The French and the Micmacs 219

benacadie, Port Royal, La Have, Cape Sable, Pictou, Tatamagouche, Antigonish, Ninganiche (Ingonish, Ile Royale), and Malpeque (Isle Saint Jean). The annual presents had by this time been increased to 35 quintals of powder, 63 quintals of shot, 1500 flints, 45 guns, and 80 pickaxes.* But even these presents were not enough. In November, 1739, Pere Maillard asked for more guns, and suggested having 20 medals made for distribution to those chiefs who showed special fidelity to the French from time to time. Ten years later, however, Le Loutre wrote, “I have lost many savages and have many widows and orphans since the war.”®

Each distribution of presents was made an occa- sion by the French for inciting hatred and mistrust of the English. Unfortunately, as the years went by they were able to compile an ever lengthening list of acts of folly on the part of irresponsible English adventurers. Though it was patent to the French that these were not acts of government, they eagerly made use of every blunder to maintain their own alliance. The following speech of Comte de Ray- mond, cited by Pichon, though rather long, will serve as an illustration of the uses to which the misbe- havior of wayward Englishmen was put. As its spirit is in harmony with the policy of St. Ovide and other

officials, it is probable that in this case at least Pichon’s testimony was true.

8 C11 B, Vol. 12, p. 384. ®C11 B, Vol. 33, p. 229. 10 History of Cape Breton, Anon., London, 1760, pp. 158-170.