ate in the season; Secondly, timely provision not
having been made by escheating and laying out lands; Thirdly, a
sufficient number of surveyors not having been employed; but Lastly
and principally, the want of foresight and wisdom to make necessary
arrangements, and steadiness in carrying them out."

Lieut. Col. Edward Winslow, muster-master-general of the British
American regiments, had been sent to Nova Scotia in the month of April
to secure lands for the accommodation of the officers and men who
wished to settle there. In this task he had the assistance of Lieut.
Col. Isaac Allen, Lieut. Col. Stephen De Lancey and Major Thomas
Barclay. Their instructions were to procure the lands required "in the
most eligible and advantageous situation, paying strict regard to the
quality of the soil." They decided to make application for the vacant
lands on the River St. John, and the Nova Scotia government agreed
that the provincial troops might be accommodated "near the source of
that river, leaving the lower part to the Refugees." Lieut. Colonel De
Lancey was greatly chagrined at this decision, and on the 11th July he
wrote to Winslow: "If what I am informed is true, we might better be
all of us in New York. It is that Conway, Burton, etc., are to be
given to the Refugees, and that the lands to be given to the
Provincials are to commence at Sunbury (or St. Anne) and go northwest
to Canada or elsewhere.... This is so notorious a forfeiture of the
faith of Government that it appears to me almost incredible, and yet I
fear it is not to be doubted. Could we have known this a little
earlier it would have saved you the trouble of exploring the country
for the benefit of a people you are not connected with. In short it is
a subject too disagreeable to say more upon."

The decision to settle the Loyalist regiment some distance up the
river obliged the Kings American Dragoons to remove from Lancaster,
where they had at first pitched their tents. The intimation to move on
came in the shape of a letter from Gen'l Fox's secretary, to Major
Murray, their commanding officer. An extract follows:

"It having been represented to Brig'r. General Fox that the King's
American Dragoons under your command cannot be enhutted at the
place where they are at present encamped, without inconvenience to
the great number of Loyalists who are forming settlements at the
mouth of the River St. John's, and he being also informed that His
Excellen