114 The French in Prince Edward Island

were garrison’d at St. John’s Island, from thence to Canada, soon after the reduction of this place, is re- turned again to that Island, and that a scheme is on foot at Canada, to send six thousand French and In- dians to surprise this garrison this Winter; what the consequence of this may be time must show, and we shall be upon our guard, and I have sent a sloop, round this Island to procure intelligence.

A great inducement to me to believe this intelligence is that one of the chief inhabitants of St. Johns, who we keep here as an Hostage for the Neutrality and good behavior of the rest, as we cou’d not transport them to France this Fall, did, upon my asking him, whether they had any news lately from Canada, tell me, no Ves- sel had arriv’d from thence to St. John’s this year, but upon my taxing him closely with this falsehood, he acknowledg’d the arrival of the said sloop, and that the General of Canada, had approv’d of their entering into a neutrality with us, no doubt in hopes to give him an opportunity to make use of these people, when a proper occasion shall offer.’"This shows us what little confidence shou’d be put in these people; and I fear the fidelity of those of Nova Scotia is as little to be depended upon as that of the inhabitants of St. John’s.”

Warren was still intent upon his plan of trans- porting the French from Isle Saint Jean when he was transferred to another command in June, 1746, and succeeded at Louisburg by Commodore Knowles. Before this transfer had been arranged, Warren had communicated his plan to Vice-Admiral Townsend who had actually taken steps to effect the evacuation

4 Report, 1905, App. C, p. 40.