The St. John Indians having made peace with the governor of Nova
Scotia at Halifax, it was decided that a present of 1,000 bushels of
corn should be sent "to confirm their allegiance"; and it seems their
allegiance needed confirmation, for a little later Father Germain
warned Captain How that an Indian attack was impending. Nor was it by
any means a false alarm, for on the 8th of December about 300 Micmacs
and Maliseets surprised and captured an English officer and eighteen
men and attacked the fort at Minas.

Father Germain evidently was a warrior priest and had used his powers
of observation to some purpose; he strongly recommended the erection
of a fort for the defence of the river at the narrows ("detroit")
about a league and a half above where the river enters the sea. The
English, he says, could not pass it with 600 men if there were but 60
or 80 men to oppose them.

The Marquis de la Jonquiere, who succeeded as governor general this
year, at once displayed anxiety in regard to the St. John river
region--"Being the key of this country," he says, "it is essential to
retain it." He confides his policy to the minister at Versailles, in
his letter of October 9, 1749. "It is desirable," he writes, "that the
savages should unite in opposing the English even at Chibuctou
(Halifax).... The savages must act alone without co-operation of
soldier or inhabitant and without it appearing that I have knowledge
of it. It is very necessary also, as I wrote the Sieur de Boishebert,
to observe much caution in his proceedings and to act very secretly in
order that the English may not be able to perceive we are supplying
the needs of the said savages. It will be the missionaries who will
attend to all the negotiations and who will direct the proceedings of
the said savages. They are in very good hands, the Rev. Father
Germain and the Abbe Le Loutre being well aware how to act to the best
advantage and to draw out all the assistance they can give on our
side. They will manage the intrigue in such a way that it will not be
known. They will concert in every instance with the Sieurs de la Corne
and de Boishebert. If all turns out as I hope it will follow,--first
that we will hold our lands and the English will not be able to
establish any settlements before the boundaries have been determined
by the two crowns, and second that we shall be able to assist and
gradually to withdraw from the hands of the English the French of
Acadia."

I