The woods very fine.

Good quality masts.

Masts on the island inspected.

A new contract:

the masts to be delivered to Lou/sbourg.

The costs.

1726: 14 August 1

he [Saint-Ovide] accompanied Monsieurs de Pensens and Tonty to ile St—Jean with a schooner that I had {chartered} for the purpose. He visited several {places} there and is now back here {with} the said Sieur de Pensens It is said that the soil {of this} island is very good and the woods {fine}. once established, this island will be a great help to ensure the sustenance of ile Royale. As well, one of the great benefits the King will be able to derive are masts for top-masts of the largest vessels,

of very good quality and in abundance. [PAC, AC, CHB, Vol. 8, fols. 87v- 88]

1727: 14 September

Monsieur de Saint-Ovide having decided to send Sieur de Pensens to ile Saint-Jean, l have taken advantage of this occasion to send my son there to inspect with the said Sieur de Pensens the masts of this island in the presence of the most expert charpentiers [carpenters/Shipwrights] who reside there, which he has done and concerning which he has drawn up the report that l have the honour of sending to Your Excellency — he reporting the details which I am assigned by the King’s ship. He has just brought 2 masts back, which like those that he has inspected, seem to me to be very knotty, though very resinous, and little suited to serve as top-masts.

[PAC, AC, CHB, Vol. 9, fol. 92]

1727: 11 December 1

In obedience to the orders of Your Excellency, brought by your letter of 10 June last, I have received the new proposal of Master LeComte, charpent/er [carpenter/shipwright], builder and mast-maker, which l have the honour to send attached. I have inserted the clause requiring this masting to be transported at his expense and risk all the way to Louisbourg, the place where they will be received, because it is hardly possible to send the King’s Ship into the river of Port La—Joie for such a small matter. Moreover, it could not go all the way up to the place where they have to be embarked on account of a bank over which there are only 3 brasses3 of water — even so it would be necessary to follow the channel and, given the uncertainty whether these masts will be good or not, this would be to risk the King's Ship needlessly at least for this first trial.

In comparing the prices fixed with Monsieur Le Comte and those in the tarif that Monseigneur had sent me and which is here attached, there is more than one hundred percent difference. In the end it is a trial which will not be chargeable to His Majesty, of which Monseigneur can make use.

Attached is the report that Sieur Le Normant my son has drawn up jointly with Monsieur de Pensens at the time of his journey — of which i have already given an

account to Monseigneur — on the quality of the masting on the said ile Saint-Jean.

(PAC, AC, CHB, Vol. 9, fols. 113-114]

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