132 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



been burned alive, there would assuredly have been some tradition 

 concerning it among the descendants of those settlers. There is none. 

 The writer's own ancestors lived not many miles from where the 

 tragedy is said to have occurred and never heard of any white settler 

 having been burned alive as they certainly would have done if such 

 a thing had happened. 



The statement that the Indians were robbed of their reserve 

 may next be considered. 



At the time of the shooting of the Indian Benoit, Winslow wrote 

 to his friend Chipman that the whole corps of Indians had encamped 

 about Colonel Allen's house, which was in the vicinity of their village, 

 and that their rudeness had greatly distressed his family. "Allen," 

 he adds, "has lately made a contract with them for a lot of land, 

 and they think that they have a right to call on him whenever they 

 please. This event has increased their familiarity." 



Under the agreement with the Indians Colonel Allen rented 

 their reservation of 500 acres for the sum of $100.00 per annum. He 

 afterwards, in 1794, purchased of them the reserve and the island in 

 front of it called Savage Island, for the sum of $1,650.00. The pur- 

 chase was approved by the Governor in Council. The Indians are 

 said to have squandered the money derived from the sale of their 

 patrimony. They would undoubtedly have been wiser to have 

 retained it, but Casgrain's statement that they were "robbed of their 

 reserve" is not in accordance with fact. Judge Allen and his family 

 invariably displayed much kindness to the Indians and they were 

 never sent hungry from his door. 



Next, with regard to the indignity to which the young French 

 girl is said to have been subjected. No apology can be offered, or 

 will for one moment be attempted, for such an outrage, further than 

 to observe that the general body of the Loyalists should not be held 

 responsible for the misconduct of a few of the disbanded soldiery. 

 This class of people in all ages and in all countries has contained a 

 rough and immoral element which has had to feel the wholesome 

 restraint of the strong arm of the law. The laws of the province 

 were enforced in its early days against two soldiers in Fredericton 

 for an assault upon an English woman, and, although her reputation 

 was not of the best, they were summarily punished. 



There is not the slightest doubt, however, that the Acadians 

 found in the disbanded soldiers uncongenial neighbours. Edward 

 Winslow, in a letter written at Fredericton, May 21, 1786, observes: 



"While I am writing a number of Frenchmen, who have been most unjustly 

 ousted of their land, which was reserved by the government of Nova Scotia, 

 have made application to me and solicited proceedings against the trespassers." 



