2&> PAST AND PRESENT OF hands of the destroyers and this only by rea¬ son of its having been inaccessible to the invaders at that particular season of the year. Its inhabitants taking advantage of this tem¬ porary respite, fled to the forests, some of them managing to make good their escape to New Brunswick , others making heroic ef¬ forts to survive the winter in their hiding places. Thus was the work of many long and patient years brought, to a sad termination, and desolation had again obtained a foot¬ hold on the land where the benign influence of religion had accomplished so much for this hitherto flourishing- colony. The following year witnessed the fall of Quebec , which event brought about the Treaty of Paris, by which Canada was ceded to England . These events were not without disastrous results to the Catholic church in St. John's Island. There was evident hos¬ tility on the,part of hte British government toward the Catholic religion in Canada and although by the Treaty of Paris in 1763 freedom of religion was technically sup¬ posed to be granted to all the people of Can¬ ada, yet, in practice there was scarcely what might be called toleration of Catholicity. St. John's Island was obliged to share in the effects of this organized persecution. De¬ pending as it was on Quebec in matters of ecclesiastical organization, it could not fail to be adversely affected by the conduct of the British government towards that older province. The bishop of Quebec had died one year after the fall of that city and the New Home government would not permit the appointment of a successor, who should look after the welfare of the scattered flock. Moreover, such severe conditions were placed upon the people and so revolting to conscience that had it not been for their ex¬ treme forbearance and patience in this period of trial they would have resorted to open re¬ bellion, whatever might be the consequences. The church in Canada being without a head it was only to be expected that it would suf¬ fer through all its members. After the depor¬ tation from St. John's Island those who re- maintained were compelled to pass fourteen years without a resident priest. Indeed the only Catholic clergyman permitted to remain in the maritime provinces was the Rev. Fa ¬ ther Maillard , above referred to as the "Apostle of the Micmacs." The Brit¬ ish government found his services so useful in quieting the Indians that it was decided to have him remain among them. This tribe was yet a power to be reckoned with and in view of the great influence wielded over them by Father Maillard it was considered that his services would be of much value to the interests of England , and thus he con¬ tinued to labour amongst the people until his death, in 1762. For several years after¬ wards the Island was without any Catholic missionary and it is needless to say that the experience of those people was anything but pleasant, left as they were without any re¬ ligious consolation from their spiritual guides. It was not until 1772 that their drooping hopes were raised by the advent of another missionary priest and this from an unexpected quarter. In this year a large number of emigrants arrived from the High¬ lands of Scotland , whence they were obliged to flee from religious persecution./ Accom¬ panying these emigrants was the Rev. James Macdonald , the first English-speaking priest to undertake missionary labour in St. John's Island. His arrival was a source of much joy to the disconsolate Acadians who had passed so many long and sad years since the