A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

^38 SEARCH FOR THE PACIFIC. [1750.me at last that M. de Saint-Pierre wanted nothing todo with me or my brothers.""I am a ruined man,"he continues. " I am more than two thousand livresin debt, and am still only a second ensign. My elderbrother's grade is no better than mine. My youngerbrother is only a cadet. Tliis is the fruit of all thatmy father, my brothers, and I have done. My otherbrother, whom the Sioux murdered some years ago,was not the most unfortunate among us. We mustlose all that has cost us so much, unless M. de Saint-Pierre should take juster views, and prevail on theMarquis de la Jonquiere to share them. To be thusshut out from the West is to be most cruelly robbedof a sort of inheritance which we had all the painsof acquiring, and of which others will get all theprofit."!His elder brother writes in a similar strain :" Wespent our youth and our property in building upestablishments so advantageous to Canada ;and, afterall, we were doomed to see a stranger gather the fruitwe had taken such pains to plant." And he complainsthat their goods left in the trading-posts werewasted, their provisions consumed, and the men intheir pay used to do the work of others.They got no redress.Saint-Pierre, backed by thegovernor and the intendant, remained master oftheposition. The brothers sold a small piece of land,1 Le Chevalier de la V€rendrye au Ministre, 30 Septemhre, 1750.2 M^moire des Services de Pierre Gautier de la V&endrije I'aisng,pr€sent€ a Mg^ RouilU, ministre et secretaire d'JStat.