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Indians meant。
There was small gain to the English from Johnson's success。 He
was too cautious to advance towards Canada； and； as winter came
on； he broke up his camp and sent his men to their homes。 The
colonies had no permanent military equipment。 Each autumn their
forces were dissolved to be reorganized again in the following
spring； a lame method of waging war。
For three years longer in the valley of the Ohio； as elsewhere；
the star of France remained in the ascendant。 It began to decline
only when； farther east； on the Atlantic； superior forces sent
out from England were able to check the French。 During the summer
of 1758； while Wolfe and Boscawen were pounding the walls of
Louisbourg； seven thousand troops led by General Forbes； Colonel
George Washington； and Colonel Henry Bouquet； pushed their way
through the wilds beyond the Alleghanies and took possession of
the Ohio。 The French destroyed Fort Duquesne and fled。 On the
25th of November the English occupied the place and named it
〃Pitts…Bourgh〃 in honor of their great war minister。
CHAPTER VII。 The Expulsion Of The Acadians
We have now to turn back over a number of years to see what has
been happening in Acadia； that oldest and most easterly part of
New France which in 1710 fell into British hands。 Since the
Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 the Acadians had been nominally British
subjects。 But the Frenchman； hardly less than the Jew； is
difficult of absorption by other racial types。 We have already
noted the natural aim of France to recover what she had lost and
her use of the priests to hold the Acadians to her interests。 The
Acadians were secure in the free exercise of their religion。 They
had no secular leaders and few； if any； clergy of their own。 They
were led chiefly by priests； subjects of France； who； though
working in British territory； owned no allegiance to Great
Britain； and were directed by the Bishop of Quebec。
For forty years the question of the Acadians remained unsettled。
Under the Treaty of 1713 the Acadians might leave the country。 If
they remained a year they must become British subjects。 When；
however； in 1715； two years after the conclusion of the treaty；
they were required to take the oath of allegiance to the new
King； George I； they declared that they could not do so； since
they were about to move to Cape Breton。 When George II came to
the throne in 1727； the oath was again demanded。 Still； however；
the Acadians were between two fires。 Their Indian neighbors；
influenced by the French； threatened them with massacre if they
took the oath； while the British declared that they would forfeit
their farms if they refused。 The truth is that the British did
not wish to press the alternative。 To drive out the Acadians
would be to strengthen the neighboring French colony of Cape
Breton。 To force on them the oath might even cause a rising which
would overwhelm the few English in Nova Scotia。 So the tradition；
never formally accepted by the British； grew up that； while the
Acadians owed obedience to George II； they would be neutral in
case of war with France。 A common name for them used by the
British themselves was that of the Neutral French。 In time of
peace the Acadians could be left to themselves。 When； however；
war broke out between Britain and France the question of loyalty
became acute。 Such war there was in 1744。 Without doubt； some
Acadians then helped the Frenchbut it was； as they protested；
only under compulsion and； as far as they could； they seem to
have refused to aid either side。 The British muttered threats
that subjects of their King who would not fight for him had no
right to protection under British law。 Even then feeling was so
high that there was talk of driving the Acadians from their farms
and setting them adrift； and these poor people trembled for their
own fate when the British victors at Louisbourg in 1745 removed
the French population to France。 Assurances came from the British
government； however； that there was no thought of molesting the
Acadians。
With the order 〃As you were〃 the dominant thought of the Treaty
of Aix…la…Chapelle in 1748； the highly organized and efficient
champions of French policy took every step to ensure that in the
next struggle the interests of France should prevail。 Peace had
no sooner been signed than Versailles was working in Nova Scotia
on the old policy。 The French priests taught that eternal
perdition awaited the Catholic Acadians who should accept the
demands of the heretic English。 The Indians continued their
savage threats。 Blood is thicker than water and no doubt the
natural sympathies of the Acadians were with the French。 But the
British were now formidable。 For them the founding of Halifax in
1749 had made all the difference。 They； too； had a menacing
fortress at the door of the Acadians； and their tone grew
sterner。 As a result the Acadians were told that if； by October
15； 1749； they had not taken an unconditional oath of allegiance
to George II； they should forfeit their rights and their
property； the treasured farms on which they and their ancestors
had toiled。 The Acadians were in acute distress。 If they yielded
to the English； not only would their bodies be destroyed by the
savage Micmac Indians； but their immortal souls； they feared；
would be in danger。
The Abbe Le Loutre was the parish priest of the Acadian village
of Beaubassin on Chignecto Bay and also missionary to the Micmac
Indians； whose chief village lay in British territory not many
miles from Halifax。 British officials of the time denounced him
as a determined fanatic who did not stop short of murder。 As in
most men； there was in Le Loutre a mingling of qualities。 He was
arrogant； domineering； and intent on his own plans。 He hated the
English and their heresy； and he preached to his people against
them with frantic invective。 He incited his Indians to bloodshed。
But he also knew pity。 The custom of the Indians was to consider
prisoners taken by them as their property； and on one occasion Le
Loutre himself paid ransom to the Indians for thirty…seven
English captives and returned them to Halifax。 It is certain that
the French government counted upon the influence of French
priests to aid its political designs。 〃My masters； God and the
King〃 was a phrase of the Sulpician father Piquet working at this
time on the St。 Lawrence。 Le Loutre could have echoed the words。
He was an ardent politician and France supplied him with both
money and arms to induce the Indians to attack the English。 The
savages haunted the outskirts of Halifax； waylaid and scalped
unhappy settlers； and； in due course； were paid from Louisbourg
according to the number of scalps which they produced。 The
deliberate intention was to make new English settlements
impossible in Nova Scotia and so to discourage the English that
they should abandon Halifax。 All this intrigue occurred in 1749
and the years following