110 The French in Prince Edward Island

ing arrived, was authorized to withdraw the whole or part of the garrison from Isle Saint Jean to Louisburg.

Early in August he despatched du Vivier to Aca- dia and the latter en route to Bay Verte called at Port La Joye to reinforce his contingent, whence he embarked on his fruitless expedition to Annapolis. In the autumn of 1744, having received little en- couragement from the Acadians either to attack An- napolis or to winter in the Isthmus of Chignecto, he returned to Louisburg, from which he was sent to Isle Saint Jean to take command of the twenty men still in garrison there. On June 17, 1745, Louisburg fell to the New Englanders supported by an English fleet, and its garrison with most of its habitants were transported to France. Some escaped to Quebec, while a few remained in Louisburg during the occu- pation of the English.

When the fall of Louisburg was assured Pepper- ell sent an expedition against Isle Saint Jean. This force divided, one part going to Three Rivers, the other to Port La Joye. At Three Rivers there was no resistance. Roma, the proprietor, lived there in fitful peace striving to make a little colony on the paternal system and relying on the weak arm of France for defence against the foes that were not of his own household. His establishment boasted of one small cannon, a six-pounder, which was more ornamental than useful, being fired on rare occasions for cere- monial purposes. Roma, with his son and daughter, escaped to the woods where he saw the Provincials