instead of that we have missed collecting the
greater part of our Indian debts, as they expected us up the river
and have not been here on that account.... I have not heard from
Passamaquada for six weeks, but fear they have little or no
provisions, and am sure they have no hay for a cow that is there. She
being exceeding good, shall endeavor to save her life till you can
send hay for her. I shall go there as soon as the weather moderates
(it has been intensely cold lately) and employ the men there as well
as I can, as they are confined there contrary to intention for the
winter, and return here as soon as possible."

The non-arrival of provisions for the men and of hay for the oxen Mr.
Simonds deplores as likely to overthrow all pans for the winter. They
had intended to use the oxen to sled wood and lime-stone--a much
easier way than carting in the summer. He says, "We have stone dug for
500 hogsheads of lime and near wood enough cut to burn it; that must
now lay till carting, and we shift as well as we can to employ our men
so as not to have them run us in debt. * * can think of nothing better
than to make a resolute push up the river with our men, employ some of
them at making lumber, others at clearing land and fitting it for
grain in the spring."

The Company had some formidable rivals at Passamaquoddy for the next
spring we find James Simonds telling Hazen & Jarvis, "There is such a
number of traders at Passamaquoddy that I don't expect much trade
there this spring: have prevailed with the Commandant at Fort
Frederick to stop them going up this river: there has been no passing
the falls till now (May 27th) by reason of the freshet. Shall go over
this afternoon and proceed directly to Ocpaque, an Indian village
eighty miles up the river."

Notwithstanding the favor shown them by the commandant of the
garrison, Simonds & White found rivals in the Indian trade even an the
River St. John. Among the earliest were John Anderson and Captain
Isaac Caton. The minutes of the council of Nova Scotia show that on
August 9, 1763, license was granted Mr. Anderson to occupy 50 acres of
any lands unappropriated on the St. John river, and under date June 7,
1765, we have the following:--

"License is hereby granted to John Anderson to traffick with the
Tribes of Indians on St. John's River and in the Bay of Fundy, he
conducting himself without Fraud or Violence and submitting
himself to the observance of such regulati