322) + THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Vermont, and near the Canada line. He made enquiries for Francis 
~ Chandonet, a Canadian by birth, who had left the Provincein 1776 with 
the retreating American troops on the promise of a commission in the 
Continental Army, and had become a naturalised American citizen. 
He does not seem at that time to have met Chandonet but he did 
meet William Barnard of Montreal to whom he said (July 26th) 
that his business there was to bring about a revolution in Canada, 
and he invited Barnard’s co-operation. Barnard did not accept, and 
McLane said he would be in Montreal in a few days and perhaps 
Barnard might think better of it. A few days afterwards he met Bar- 
nard in Montreal and again approached him with offers of a fortune 
if he would join in a plan of revolution. Barnard at once informed 
Mr. McCord, a magistrate, of these conversations, and was instructed 
to obtain further information. Barnard and McLane met at La 
Prairie early in November. Barnard, with the intention of finding 
out all about the scheme, suggested that some recent disturbances (4) 
looked like discontent on the part of the Habitants; McLane said, 
“this is a conquered country, there will be an army here in the spring”’ 
and again asked Barnard to assist. Barnard made no promise to 
do so, and at once informed the authorities. At this interview, as at 
others, McLane was very anxious to find out where the Seminary 
and the merchants kept their cash and valuable property which he 
said would be taken to pay the expenses of the war. 
A few days before this he had come to the ‘American Coffee-house,” 
a tavern in Montreal, saying he had come straight from the French 
minister at Philadelphia (5) and that he would return immediately 
to him to report, then would receive his orders, sail for France, and 
return in the Spring to Montreal by way of New York to take the 
command. All this was said to the tavern keeper, Elmer Cushing, 
a British subject. He had examined the Mountain, and spoke highly 
of its value in time of war to command the City; he also showed the 
tavern keeper a letter, ostensibly signed by Adet, written in English 
in an obscure style, to the purport that he (Adet) was interested in 
the family concerns of David McLane. McLane explained the obs- 
curity by saying that it was a dangerous piece of business to go upon 
and that if he should be arrested and the paper found upon him it could 
not be used as evidence against him. He said he had himself drafted 
it and that Adet would have signed any other as readily. 
Arms and ammunition were to be furnished by France through 
Adet for the attack on Montreal; and he had already many agents 
near the lines who had engaged to furnish him with all necessary 
men. A fleet was to come from France with ten to fifteen thousand 
land forces; while he would bring arms into the Province on rafts both 
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