Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/391

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No. 126]
Deportation of the Acadians
363

Vessels you Go in. I Shall do Every thing in my Power that all Those Goods be Secured to you and that you are Not Molested in Carrying of them of and also that whole Familys Shall go in the Same Vessel, and make this remove which I am Sensable must give you a great Deal of Trouble as Easey as his Majesty s Service will admit and hope that in what Ever part of the world you may Fall you may be Faithfull Subjects, a Peasable & happy People.

I Must also Inform you That it is his Majesty's Pleasure that you remain in Security under the Inspection & Direction of the Troops that I have the Honr. to Command, and then Declared them the Kings Prisoners. . . .

After Delivering These Things I returned to my Quarters and they the French Inhabitants Soon Moved by their Elders that it was a Great Greif to them, that they had Incurd his Majty's Displeasure and that they were Fearfull that the Suprise of their Detention here would Quite over Come their Familys whome they had No Means to apprise of these their Maloncolly Circumstances and Prayd that parte of them might be returned as Hostages for the appearance of the rest and the Biger number admitted to Go home to their Families, and that as some of their Men were absent they would be obliged to Bring them in. I Informed them I would Consider of their Motion, and reporte.

And Immediatly Convened my officers, to advise, who with Me all agreed that it would be well that they them Selves Should Chuse Twenty of their Number for whome they would be answerable vizt Ten of the Inhabitants of Grand Pre & Village & other Ten of the River Cannard and Habitant nd they to acquaint the Families of their Districts how Maters where and to assure them that the women & children Should be in Safety in their absence in their Habitations and that it was Exspected the Party Indulged Should take Care to Bring in an Exact Account of their absent Bretheren & their Circumstances on the Morrow. . . .

Septr 5th. The French People not having any Provissions with them and Pleading Hunger Begd for Bread on which I Ddd them and ordered that for the Future they be Supplyd from their respective Familys. Thus Ended the Memerable fifth of September, a Day of Great Fatigue & Treble. . . .

1755 Septr 7. Proved a Very Buissy Day, advice arived from Every Quarter which I Answered as well as I Could in the Foregoing Letters, the French remd in Quiate. We mounted Gaurd with half our Party Capt Adams & Osgood Doing Duty by Turns. Capt Hobbs Sick, we