Reunion to the Royal Domain 61 
     
    
   
   
    
     guard of the new contingents, arrived, and were 
     
     allowed to choose lands where they wished in propor- 
     
     tion to the size of their families. Three fishing boats 
     
     commenced to make dégrat on the north shore, two at 
     
     Cascampek and one at St. Peters. Had it not been 
     
     for the excessive heat, which lessened the market 
     
     value of the fish, they would have done wonders. On 
     
     the whole de Pensens was in a more cheerful frame of 
     
     mind, made a trip to Louisburg for supplies, and 
     
     brought back with him several additional soldiers to 
     
     cut masts for the navy.* This winter he spent on 
     
     duty, built a boat for the service and in the follow- 
     
     ing spring welcomed four new families from Acadia 
     
     and gave permission to two of his soldiers to clear 
     
     land and settle down. He also began to make prepa- 
     
     rations for the reception of 100 more settlers whom 
     
     he expected from Acadia in the following year. As a 
     
     matter of fact they came during the summer and he 
     
     expressed the fear that the Acadians, though waver- 
     
     ing between the love of their old homes and the fear 
     
     of the English, might come too precipitately mstead 
     
     of following the wiser plan of sending only the 
     
     younger people. But in any case, if the King would 
     
     but give the island a little attention it would become 
     
     the entrepot of Ile Royale. Above all the habitans 
     
     must be given assurance of title to their lands, as they 
     
     were unsettled by the thought that Comte de Saint 
     
     Pierre might return and claim his property. This 
     
     uncertainty as well as the doubtful position of Du- 
     
     buisson, the former Sub-delegate of the Intendant, 
     
    
   
   
    
     8 C11 IV, Vol. 9, p. 58.