184 The French in Prince Edward Island

lejouin 1179 quintals, 60 pounds of flour, 258 quin- tals of salt beef, 133 quintals, 16 pounds de pieds et testes de cochons, 3942 pots of molasses, 100 hogs- heads of salt, 517 ells of drugget, 821, ells of coarse blue cloth, 176 wraps of various kinds, 100 hats, and 2000 ells of blue, striped stuff for chemises, charging him to make this last until spring. Apart from this lot, the stores of Louisburg were empty and there was no merchandise in the colony.”

One of the boats carrying the salt and part of the flour got caught in the ice near Port La J oye. Most of the cargo was saved by the Indians.**

The tale of 1757 was even more distressing. Some seed wheat was brought from France on the frigates that came out for the defence of Louisburg, but the crop was again a failure, and de Villejouin had to muster all his courage to face the winter. The fears of the habitans were increased by the rumors of Eng- lish designs against Louisburg. Some of them grew so discouraged that they did not till their lands, as they expected a raid from the English at any mo- ment. T'o provide against this contingency, all the coast inhabitants were armed as well as possible and provided with ammunition. The women and children were sent up the Northeast River and the habitans there were instructed to send their families and cattle into the woods on the approach of the enemy.

In the meantime the young men of the colony were playing an active part against the English. Sixty

12 C11 IV, Vol. 36, p. 176. 18 Ibid., Vol. 87, p. 7.