30 ROYAL SOCli:TY OF CANADA 



landfall at La llevc, explored a part of the eastern coast of Xova Scotia 

 and the Bay of Fundy, and, having viewed somewhat superficially the 

 coast nearly to Kennebec, finally fixed upon St. Croix Island (now 

 Dochet) as the site of their principal settlement in Acadia, thereby 

 inaugurating not only the permanent settlement of Acadia, and indeed 

 of all Canada, but at the same time making the Bay of Fundy the centre 

 of French operations and power in Acadia. It is true the settlement 

 was the next year removed to Port Royal, but this also is on Fundy 

 waters. Would the history of eastern America have been very different 

 had the sails of this expedition been trimmed for Massachusetts Bay 

 instead of for the coast of Nova Scotia ? 



Thus it was the French who first discovered and explored both the 

 northern and southern coasts of New Brunswick, and who, according 

 to all rights based upon such a beginning, should possesis New Brunswick 

 to-day. But in the background hovered England, with her shadowy 

 Cabot claim and with something vastly more important, — a vigorous 

 race impulsive for expansion and gifted with a genius for domination. 

 In 1613 the English first interfered in Acadia and began that series 

 of struggles between the two races in America which only ended when 

 French Acadia became the British Provinces of to-day. But, though 

 France lost Acadia wholly, the French race did not, for a large and 

 increasing French (Acadian) population exists in New Brunswick to- 

 day. 



3. The Acadian Period (1604-1760). 



This period of New Brunswick history opened in 1604 with the 

 attempt of the French to colonize Acadia. It closed with the beginning 

 of the New England Immigration in 1760. 



The locations of the settlements formed in this period have been 

 described and mapped, and the historical evidence bearing on the subject 

 has been discussed, in the earlier Monograph on Historic Sites, pages 263 

 to 320, and such additional facts as have since been discovered will be 

 found in the Addenda to the present series. The principal locations of 

 settlements, forts and land grants are shown in synopsis on the accom- 

 panying map (Map No. 6), while the factors determiniing their distri- 

 bution arc as follows : 



A. Ilisiorical Factors. 



a. Attempt to settle Acadia through trading companies. In 1603 

 the French began their attempts to settle and exploit Acadia. They 

 adopted the system of granting extensive privileges to trading companies 



