The Shadow of Calamity 183

1756, that he had only two months’ supplies on hand for the 1400 recent arrivals at the minimum ration of 20 pounds of flour, 10 pounds of vegetables, 12 pounds of beef, 1 pound of butter, and 1 pot of molasses per family per month. At the same time the ancient habitans owing to bad weather in August had only half what they needed for winter, and would be unable to keep anything for seed.*® Under such trying conditions de Villejouin feared that unless help came from some unexpected quarter he would be compelled to kill off the cattle to avert starvation ; and this would be a great pity as there was plenty of fodder to winter the 7000 horned cattle which they actually possessed. He had recently gathered some 400 of these at TTatamagouche, of which he sent 178 to Louisburg; and he was sending 24 young men to Acadia to winter there that they might pick up wan- dering cattle for Louisburg and save themselves and their own beasts as long as possible. But the refugees have neither clothing nor money and those who are without money or cattle cannot have even meat if the rations give out. In addition to all this salt was scarce and the officers of the garrison had nothing to drink.

A few days later the Commandant wrote that the habitans were pressing him every day to allow them to kill the cattle but he did not wish to do that except as a last resort.’

By good luck Prevost was able to buy the cargo of a prize taken from the English and he sent to Vil-

10 C11 IV, Vol. 36, p. 51. 11 [bid., p, 181.