he Indians on the River St. John. James
Simonds proceeded via Windsor to Halifax, and reported the matter to
the civil and military authorities. Lieut.-Governor Arbuthnot at once
sent Colonel Arthur Goold and an armed party, commanded by Major
Studholme, to investigate, and on their arrival at St. John the
Machias rebels promptly decamped. On the 9th May Goold wrote a letter
to the inhabitants of the townships up the river stating that the
government of Nova Scotia was well informed of their treasonable
doings, and that the tenure of their present possessions was due to
the clemency of "the most just, generous and best of Princes." He
informed them that his object was to effect a reconciliation for them
with Government, and added that while he came to them with the olive
branch of peace, in the event of a refusal of his overtures an armed
force would follow and employ a very different argument.

A meeting was immediately held at Maugerville, and in reply to Goold a
letter was sent "by order of the body of the inhabitants assembled,"
written and signed in their behalf by Israel Perley. In this letter
the inhabitants aver "that their greatest desire hath ever been to
live in peace under good and wholesome laws," and they declare
themselves "ready to attend to any conditions of lenity and oblivion
that may be held out to them."

Colonel Goold in his reply expresses his pleasure at the unanimity of
their resolution to observe loyalty and obedience to the government
under which they lived and his surprise that they should suffer a few
incendiaries to disturb the public tranquillity. He hoped the word
"Committee" had nothing so terrible in its sound as to frighten a
majority of the loyal people. "Why not," he says, "form a Committee in
favor of Government and see which is strongest? I will throw myself
into your scale and make no doubt but we shall soon over balance these
mighty Law-givers."

On the afternoon of May 13, two of John Allan's lieutenants, William
Howe and John Preble, arrived at Manawagonish Cove[103] in a whale
boat, not knowing of the presence of a British sloop of war at St.
John. Captain Featus, the commander of the "Vulture," promptly
dispatched a boat to the place and took their whale boat, but Howe and
Preble and their party fled to the woods and eventually got back to
Machias. The captain of the "Vulture" also intercepted two schooners
laden with supplies for the proposed Indian "Truck House."

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