Acadian Migration 33

within a limited period. Subsequent to the Treaty, Queen Anne had agreed that those Acadians who removed should be allowed to sell their lands before doing so.* This latter concession was a barren one for if the Acadians had availed themselves of it in any numbers there would have been no one to buy; and it could hardly be expected that the British Gov- ernment would itself become the purchaser and in- demnify the Acadians for lands which were already theirs by the fortunes of war. This should be remem- bered in view of the arguments advanced on behalf of the Acadians who remained and tried to serve two masters, to be faithful to the King of France and loyal to the King of England.

From out this chequered period two facts clearly emerge: the King of France wanted the Acadians to move to Ile Royale, and the King of England wanted them to stay in Acadia. Had the Acadians been con- vineed that their colony would never be reconquered by France they would probably have made the sacri- fice expected of them and migrated en masse. Had they really wanted to migrate, all that the few Eng- lish in the colony could have done would not have prevented them. Annapolis during the first years under the new régime was so ill manned and so neg- lected that one of its officers wrote: “There is not

so much as a plaister for a cut finger in the garri- 953 son.

2 Warrant dated June 23, 1713, A, 27, BietNeS.. Volk

8 Capt. Aldridge to Nicholson, J anuary 15, 1715, B, 15, B.T.N.S., Vol. 2.