the conquest of new france-第11节

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and　had　the　country　to　themselves　as　completely　as　if　there　had

been　no　British　conquest。　They　rarely　saw　a　British　official。　If

they　asked　the　British　Governor　at　Annapolis　to　settle　for　them

some　vexed　question　of　rights　or　ownership　he　did　so　and　they　did

not　even　pay　a　fee。



This　is　not；　however；　the　whole　story。　England's　neglect　of　the

colony　was　France's　opportunity。　Perhaps　the　French　court　did　not

follow　closely　what　was　going　on　in　Acadia。　The　successive　French

Governors　of　Canada　at　Quebec　were；　however；　alert；　and　their

policy　was　to　incite　the　Abenaki　Indians　on　the　New　England

frontier　to　harass　the　English　settlements；　and　to　keep　the

Acadians　an　active　factor　in　the　support　of　French　plans。　The

nature　of　French　intrigue　is　best　seen　in　the　career　of　Sebastien

Rale。　He　was　a　highly　educated　Jesuit　priest。　It　was　long　a

tradition　among　the　Jesuits　to　send　some　of　their　best　men　as

missionaries　among　the　Indians。　Rale　spent　nearly　the　whole　of

his　life　with　the　Abenakis　at　the　mission　station　of　Norridgewock

on　the　Kennebec　River。　He　knew　the　language　and　the　customs　of

the　Indians；　attended　their　councils；　and　dominated　them　by　his

influence。　He　was　a　model　missionary；　earnest　and　scholarly。　But

the　Jesuit　of　that　age　was　prone　to　be　half　spiritual　zealot；

half　political　intriguer。　There　is　no　doubt　that　the　Indians　had

a　genuine　fear　that　the　English；　with　danger　from　France

apparently　removed　by　the　Treaty　of　Utrecht；　would　press　claims

to　lands　about　the　Kennebec　River　in　what　is　now　the　State　of

Maine；　and　that　they　would　ignore　the　claims　of　the　Indians　and

drive　them　out。　The　Governor　at　Quebec　helped　to　arouse　the

savages　against　the　arrogant　intruders。　English　border　ruffians

stirred　the　Indians　by　their　drunken　outrages　and　gave　them　real

cause　for　anger。　The　savages　knew　only　one　way　of　expressing

political　unrest。　They　began　murdering　women　and　children　in

raids　on　lonely　log　cabins　on　the　frontier。　The　inevitable　result

was　that　in　1721　Massachusetts　began　a　war　on　them　which　dragged

on　for　years。　Rale；　inspired　from　Quebec；　was　believed　to　control

the　Indians　and；　indeed；　boasted　that　he　did　so。　At　last　the

English　struck　at　the　heart　of　the　trouble。　In　1724　some　two

hundred　determined　men　made　a　silent　advance　through　the　forest

to　the　mission　village　of　Norridgewock　where　Rale　lived；　and　Rale

died　fighting　the　assailants。　In　Europe　a　French　Jesuit　such　as

he　would　have　worked　among　diplomats　and　at　the　luxurious　courts

of　kings。　In　America　he　worked　among　savages　under　the　hard

conditions　of　frontier　life。　The　methods　and　the　aims　in　both

cases　were　the　sameby　subtle　and　secret　influence　so　to　mold

the　actions　of　men　that　France　should　be　exalted　in　power。　In

their　high　politics　the　French　sometimes　overreached　themselves。

To　seize　points　of　vantage；　to　intrigue　for　influence；　are　not　in

themselves　creative。　They　must　be　supported　by　such　practical

efforts　as　will　assure　an　economic　reserve　adequate　in　the　hour

of　testing。　France　failed　partly　because　she　did　not　know　how　to

lay　sound　industrial　foundations　which　should　give　substance　to

the　brilliant　planning　of　her　leaders。



To　French　influence　of　this　kind　the　English　opposed　forces　that

were　the　outcome　of　their　national　character　and　institutions。

They　were　keener　traders　than　the　French　and　had　cheaper　and

better　goods；　with　the　exception　perhaps　of　French　gunpowder　and

of　French　brandy；　which　the　Indians　preferred　to　English　rum。

Though　the　English　were　less　alert　and　less　brilliant　than　the

French；　the　work　that　they　did　was　more　enduring。　Their

settlements　encroached　ever　more　and　more　upon　the　forest。　They

found　and　tilled　the　good　lands；　traded　and　saved　and　gradually

built　up　populous　communities。　The　British　colonies　had　twenty

times　the　population　of　Canada。　The　tide　of　their　power　crept　in

slowly　but　it　moved　with　the　relentless　force　that　has

subsequently　made　nearly　the　whole　of　North　America　English　in

speech　and　modes　of　thought。



When；　in　1744；　open　war　between　the　two　nations　came　at　last　in

Europe；　each　prepared　to　spring　at　the　other　in　Americaand

France　sprang　first。　In　Nova　Scotia；　on　the　narrow　strait　which

separates　the　mainland　from　the　island　of　Cape　Breton；　the

British　had　a　weak　little　fishing　settlement　called　Canseau。

Suddenly　in　May；　1744；　when　the　British　at　Canseau　had　heard

