Under such
a threat the unhappy Acadian made all haste to forget his partiality
for the lenient British rule.
The right hand of French influence in Acadie at this time was the
famous Abbe Le Loutre, missionary to the Micmac Indians at Cobequid.
To this man's charge may well be laid the larger part of the misfortunes
which befell the Acadian people. He was violent in his hatred of the
English, unscrupulous in his methods, and utterly pitiless in the
carrying out of his project. His energy and his vindictiveness were
alike untiring; and his ascendency over his savage flock, who had been
Christianized in name only, gave a terrible weapon into his hands.
Liberal were the rewards this fierce priest drew from the coffers of
Quebec and of Versailles.
In order to keep the symbol of French power and authority ever before
Acadian eyes, and to hinder the spread of English influence, a force
had been sent from Quebec, under the officers La Corne and Boishebert,
to hold the hill of Beausejour, which was practically the gate of Acadie.
From Beausejour the flourishing settlement of Beaubassin, on the English
side of the Missaguash, was overawed and kept to the French allegiance.
The design of the French was to induce all those Acadians whom they
could absolutely depend upon to remain in their homes within the English
lines, as a means whereby to confound the English counsels. Those,
however, who were suspected of leaning to the British, either from
sloth or policy, were to be bullied, coaxed, frightened, or compelled
by Le Loutre and his braves into forsaking their comfortable homes
and moving into new settlements on the French side of the boundary.
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