P. R. 0.--ColoniAl Reoonls— Nova Scotia. Vol

DOCUMENTS SUB L'ACADIB 171

Les dits Soussignés faisant pour la Communauté Des Minnes JSndorsed : Nova Scotia — ^Answer of sev^ french Inhabitants referd to in Cap»» Doucets Lre of 10 ffeb. 7 1717/18

Reced22d May) 171Û Read Do J ^^^^

Letter op Cap^ Doucbtt to THE Inhabitants of Minis. 1

Annapolis Royal March 12"» 1717.

Gentlemen

I send this to lett you know I received yours and that I am surprised with y reasons against acknowledging hîs majesty King George and must tell you ail, that I shall be Sorry when I am forcet to doe any thing that is Severe and that if you doe not comply with the oath required (which I now send) you will oblidge me to forbid his Majestys Subjects to trade or Trafick with you, and if any from Canada, Cape Breton, or (any part belonging to the french King shall présume to trade in the Territorys belonging to the King of Great Brittain, contrary to the Articles of peace I shall not only represent it to the King my master, but Seise ail Such Vessels as LawfuU Prises and flhall man out Sloops fur that purpose, One thing more I must tell you ail before I conclude that you Ought to consider în whose Dominions you live and not longer prétend to Capitulate .or dislike what is required of you to Signe, you haveing it in your own choiceto become Subject to the King of Great Brittain and remaine in Nova Scotia, or to become Subjects to the french King and retire into his Dominions, I am onxje more Gentlemen

Yor humble servant

John Doucett.

To

The French Inhabitants att Minis Endor^ed: Nova Scotia

Capt Doucetts answer to the ffrench Inhabitants of Minis, refer'd to in his Letter of 20*^ June, 1718

RecedlS'^Decr 1718 Read lO'^Feb^ 1718/19

1 P, R. O.—Col. Recorda— Nova Scotia. VoL 2

^72 LB CJLMADA-FRANSAI8

EZTRACT OF A LbTTBR FROM DoUOBTT ^ TO THB BOARt) OF TrADS.

JuNE 29 1722

Ab to the Inhabitants who désire to live as neuter, must say

they never will, for tho' they dont take up anus with the

Indians att this Juncture, wee hâve great reason to beleive they

I incite the Indians to disturb us, who Suffer our Trader's to be

I Rob'd att their Doores tho' they hâve ten time's the number ;.

1 and to Express their concem for their losses Langh in their

faces and b ny the Goods frozn the Indians, att their own Pricea

(and really as they call it at Bon Marché) for what costs onr

traders thenty shillings they get for twenty Pence, and we are

certain if they know of any ill désigne of the Indians towards

us, they never will discover or Give advice to the Govern^i of

Such till they are Sure its to Late to prevent, and when they are

taxed with Such their misprision their answer is they durât not

open their mouths for fear of the Savages.

And now should anything be required of them by the Govern™^ which they should hâve no mind to comply with, their answer is they cant for fear of being destroy'd by the savages, an Instance of which they shew'd but Yesterday in a triâe, which was that a couple of oxen belong to this Garrison had gott about a mile off and use'd to corne to a certain House there, night & morning, and because I had order'd that no person should goe so farr belonging to this Garrison, Theowner of them. gott a French Boy who went to the House where he Saw the Oxen, and desîr'd the people to turn them to him which were ' makeing towards the Woods, They made answer that they could not for the Savage's would not lett them & bid the Boy begon, on which I sent for one of the Heads amongst them & told him X Expected that the Inhabitants of the Cape should bring them to the Garrison, and Ordered him to tell them so who att nigh t brought word that they could not for fear of the Savage's, on which I sent out a party who gott to the Place at Break of Day and drove them Hither this morning with others to shew them wee were not Such Close Prîsoner's as they thought wee were, So that your Lordship see's by a Triffle what wee may expect from their good will towards us, and that when they can doe us any hurt by being Silent & Passive they lay it to the Charge of the Indians, and when ever they should find a fitt opertunity