46 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



the rule of the French), it rendered inevitable their ultimate acceptance 

 of British allegiance; and on the other, by making their presence in 

 Acadia no longer a menace to British rule, it made them no longer 

 dangerous, and even ultimately welcome, settlers. It was not imme- 

 diatel}', however, that the situation was understood by either the Nova 

 Scotian Government or by the Acadians, for it was not until after 1764 

 that the Government realized that the Acadians could no longer be a 

 menace to the province, and not until 1767 that the Acadians showed 

 a willingness to adapt themselvesi to the new conditions and settle down 

 as British subjects. In 1767 and 1768, however, they began to submit 

 themselves to the inevitable, took the oath of allegiance as British sub- 

 jects, and were encouraged to take up lands in various parts of the 

 province, of which grants were later given them. Thus originated the 

 Acadian settlements now existing at Memramcook, Fox Creel- and 

 Belli r ran on the Petitcodiac, French Village and Upper French Village 

 in Kingsclear on the St. John (with other Acadian settlements on that 

 river now extinct), t^hediac. Cocagne, Bay du Vin, Burnt Church, 

 Neguac, Miscou, Caraquet and Nepisiguit, with perhaps a few others at 

 scattered points. The Acadians in refuge in Cape Breton, Isle St. 

 John and Quebec mostly settled in those places, but many preferred to 

 return to their beloved Acadia, and settled in various places upon the 

 North Shore, while large numbers returned from St. Pierre and Mique- 

 lon, also mostly to the North Shore. This movement continued, as we 

 shall see, into the next period, originating the principal Acadian settle- 

 ments in that region. Thus were the Acadians repatriated in Nova 

 Scotia, including our present New Brunswick.^ 



e. The Revolution and pi'ivateering. The long series oî misuuider- 

 standings between Great Britain and her colonies led at length to war, 

 and in 1776 the Eevolution began. It had four important consequences 

 for the settlements of New Brunswick in this period. (1) It stopped 

 all immigration both from the American Colonies and from Great Brit- 

 ain. (2) It produced local disturbances between the New England 

 settlers, who naturally sympathized with the revolted colonies, and thosie 

 from Great Britain who remained loyal, and .whose loyalty, by the way, 

 was a great factor in holding Nova Scotia for Great Britain. These dis- 

 turbances resulted in the return of many New Englanders, especially from 



1 In 17G3 one Jacques Robins petitioned for land at Miramichi, and permission 

 to gather the Acadians into a settlement there, but this was refused. (Murdoch, 

 Nova Scotia, II, 480; Archives, 1804. 241). I presume this was one of the firm 

 of Robin and Co., the Jersey fishermen, who afterwards established their principal 

 station at Paspebiac, with a branch at Caraquette (Perley, Report on Sea and 

 Kivci- Fisheries c.f Xcw I'niusw ick. 4'J ) . Doubtless his object was to establish 

 such a station at Miraniiclii. 



