Anon. (c. 17605?) (An official in the Marine in France?). Mémoire sur l’lsle Saint Jean. [CEA: Placide Gaudet papers 1.35—9, citing PAC, Series F, Vol. 132, p. 311]

This puzzling document which has neither a date nor a named author consists of a questionnaire on the resources and population of lle Saint—Jean. It contains a long list of questions, but answers are given for only a few of them. The answers to the questions relating to the forests are brief and not very informative. There are some clues to its date but they are confusing — there are two references to a British presence on the island: the "fort anglois" — the English fort — is ”only a battery of eight to ten cannons and is between the West River and the North River, with about twenty houses behind, which forms the town ”; the horses used are of a "race angloise" — an English breed. This would indicate a post-1 758 date, yet at the same time all of the marine stores for the island - cordage and such — apparent/y came from Louisbourg - which fell to British forces in July 1758 and was destroyed and finally abandoned in 7 768. So, was it written then between 1758 and 1 768 or even after the founding of Charlottetown in 1770? On the basis of the meagre evidence available in the document as it stands, we cannot be certain.

Forest fauna Quelles sont les différentes espéces d’animaux qu'on trouve dans l’lsle? Les bétes fauves et gibiers? Leur plus ou moins quantité, Ie parti qu’on tire? Réponse: On trouve l'ours, le renard.

Production III: Bois

S'il y en a beaucoup ? Quelles sont les différentes espece de bois qu'on y trouve ? leur propriété .7 S'ils y en a de propres a la construction ?

The main trees. Réponse: Des chénes, hétres, merisiers, sapins, pruce dont on fait de la bierre et propre a la mature.

Questions on the woods.

The” exploitation. S'il est facile de les exploiter, si l'on s'en sert pour se chauffer ou de charbon de terre .7 Réponse: Comme c'est sur Ie bord des riviéres ils sont facile a exploiter, on les coupe pendant l'hyver et on les glisses dessus la neige. On se sert de bois pour se chauffer.

[CEA: Placide Gaudet papers 1.35-9, pp. 3-4]

Forest fauna. What are the different kinds of animals found on the island? Wild beasts and game? Their approximate numbers, their uses? Reply: There is the bear and the fox.

Production III: Wood

Questions on Whether there is much there ? the woods. What are the different types of wood found there ? their suitability ? Are any suitable for building ?

_ Reply: Oaks, beeches, yellow birches, firs, spruce, of which they make beer and The man ”995' suitable for masting. Their exploitation. Whether it is easy to exploit them, whether they are used for heating or [do they use] coal ? [’charbon de terre’ encompasses coal, lignite and peat.]

Reply: Because it is on the shores of rivers they are easy to exploit; they cut them in the winter and slide them over the snow.

They use wood for heating.

[CEA: Placide Gaudet papers 1.35—9, Pp. 3-4]

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