190 ‘The French in Prince Edward Island

ately on arrival proceeded to build Fort Amherst, the first fort erected on Isle Saint Jean; and to round up the inhabitants, who after hearing the officers sent by Drucour, made no resistance, in the neighborhood of Port La Joye, although many of those in the out- lying settlements escaped to Miramichi and Quebec, carrying with them or destroying as much of their live stock and household effects as they could. Four French schooners kept busy on the north shore trans- porting the people with their flocks and household gods. 'The Indians also mustered to the number of 150 on the north shore and gave Rollo no little un- easiness as to their intentions, but they confined themselves to destroying property to prevent it from falling into his hands.* The chaplain of Port La Joye escaped the day before Rollo arrived, but the priests of Northeast River, St. Peters and Point Prim were embarked with their parishioners.

Among the first lot of 692 sent from Port La Joye and its neighborhood was the Commandant and his family who wrote the following letter, which is both a tribute to his humanity and a sad confirmation of the miserable condition of the inhabitants:

Port La Joye,

September 8th, 1758. My Lord,

I received the letter which you honored me by writing last spring and I made use of the seed which arrived

4 Chatham M.S., Vol. 96, pp. 94-96.