Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/223

swimming a mile up the harbor he landed on the shore and sought refuge in the house of an Englishman with whom he was acquainted. He soon afterwards got safely back to the garrison at Fort Howe.

At the peace in 1783. Samuel Denny Street was employed as assistant to Major Studholme in making arrangements for the settlement of the Loyalists at St. John and elsewhere. He was the first lawyer to practice his profession in this province.

These biographical notes have led to a digression from the thread of our narrative, to which we must now return.

The Indians resisted every temptation held out to to them by the Americans during the year 1779, and welcomed Colonel Francklin and Father Bourg in their principal villages with great rejoicings. A grand pow-wow was held on the St. John river on the 27th June, 1780, when about 300 warriors, besides 600 women and children were assembled. Deputies from the Ottawas, Hurons, and other Canadian tribes being present required the Indians of Acadia to withdraw from the Americans and to remain quiet, the Canadian Indians saying that they had declared war against the Americans and should treat all Indians found among them as enemies. Three messengers were sent by Major Studholme and Father Bourg to Passamaquoddy to request the Indians encamped there to give their attendance at Fort Howe at the earliest possible moment, the invitation coupled, as usual, with the promise of handsome presents. For two days John Allan labored hard to dissuade his dusky allies from accepting the invitation, but all in vain; go they would. With characteristic duplicity they assured him "that they only meant to see the priest, their souls being heavy and loaded with burthens of sins, and that they acted upon a duty commanded in their church which