Nova Scotia Archives

Acadian Heartland

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

282

NOVA SCOTIA DOCUMENTS.

In order to save as many of the French cattle as possible, I have given some of them among such of the Settlers as have the means of feeding them in the winter. As soon as the French are gone I shall use my best endeavours to encourage People to come from the continent to settle their lands, and if I succeed in this point we shall soon be in a condition of supplying ourselves with provisions, and I hope in time to be able to strike off the great expense of the Victualling the Troops. This was one of the happy effects I proposed to myself from driving the French off the Isthmus and the additional circumstance of the Inhabitants evacuating the Country will I flatter myself greatly hasten this event as it furnishes us with a large quantity of good land ready for immediate cultivation, renders it difficult for the Indians who cannot as formerly be supplied with provisions and intelligence, to make incursions upon our settlers, and I believe the French will not now be so sanguine in their hopes of possessing a province that they have hitherto looked upon as ready peopled for them the moment they would get the better of the English. I think it my duty to acquaint your Lordships that it will be highly necessary for the security of the province to fortify the Isthmus of Chignecto as early in the Spring as possible. The French Forts at Beausejour and upon the Bay Verte are put into the best repair that the time would permit, but they are neither strong enough nor will they contain a sufficient number of men to resist any considerable force. It is also of the highest importance that there should be a Fort of some strength at St. John's River to prevent the French resettling there, as well as to awe the Indians of that district. I am very sensible the making these Fortifications will create a very considerable expense and therefore cannot be undertaken without orders, but if your Lordships should think it necessary to be done you may depend upon its being set about with the greatest economy. * * *

As the Three French Priests, Messrs. Chauvreulx, Daudin & Le Maire were of no further use in this Province after the removal of the French Inhabitants, Admiral Boscawen has been so good as to take them on board his fleet & is to give them a passage to England. I omitted in the paragraph about the French Inhabitants to mention to your Lordships my having wrote a circular letter to the Governors of the provinces to which they were destined, & directed one to be given to the master of each transport. In this Letter I have set forth the reasons which obliged us to take the measures we have done, and I enclose a copy of it for your Lordship's perusal.