Canada -- History -- 1763-1867; Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France)
It was agreed that Sargeant should continue to keep all his personal
effects; and further, that his deputy, Dixon, three domestics, and
his servant should accompany him out of the fort. It was also agreed
that Troyes should send the clerks and servants of the Company to a
neighbouring island, there to await the arrival of the Company's
ships from England. In case of their non-arrival within a reasonable
time, Troyes promised to assist them to such vessel as he could
procure for the purpose. The Frenchmen also gave Sargeant the
provisions necessary to keep him and his companions from starvation.
All quitted the fort without arms, save Sargeant and his son, whose
swords and pistols hung at their sides. The Governor and his suite
were provided with passage to Hays Island, where he afterwards made
his escape to Port Nelson. The others were distributed between Forts
Moose and Albany, and were treated by their captors with considerable
severity and hardship.
Having attended to the disposition of his prisoners and their
property, Troyes, accompanied by Iberville, departed on 10th August
for Montreal. The gallant Chevalier and his associates would have
been glad to have pursued their successes by crossing the Bay and
capturing York Factory. But although two ships belonging to the
Company had fallen to their lot, yet they could find none competent
to command them. The distance between Albany and Port Nelson was by
water 250 leagues, and the road overland was {122} as yet unknown to
the French. But it was not their purpose that it should long remain
so. In a letter to his official superior at Quebec, Troyes, who
wanted to plant the fleur-de-lys over the whole bay, boasted that the
next year would not pass without his becoming acquainted with it.
Wherefore Troyes suffered himself to be prevailed upon by Iberville
and be content with the victories already won. They carried with
them in their journey more than 50,000 beaver skins as a trophy of
their arms. Many of the Hudson's Bay Company's servants were
employed in bearing the spoils. During the dreary march several of
these unhappy captives were killed through the connivance of the
French with the Indians; and the survivors reached Quebec in a
dreadfully emaciated and halt condition.
You may believe that the victories of the Chevalier were blazoned to
the skies. He was hailed in Montreal, Three Rivers, and Quebec as
equal to any of the heroes of olden times, and his return was
celebrated with great pomp. As to his future, the career of the
Chevalier de Troyes ended abruptly and tragically in 1687, when he
and all his men, to the number of ninety, were massacred by the
Indians at Niagara.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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