the Indians Had received from the French
traders. It was no doubt on such terms as these that Messrs. Simonds,
White and Hazen traded with the Indians after they came to St. John.

Benjamin Gerrish soon afterwards took steps to establish the
"truck-house" promised the Indians, and by order in council of July
19, 1760, Captain Doggett was instructed to proceed directly to the
River St. John and deliver the stores that Mr. Gerrish had shipped on
board his vessel for the truck-master at Fort Frederick.

Colonel Arbuthnot reported that the Indians behaved well and came to
the fort to trade. The delegates from the River St. John, who went to
Halifax, seem to have acted in accordance with the advice of their
missionary Germain, who accepted the logic of events after the fall of
Quebec and advised the Indians to submit to their conquerors. The
establishment of a "truck-house" at St. John was of advantage to them
and the missionary determined to cultivate friendly relations with the
English.

Governor Lawrence reported that he had induced the Assembly of Nova
Scotia to pass a law, with severe penalties, against private trading
with the Indians. The provisions of this act, however, found little
favor with the Lords of Trade, by whom it was considered "an improper
and unreasonable restraint upon trade." Their objection found
expression in the proclamation of George III., at the Court of St.
James, Oct. 7, 1763:--

"We do by the advice of our privy council declare and enjoin that
the trade with the said Indians shall be free and open to all our
subjects whatever, provided that every person who may incline to
trade with the said Indians do take out a license for carrying on
such trade from the governor or commander-in-chief of any of our
colonies where such person shall reside, and also give security to
observe such regulations as we shall at any time think fit to
direct or appoint."

The proclamation required the governor to issue such licenses without
fee or reward, the license to be void and the security forfeited if
the person to whom it was granted failed to observe the regulations
prescribed.

We have now arrived at the period when the first permanent English
settlement was to be made on the St. John river, but before
proceeding to the consideration of that event a glance at the
general situation on the river is necessary. The only foot-hold the
English had as yet obtained was at Fort Frederick on the