ISO ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Historic Sites. 



Monograph. But there was also an old French Settlement, marked 

 now by many cellars, etc., just west of John O Bears, or French River 

 Point, probably cotemporaneous with if not simply an extension of 

 that at Gardiners Point Mr. Wilkinson tells me that a French settle- 

 ment also existed on Bay du Vin Island, various traces of it having 

 been found. On this island also is another locality of some interest, 

 the old well examined by Bishop Howley on his visit in search of 

 evidence as to the location of Vinland (These Transactions, IV, 1898, 

 II, 97). A French relic of yet another sort occurs in the remains of 

 the reputed French man of war sunk at the mouth of Bay du Vin 

 River just below the present bridge. Mr. Wilkinson writes me the 

 local tradition is that she was sunk there by the French themselves 

 in order that she might not fall into the hands of the English. " Div- 

 ers have been down to her more than once in the hope of finding 

 treasure. The last time was about twenty years ago." This may be 

 the vessel L'Indienne of Morlaix mentioned by Cooney (34) " whose 

 remains are still lying a short distance from the mouth of Baie des 

 Vents river." But it is also possible that the local tradition is in 

 substance correct, and that she or her captain, gave name to Bay 

 du Vin. (Compare under this name in Place-nomenclature, earlier). 



295. Miramichi. In 1760, according to a careful enumeration by Sieur de 



Bezagier, (in documents mentioned under St. Simon below), there 

 were 46 families (262 souls) at Miramichi, in three postes, of which 

 one was at Baie des Ouines. Another no doubt Included the families in 

 the vicinity of Burnt Church, some of which were mentioned by Sme- 

 thurst the next year, while the third which included a few French 

 soldiers, was probably at French Cove or at Beaubears Island. But 

 later in the same year he makes 35 families of 194 persons at Mir- 

 amichi and 11 families of 68 persons at Richibouctou. 



The positions of the settlements of the founders of Neguac and 

 Rivière du Cache are indicated upon DesBarres Chart of 1781 (Map 

 No. 28a, A). 



296. There was possibly a small French settlement, antedating all the modern 



settlements, on Big Tracadie River just above the mouth of Nicholas 

 River. Dr. A. C. Smith of Tracadie has written me that " Fireplace 

 cranes and a few other household articles were found years ago imme- 

 diately above Nicholas Creek, on South side Big Tracadie River 

 where Nicholas Richard now resides, " while at Fourniers Point a 

 box containing writings was said to have been dug up about forty 

 years ago. At the latter locality also was found a very ancient gun, 

 now in the Crown Land Office at Fredericton. 



296A. Money Island (or Isle au Trésor). This little Island, in the eastern 

 part of Miscou Harbor has a great local reputation as a place of 

 mystery and buried treasure. This distinction it owes in part to its 

 striking appearance, for it is of glacial upland elevated some six or 

 more feet above high tide in a region otherwise very low, and partly 

 to the fact that many relics have been found there, including gun- 

 flints and crockery, silver coins, (which I have seen), an old pistol 



