CHAPTEE VIII 



THE THRILLING EXPERIENCES OF AN EXILED 

 FAMILY 



The De la 

 Fontaines 



THE Memoirs of a Huguenot Family, by Ann 

 Mamy, one of its descendants, throw an inter- 

 esting sidelight upon the sufferings and triumphs 

 of a Huguenot family in entering upon their life in the 

 New World. "When all the manuscripts in the possession 

 of Huguenot descendants in America shall have been 

 brought equally into the light, the history of the French 

 blood in this country can be written from a far more in- 

 timate point of view than this present history can hope 

 to take. The extracts we make from this most interest- 

 ing but not generally accessible volume begin with the 

 autobiographical introduction by the head of the Fon- 

 taine family, who reveals at once his deep piety. 



" I, James Fontaine, have commenced writing this his- introduction 

 tory, for the use of all my children, on the 26th day of 

 March, 1722 ; being sixty-four years old. 



" My dear Children — Whenever I have related my own 

 adventures to you, or given you details of the incidents 

 that befell your ancestors, you have evinced so deep an 

 interest in them, that I feel I ought not to neglect mak- 

 ing a record of the past for your use ; & I am determined 

 to employ my leisure time in this way. I would fain 

 hope that the pious examples of those from whom we are 

 descended may warm your hearts and influence your 

 lives. I hope you will resolve to dedicate yourselves 

 wholly and unreservedly to the service of that God whom 

 they worshipped at the risk of their lives, and that you, 



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