MILITARY AND CIVIL. 21

they had fled to the shelter of the woods determined on resistance. One transport with two hundred and twenty—six persons on board had the luck never to reach her destination, as she was taken possession of by her living freight in the Bay of Fundy, taken to the River St. John, and was not afterwards recaptured. In the alarm created by this harsh treatment against the Acadians, many of them fled for shelter to this Island, thus swelling its population to about 5,000 inhabitants.

The misfortunes and sufferings of the Acadians stand out prominently and appeal to every heart ; but the British settler of the Province, slain in mere wantoness by the Indians at the instigation of their allies, also had claims upon humanity.

After the defeat of General Braddock and Loudon, as already alluded to, strong Naval and Military re—inforcements were sent to America; soon reverses therefore made it necessary for the garrison of Quebec and Louisburg to depend on the fertility of this Island’s soil for a great part of their food supply, special attention was in consequence paid to agriculture. Thus by strict attention to that branch of industry such an abundance

of produce were supplied that the little Island became denomin- ated “ The Garden of the Gulf.”

Whether restoring Cape Breton and St. John’s Island were prudent or not, their permanent ownership had to be settled by the arbitration of the sword, of which the final struggle was now at hand. Early in 17 58 England despatched to America the most stupendous armament that had ever reached its shores. It consisted of twenty-three line of Battle-ships, eighteen Frigates, besides one hundred and sixteen Transports, having on board an army of twelve thousand soldiers, with all their battering trains and stores complete. The Navy was commanded by Admiral Boscawen, and the Army by General Amherst. Officers of experience and good judgment, viz: Wolfe, Witmore and Lawrence, commanded as Divisional Generals of the Army. The expedition arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, as a point of rendezvous, where preparation for a grand attack on the enemies’ fortifications was consummated.

On the morning of the 28th May, the signal for sailing was made, when the fleet, spreading their canvas to the breeze, stood out to sea, the Frigates leading, six abreast, followed by the Transports, then the line of Battle-ships keeping in the wake of their gallant charge, steered directly for Louisburg.