nothing　of　war；　two　armed　vessels　from　Louisbourg　with　six　or

seven　hundred　soldiers　and　sailors　appeared　before　the　poor

little　place　and　demanded　its　surrender。　To　this　the　eighty

British　defenders　agreed　on　the　condition　that　they　should　be

sent　to　Boston　which；　as　yet；　had　not　heard　of　the　war。　Meanwhile

they　were　taken　to　Louisbourg　where　they　kept　their　eyes　open。

But　the　French　continued　in　their　offensive。　The　one　vital　place

held　by　the　British　in　Nova　Scotia　was　Annapolis；　at　that　time　so

neglected　that　the　sandy　ramparts　had　crumbled　into　the　ditch

supposed　to　protect　them；　and　cows　from　the　neighboring　fields

walked　up　the　slope　and　looked　down　into　the　fort。　It　was

Duvivier；　the　captor　of　Canseau；　who　attacked　Annapolis。　He　had

hoped　much　for　help　from　the　Indians　and　the　Acadians；　but；

though　both　seemed　eager；　both　failed　him　in　action。　Paul

Mascarene；　who　defended　Annapolis；　was　of　Huguenot　blood；　which

stimulated　him　to　fight　the　better　against　the　Catholic　French。

Boston　sent　him　help；　for　that　little　capital　was　deeply　moved；

and　so　Annapolis　did　not　fall；　though　it　was　harassed　during　the

whole　summer　of　1744；　and　New　England；　in　a　fever　at　the　new

perils　of　war；　prepared　a　mighty　stroke　against　the　French。



This　expedition　was　to　undertake　nothing　less　than　the　capture　of

Louisbourg　itself。　The　colonial　troops　had　been　so　often　reminded

of　their　inferiority　to　regular　troops　as　fighting　forces　that；

with　provincial　docility；　they　had　almost　come　to　accept　the

estimate。　It　was　well　enough　for　them　to　fight　irregular　French

and　Indian　bands；　but　to　attack　a　fortress　defended　by　a　French

garrison　was　something　that　only　a　few　bold　spirits　among　them

could　imagine。　Such　a　spirit；　however；　was　William　Vaughan；　a

Maine　trader；　deeply　involved　in　the　fishing　industry　and

confronted　with　ruin　from　hostile　Louisbourg。　Shirley；　the

Governor　of　Massachusetts；　a　man　of　eager　ambition；　took　up　the

proposal　and　worked　out　an　elaborate　plan。　The　prisoners　who　had

been　captured　at　Canseau　by　the　French　and　interned　at　Louisbourg

now　arrived　at　Boston　and　told　of　bad　conditions　in　the　fortress。

In　January；　1745；　Shirley　called　a　session　of　the　General　Court；

the　little　parliament　of　Massachusetts；　and；　having　taken　the

unusual　step　of　pledging　the　members　to　secrecy；　he　unfolded　his

plan。　But　it　proved　too　bold　for　the　prudent　legislators；　and

they　voted　it　down。　Meanwhile　New　England　trade　was　suffering

from　ships　which　used　Louisbourg　as　a　base。　At　length　public

opinion　was　aroused　and；　when　Shirley　again　called　the　General

Court；　a　bare　majority　endorsed　his　plan。　Soon　thereafter　New

England　was　aflame。　Appeals　for　help　were　sent　to　England　and；　it

is　said；　even　to　Jamaica。　Shirley　counted　on　aid　from　a　British

squadron；　under　Commodore　Peter　Warren；　in　American　waters；　but

at　first　Warren　had　no　instructions　to　help　such　a　plan。　This

disappointment　did　not　keep　New　England　from　going　on　alone。　In

the　end　Warren　received　instructions　to　give　the　necessary

substantial　aid；　and　he　established　a　strict　blockade　which

played　a　vital　part　in　the　siege　of　the　French　fortress。



In　this　hour　of　deadly　peril　Louisbourg　was　in　not　quite　happy

case。　Some　of　the　French　officers；　who；　would　otherwise　have

starved　on　their　low　pay；　were　taking　part　in　illicit　trade　and

were　neglecting　their　duties。　Just　after　Christmas　in　1744；　there

had　been　a　mutiny　over　a　petty　question　of　butter　and　bacon。

Here；　as　in　all　French　colonies；　there　were　cliques；　with　the

suspicions　and　bitterness　which　they　involve。　The　Governor

Duchambon；　though　brave　enough；　was　a　man　of　poor　judgment　in　a

position　that　required　both　tact　and　talent。　The　English　did　not

make　the　mistake　of　delaying　their　preparations。　They　were　indeed

so　prompt　that　they　arrived　at　Canseau　early　in　April　and　had　to

wait　for　the　ice　to　break　up　in　Gabarus　Bay；　near　Louisbourg；

where　they　intended　to　land。　Here；　on　April　30；　the　great　fleet

appeared。　A　watcher　in　Louisbourg　counted　ninety…six　ships

standing　off　shore。　With　little　opposition　from　the　French　the

amazing　army　landed　at　Freshwater　Cove。

　

Then　began　an　astonishing　siege。　The　commander　of　the　New　England

forces；　William　Pepperrell；　was　a　Maine　trader；　who　dealt　in　a

little　of　everything；　fish；　groceries；　lumber；　ships；　land。

Though　innocent　of　military　science；　he　was　firm　and　tactful。　A

British　officer　with　strict　military　ideas　could　not；　perhaps；

have　led　that　strange　army　with　success。　Pepperrell　knew　that　h