SIR WILLIAM ALEXANDER. 9S 



conceptiou, and for which therefore they were unprepared. They, therefore, suffered 

 severely so that when young Sir William returned the next season he found that thirty 

 of the colonists had died. Otherwise the prospects of the colony were not unsatisfactory. 

 French accounts say that they were subjected to the hostility of the Indians. Ferland 

 says that they all perished from this cause or from scurvy except one family. If these 

 things happened it must have been at a later date, for we shall find evidence that they 

 held their position for four winters. Undoubtedly, too, the Indians were now friendly, 

 though we may doubt whether they really understood the relations in which they entered 

 with the new-comers, as involving such subjection to the King of England as the other 

 party meant. At all events they must have been on terms of entire confidence when, as 

 indicated by the paper of Sir William Alexander already quoted, they consented to send 

 to England their leading chief and his family. 



We know little more of the visit of this chief to England, but we learn that he was 

 accompanied by his wife and son, and that they were dignified with the titles of king', 

 queen and prince of New Scotland. In December (1629) a royal letter was directed to Sir 

 James Bagg, Governor of Plymouth, to conduct to court " one of the commanders (or 

 chiefs) of Canada, attended by some others of that couutrie." (Royal Letters, etc., p. 52.) 

 And the Rev. Joseph Mead, in a letter dated Christ College, 12th February, 1630, says : — 



"There came last week to London the king, queen, and young prince of New Scot- 

 land. This king comes to be of our king's religion, and to submit his kingdom to him, and 

 to become (?) his homage for the same, that he may be protected against the French in 

 Canada. Those savages arrived at Plymouth, were a while entertained at my Lord 

 Poulet's in Somersetshire, much made of, especially my lady of the savage queen. She 

 came with her to the coach, when they were to come to London, put a chain about her 

 neck with a diamond valued by some at near <£20. The savages took all in good part, 

 but for thanks or acknowledgment made no sign or expression at all." (Birch's Court and 

 Times of Charles I., vol 12, p. 60.) 



We have no further accounts of the proceedings of these dusky denizens of the forest, 

 but it appears somewhat ludicrous to read of their being treated as king and queen and 

 prince of New Scotland. By the statement, however, from which we have quoted, it 

 appears that he submitted himself to the king (whether he understood what he was doing 

 or not), obtained assurance of His Majesty's protection and returned to tell his dusky 

 compatriots of the great things he had seen, and perhaps the fine promises he had received, 

 doubtless then to return to his old forest life. 



During the summer of 1629 we hear nothing of the settlers on the shores of Anna- 

 polis Basin. But it was a time of activity on the part of these associated in the enterprise. 

 Early in the season Kirk again proceeded to the St. Lawrence, and this time Quebec 

 surrendered to his arms. Sir William, now deeming the success of the enterprise assured, 

 resolved to establish a shipping port on the west coast of Scotland. The king accordingly 

 " considering the great and manifold services rendered to his father and himself by his 

 well beloved counsellor, Sir William Alexander," more especially "his care, toils and 

 endeavours for establishing and founding his colony of America called Nova Scotia," 

 granted to him the lands and muir of Largs at the mouth of the Clyde, which was also 

 erected into a free barony. In this charter Sir William was empowered to build a free 

 port and haven at Largs for " advancing trade and commerce" between Scotland and Nova 



