134 'The French in Prince Edward Island

boundary claimed by the French, and in the course of these three years all the Acadian population mi- grated or were forced by Le Loutre and his Indians over to French soil. Part of these refugees were temporarily absorbed on the French side of the Isthmus, the remainder went to Isle Saint Jean.

A despatch of August 15, 1749, states that seven or eight Acadian families had retired from Beaubas- sin to Port La Joye, making in all fifty or sixty per- sons. Provisions had been distributed among them but at first there were difficulties in placing them, owing to the fact that the River of Port La Joye and that of Brouillan had been already conceded, the first to two or three families, which had cleared only the environs of their houses, and the second to Duchambon and de Pensens. In the urgency of the moment de Bonnaventure and Degoutin were in- structed to cede the lands not occupied or only in part to the newcomers, and if the ancient conces- sionaires made objection and had well-founded titles the new settlers would be required to pay cens et rentes after the scale fixed for Canada. But some doubt was held in regard to these titles on the ground that in all probability they gave only permission to settle.

The same ruling »was to obtain in regard to Roma’s territory if any of the Acadians wished to go there.

This despatch also announced the significant fact that Gautier and Bigeau had been placed in the

11 F, Vol. 160, p. 12.