Under the French Regime 25

natural meadows. There were, however, beautiful forests. The Acadians would, with difficulty, clear these since they lacked proper experience and training. Besides, Acadians were undoubtedly deterred by the fact that in the early years of the Island colony, crops had been destroyed by plagues.

Despite all these obstacles, small groups of Acadians moved to the Island between 1720 and 1745. For example, six families came to settle in Port LaJoie in 1724 and about sixty Acadians originating from Beaubassin settled in various locations on the Island in 1730''. Accord- ing to the census of the colony taken in 1735, out of 432 colonists, 162 (35.5%) were of Acadian origin'’’. The inhabitants were located at Port LaJoie, Havre Saint Pierre (St. Peter’s), Tracadie, Havre aux Sauvages (Savage Harbour), Riviére du Nord Est (Hillsborough River), Malpeque, Trois Riviéres (Brudenell Point) ant Bointe de l’Est (East Point).

The settlement in Trois Riviéres was unique in that it constituted an independent colony. In 1731 the King granted the Compagnie de l’Est a large tract of land at the mouth of what are known today as the Cardigan, Brudenell and Montague Rivers. The principal shareholder in the company was Jean-Pierre Roma, an energetic Parisian merchant who came to the Island in 1732 to administer his concession. Roma brought with him men to clear the forest, put up buildings and devote themselves to the fishery from which he hoped to make a profit. He also had facilities on the north coast at Havre Saint Pierre, the main fishing centre on the Island.

Roma undertook impressive projects to expand his business. For example, he had roads cut through the forest to link Trois Riviéres, Havre Saint Pierre and Port LaJoie. His aim was to turn his settlement into an important trading centre. It should be noted, however, that Acadians avoided settling on the property of the Compagnie de l'Est because they refused to become tenants of a seigneur.

Jean-Pierre Roma was determined to make his enterprise succeed despite numerous obstacles. Unfortunately, fate would have it other- wise. All his endeavours soon collapsed: in 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession, Trois Riviéres was destroyed by a detachment of soldiers from New England”.