70 L'ABBÉ H.-E. CASGRAIN 



attempt to pass — tlio Instructions given to the several commissiond & non commissiond Officers 

 was that at the hour of twelve in the dead of night was to follow & do what the leader did which was 

 to take i^osscssion of all the arms thej^ saw or could find in such Houses — this Instruction being 

 strictly complyed witli thoy were to march back the same roud they went untill they all met at the 

 above mentioned Bridge — in like manner — was done at every House in all the other districts — 

 and the next morning the whole Detachment met together at the Landing Place where Fort Vieux 

 Logis was Erected Each soldiers loaded with Fire ai'ms Powder Hoi-ns kc and these arms ])ut on 

 board of a small vessel detained therefor the 2>urpose of carrying the fire arms from thence to the 

 Garrison of Fort Edward Pissiquid, that in the course of two days four hundred muskets was thus 

 taken from those Ncuti'als & secured in Fort Edward — which being done the C-rovernor & Council 

 ordered it to be Published among the Inhabitants and adverti'Zement' wrote in French that any 

 family or Person or Persons that had any fire arms i-emain^ among them who neglected to bring them 

 into his majesty Gari'ison of Fort Edward within a limited time should bo treated as Rebells to His 

 Majesty - this '' being done the Neutrals thinking themselves much injured wrote a very Impudent 

 letter or writing to the Governor & Council Purporting that while Government continued to allow 

 them the Privileilges that the British Government neither had a Eight or in their Power to deprive 

 them of — they would behave as fiiithful neutrals to His Britanick Majesty. This letter was signed 

 by all the Deputies of this Part of the Province and by most of the Inhabitants & in particular by 

 all the Leading men & a spirit of resentment appeared in the Countenance of Every Neutral French 

 Inhabitant with threats that spoke the temj)or of tlieir Eebellious minds — the Governor & Council 

 (with the advice of Admiral Boscawen^ who then had his Squadron at Halifax & was in Council) 

 issued orders that the Deputies and other Signers should be sent to Halifax there to take the Oath 

 of Alegiance to His Biitanick Majesty. " Some of them did go down in July 1755 but refused to 

 take the Oath of Alegiance every man of them Eefused with a most contemptuous look of resent- 

 ment Wherefore they wei'e all sent Prisoners the Calculation was two to a Ton averaged for Old and 

 young Including Infants as one. " 



Great pains was taken to collect families and relations that they might be together 

 in one Ship — and not a day passed without fully informing them of this and of what 

 vessel they were to go on board of and the day when they were to Embark — and the Commanding 

 officers very Earnestly Entreating with them to dispose of such part of their moveables as they 

 had, and to Pack-Uf» their appareil and such other matters as they wished to carry with them, 

 but such was the Phrensy of these People that the greater Part gave themselves no trouble about 

 the matter — conceiving that Government dare not sent them away — and instead of 

 securing what money and apparel they had to take with them — they filled their Chests 

 with Linnen & other apparel and hid them in the woods — many of them bui-ied considerable 

 Acadian quantity of Dollars in the Earth — & other matters in Wells which were afterwards 



OBSTINACY kc. found by the English — no argument or persuasion would prevail with them to believe 

 that Govern'" DAEE send them away. On the day appointed for their Embarkation, many heads of 

 families were missing notwithstanding the great Care to prevent any of the imprison'd men from 



' Judge Deschamps examined. . . 2900 stand of arms; too many by far. (Note de la main du Dr Brown.) 



' I have th' advertisem' a new outrage. (Note de la main du Dr Brown.) 



' Language of a Coun"' the' poor Gray is not of that order. (Note de la main du Dr Brown.) 



* I am uncertain whether Admiral Boscawen was there that year or not but I think it was Admiral Boseawen 



who advised in Council to the measure of sending the Neutrals out of the Province & agreed to take all blame on 



himself. (Note du manuscrit.) 



» The Oath of Neutrality Required of the French is among the Records in M' Bulkeleys Ofiice. (Note du 



manuscrit). 



" Mr Bulkely can furnish you with an Exact List of all the Transports w^ carried these People away and the 



number of Neutrals as the Returns was made to him. (Note du manuscrit.) 



Pains taken 



Defeated 



