The Expulsion of 1758 191

on the royal boat, the only one which came to our is- land. Although this added to what I had in store from last autumn was not nearly sufficient to sow all the lands that were prepared, I had hoped to be in a posi- tion to feed the whole island this autumn with very little outside assistance—a very gratifying prospect for me, My Lord, after three years of unrelieved want. More- over, during those three years, the island was stocked with enough cattle to supply effective and annual aid to Louisbourg.

In accordance with your orders, My Lord, I had taken all possible precautions, in the sad situation in which I found myself, to repulse the enemy had he pre- sented himself on our coasts before the surrender of Louisbourg. This contingency did not arrive and the taking of Louisbourg has necessarily entailed our loss.

Three weeks after this expedition, the English came to Isle Saint Jean and from two officers whom M. Dru- cour had sent on the English vessels, I received his let- ter by which I was enjoined to conform to the capitula- tion which he had made with the English generals in regard to Louisbourg and its dependencies.

Under those conditions, it remained to me, My Lord, only to play my part. Knowing Louisbourg fallen, I could not advise the habitans to take arms without ex- posing them to the fury of the conqueror. Nor accord- ing to my notion, could I without orders, abandon the habitans and proceed to Canada, Without superior or- ders, such conduct on my part would have appeared lacking in natural feeling as it would have exposed the people who had trusted in me to all the horrors of war since all avenues of retreat had been closed. Even if the enemy had given me time to evacuate the country, it