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officials. The couriers were for the most part Acadians although Indians were occasionally employed. Two of the most celebrated couriers were Michel Mercure and Lewis Mitchell. Small post houses were established at intervals of about twenty miles along the desolate route of the upper St. John and also on the portage to the St. Lawrence to afford shelter. The journey in the winter season was an arduous and dangerous one and the couriers demanded and generally received one hundred dollars for the trip from Fort Howe to Quebec.

During the years that the American Revolution was slowly moving on towards the result rendered inevitable by the incompetency of British generals and the blundering of British statesmen, William Hazen, James White and most of their tenants at Portland remained quietly at their homes and endeavored as best they could to provide for their families. The Conway settlers had nearly all moved up the St. John river to be out of the way of the crews of any sea rovers that might be disposed to molest them. We have some information respecting the misfortunes of these persecuted people in a report submitted to Major Studholme, July 8, 1783, by Messrs. Ebenezer Foster, Fyler Dibblee, James White and Gervas Say, who had been appointed a committee to report on the condition of Conway and the other townships.^[1] From this report we learn that Hugh Quinton's house had been well nigh destroyed by fire. Peter Smith had been "much harrassed by the rebels." Thomas Jenkins had moved up the river in consequence of danger from plundering parties." Elijah Estabrooks' house had fallen into decay "said Estabrooks^[2] moving up the river on account of the danger