92 HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF NEWFOUNDLAND 



far as his plans depended upon them could not brook delay. 

 Early in September, 1696, De Brouillan, tired of waiting for 

 Dlberville, sailed with one King's ship, eight St. Malo priva- 

 teers, and some soldiers under L'Hermitte and St. Ovide, 

 failed to enter St. John's Harbour, achieved small successes at 

 Bay Bulls and Ferryland— in spite of the resistance of Captain 

 Cleasby,R.N., who was compelled to burnhis ship, — plundered 

 the settlers, burnt their houses, and shipped off 150 Ferry- 

 landers to Barnstaple. The exiles arrived, sick, destitute, 

 homeless, and heartbroken, at the very moment when com- 

 pensation to Captain Holman, as the saviour of Ferryland, 

 was being approved of by the Committee of Trade. And 

 De Brouillan's deed was only a prelude to the real tragedy. 

 andD'Iber- On November i, 1796, the concerted plan was executed. 



villeand j)^ Brouillan, L'Hermitte, St. Ovide, and about 100 of the 



De Brou- ' ' ' 



Ulan took 1 50 soldiers who garrisoned Placentia, sailed to Renewse, 



f^''^^6^6- ^^^^^ D'Iberville, De Montigny, and some 124 (half-breed?) 



7. Canadians and Canadian or Acadian Indians, for whom 



D'Iberville was pecuniarily responsible, stole forth from 



Placentia — like a pack of wolves — slid over frozen sea-arms, 



plunged through mossy, half-frozen morasses, splashed ' waist 



deep' through unfrozen fords, and reached Ferryland, where 



' they found twelve horses, very a propos, which they used as 



provisions ', and where after a few days De Brouillan rejoined 



them. The soldiers and Canadians then marched on St. John's. 



The first skirmish occurred near Petty Harbour, whence 34 



Englishmen sallied forth, and, according to an English account, 



were driven back by a snowstorm, but according to French 



accounts were attacked and driven into the town, where 



36 men were killed on the spot, several were taken, and the 



rest escaped to St. John's. A second skirmish occurred near 



St. John's, where De Montigny and 30 Canadians surprised, 



or were surprised by, 84 or 88 Englishmen hiding behind 



burnt trees. Shots were exchanged at close quarters. The 



main French army soon arrived upon the scene. Abb^ 



