[siebert] the AMERICAN LOYALISTS 19 



lotte and Tryon counties and the City of Albany, in New York State, 

 while a smaller proportion of them came from New England. 



The lull in this invasion was not to last long, if lull there was. 

 By August 6, 1783, the foremost vessels of the fleet of nine trans- 

 ports, which was to bring in over seven hundred loyalists from New 

 York and its environs, were passing up the St. Lawrence on their 

 way from Quebec to Sorel. New York was then in process of evacua- 

 tion, and so continued for the next four months. When the first 

 transports arrived at Quebec, Haldimand discovered to his alarm 

 that the smallpox had broken out among the passengers. Without 

 delay he sent a physician to Sorel with proper assistance for their 

 relief, and instructions to take every precaution to prevent the spread 

 of the contagion among the inhabitants. He also directed Abraham 

 Cuyler, formerly mayor of Albany, but now a refugee serving as in- 

 spector of loyalists in the province, to visit that post for the purpose 

 of seeing that those newly arrived were adequately lodged and other- 

 wise provided for. At the same time, he sent a message announcing 

 the arrival of another transport with loyalists, which he said, would 

 proceed immediately to Sorel.* The last vessel of the fleet arrived 

 at Quebec on August 29.1 In a letter to Lord North two days before, 

 Haldimand referred to the "arrival of 700 from New York," and 

 spoke in anticipation of measures for their relief and surveys for their 

 settlement in different parts of the province, t Meanwhile, the sick, 

 who had been removed from the fleet, were isolated in the hospital, 

 vaccinated, and soon convalescing to the satisfaction of all con- 

 cerned. A report sent to Haldimand stated that the whole body of 

 loyalists at Sorel seemed contented and pleased with their present 

 situation.* The size of this body, which was duplicated by similar 

 companies at Montreal and other posts on the St. Lawrence, appears 

 from a census taken five months later. This showed approximately 

 seven hundred persons, of whom one hundred and eighty-five were 

 men, one hundred and thirty-five women, and the rest children — 

 together duly recorded as desirous of settling in Canada.^ About 

 the middle of October two additional transports arrived from New 

 York, bringing Captain YanAlstine and one hundred and eighty-two 

 other loyalists, men, women and children, who were quartered at 

 Sorel.» 



♦Haldimand Papers, B. 139, pp. 349, 350: Gov. Haldimand to Col. Macbean, 

 Aug. 16, 1783; same to same,Aug. 25, 1783. 



tibid., B. 148, p. 176. 



jibid., B. 57-2, pp. 564, 565. 



' Ibid., III., B. 138, p. 343: Macbean to Haldimand, Sept. 8, 1783. 



' Ibid., B. 168, p. 7. 



«Ibid., B. 148, pp. 174; B. 216, pp. 64, 65, 67-69; B. 165, p. 157. 



