Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/392

364 all Lay on our Arms Since Detaining the French hear. Kept a Good Look Out & I not wanting in Turning out at all Times when I waked So that I was on Both watches. . . . Septr 10. The French this Morning Discovered Some Uncommon Motions among them Selves which I did Not Like. Called my officers togather and Communicated to them what I had observed, and after Debating Matters it was Determined Neme Contra Dissent, that it would be best to Divide the Prisoners, and that as there was Five Transporte Idle which Came from Boston, it would be for ye Good of his Majestys Service and that it Tended to the Better Security of the whole, That Fifty men of the French Inhabitants be Embarkd on Board Each of the five Vessels, taking First all their young men, and that Capt Adams in the Warren be Desierd and Directed as he was a Vessel of Force & in his Majestys Service to Take the Transportes under his Directions and when the Prisoners were Embarked to Give Such Orders to the Masters of the Transportes as would be best for his Majesty's Service, and also Determind that Six Non Commission officers or Private men be put on Board Each Transporte as a Gaurd and that Capt Adams and the Masters be Immediately Ordered to Get things in readiness for that Service after which I Sent for Father Landrey Their Principal Speaker who Talks English and Told him the Time was Come for part of the Inhabitants to Embarke and that the Number Concluded for this Day was 250 and that we Should begin with the young men and Desierd he would Inform his bretherin of it. he was greatly Surprised. I Told him it must be Done and that I Shoud order the whole Prisoners to be Drawn up Six Deep, their young men on the Left, and as the Tide in a Very Little time Favoured my Design Could not Give them above an Houer to Prepare for going on Board, and ordered our whole Party to be under Arms and Post them Selves between the Two Gates & the Church in the rear of my Quarters, which was obeyed, and agreable to my Directions The whole of the French Inhabitants where Drawn together In one Body their young men as Directed on the Left. I then orderd Capt Adams with a Lievt 80 Non Commission officers and Private Men to Draw of from the main Body to Gaurd the young men of the French amounting to 141 Men to the Transports and order ye Prisoners to March, they all answered they would No go without their Fathers. I Told them that was a word I did not understand for that the Kings Command was to me absolute & Should be absolutely obeyed & That I Did not Love to use Harsh Means but that the time Did not