had been prepared at the instance of Moses† himself. These poor people retired without compliment. Moses was present and played the part of Aaron. He was the spokesman. M. De Vergor stutters.

      This same Moses has since sent some emissaries to the priest Chauvreux, who report that Daudin had been transferred to Halifax; and yesterday, Sunday, he preached not less violently than on the preceding Sunday, concerning the persecuted Daudin; but he added that he was going to be sent to England. Workmen have just been ordered to finish the fort, and to repair the road to Bay Verte, which is almost impracticable for carriages. You will have known that on the 21st of last month, 83 of the refugees sent two of their deputies to carry their petition to the general of Canada, asking for authority to return to their old possessions, since we cannot give them on our side land suitable for cultivation; and stating that those which are offered them are in places disputed by the English — that they are not released from the
    * M. Duchambon de Vergor, commandant at Beausejour, was son of M. Duchambon, who surrendered Louisburg to Pepperell in 1745. He was promoted to this post by Bigot, Intendant of Canada, who had served at Louisburg under his father. He had relations in Acadia — his mother being a member of the LaTour family. — Murdoch's Hist. N.S., vol. 2, p. 234. M. Vergor made but a feeble defence of Beausejour. He is represented to have been under the influence of M. Le Loutre, who commanded his Indian allies. He was betrayed by Thomas Pichon, his commissary of stores, and abandoned by Le Loutre, who fled on the approach of the enemy. — Tyrell papers, N.S. Documents.
    † M. Pichon, throughout his letters, in speaking of the priest Le Loutre, calls him Moses.