126 The French in Prince Edward Island.

sionaries. That the British were aware of what was

happening, and also played a waiting game, may be gathered from Governor Cornwallis’s letter to the Lords of ‘Trade and Plantations, on September 11,

1749, and their reply on February 16, 1750, from which the following extracts are taken:

I have intelligence from Cape Breton and all parts of the Province that the Micmacs design to make some attempt against this settlement. They are joined by the Id. St. Johns Indians and headed by one Leutre, a French Priest.

The 19th of August they took 20 Englishmen Prison- ers at Canso—five of them were Settlers that went in a Schooner to make Hay—the rest were from Boston on the same Errand. As soon as the Schooner returned with the news, I sent two Armed Vessels with Soldiers on board to recover the Prisoners and protect our men while they bring off all the Hay they can, a thing abso- lutely necessary for the Winter. One of these Vessels is to proceed thro’ the Gut of Canso and visit all the Ports in those parts and bring me back all the Intelli- gence he can. I gave the Officer particular Instructions to avoid quarrel with the Indians if possible. The In- dians carried their Prisoners to Louisburg the 29th. M. Desherbiers sent sixteen of them here and put the other four on board their own vessel then in Louisburg Harbour. The Indians pretend they did this because a New England man who had ransomed his Vessel of them for £100 and left his Son Hostage never returned to them, tho’ Col. Hopson advanced him the money. I have wrote to Boston to have this examined and have

the Master one Ellingwood taken up.