Jeanne Dugas of Acadia (4 page)

He smiled. “Come on, you'd best be getting back to the house. I don't want to have to explain to Maman why I let you freeze on a haystack.”

Jeanne jumped up and went to him for a hug. “Will you let me know what is happening, Joseph?”

“Yes, I promise. Run along now.”

—

Early in the new year, Joseph surprised everyone with the news that he had asked Anne's cousin, Marguerite Leblanc, to marry him. They had decided they should marry in Grand-Pré while the whole family was there.

“We are grateful to have all of you here for a visit,” smiled Marguerite, blushing. “Otherwise he might never have had the nerve to ask!”

Marguerite was the daughter of Joseph Leblanc dit Le Maigre (the skinny one), so-called because he was very fat. Like Joseph Dugas, he was a caboteur, and a very successful one. It was said that at one time he was the wealthiest man in Acadia.

The wedding was celebrated just before Lent. There was much merrymaking and music to accompany the happy event, and the de la Tour family met more members of the Dugas extended family and other Acadians from the surrounding farms. Jeanne saw only happy faces when she looked around at her family and relatives gathered together. Grand-Pré was obviously a wonderful place. She wondered why everyone was so worried about the fate of the people who were living here.

When they returned to Louisbourg in the spring, Joseph brought his bride home to set up housekeeping with him on rue Royalle. The following year, their first child, Marguerite Dugas, was born.

Chapter 6

L
ouisbourg was bustling with activity when the de la Tour family and Joseph and Marguerite returned, although fewer ships than usual had arrived. An eagerly awaited commodity carried by the first ships of the season was always the news, especially political news, but in the spring of 1740 there was nothing decisive to report. France and Britain had avoided going to war with each other in 1739, but what did the future hold?

—

Although the uncertain fate of Louisbourg cast a shadow, life in the de la Tour home continued at a busy pace. The family had enjoyed their stay in Grand-Pré, but they all slipped back happily into their life in the big town – especially Maman and Angélique. Jeanne, now more aware of the situation thanks to her brother Joseph, continued to watch those around her for signs and omens.

Almost immediately, Joseph sailed away on one of his schooners, and the family helped Marguerite to settle into the house on rue Royalle. After having watched her carefully for some time, Jeanne decided she approved of Joseph's wife, a kind, gentle woman, and she began to spend time with her at the house on rue Royalle.

Marie, Louise and Jeanne returned to their lessons at the convent (Angélique was now too old) and Jeanne continued to work on her embroidered shawl. She tackled it with the same grim determination she applied to all unpleasant tasks. Mère Saint-Joseph, suppressing a smile, told her that her work was much improved and gave her one of the coveted ginger biscuits that were kept in a big tin box at the convent.

In 1742 and 1743, Marie and Louise, one after the other, finished their schooling at the convent and joined Angélique among the ranks of proper young ladies in Louisbourg's social scene. Of course this created a flurry of excited preparations, with new gowns, parties, agonizing over invitations, and participation as young adults in the yearly celebrations held for the Feast of Sainte-Anne in July and the Feast of Saint-Louis in August.

The family members looked very handsome in their fine French clothes when they walked into the Chapelle Saint-Louis at the garrison on special occasions. But Jeanne insisted on wearing her Acadian dress even though she did at times feel rather silly doing so. She told herself that she did this to show sympathy for the poorly dressed ordinary people, many of them Acadians, standing at the back of the Chapelle. But what difference did her gesture make? Being Acadian did not necessarily mean being poor; the Dugas and the de la Tour families were proof of that. Angélique, who was furious with Jeanne for doing this, accused her of being stubborn and contrary, which only made Jeanne dig her heels in more. It also made her a bit sad because it distanced her from her sister and step-sisters. Maman understood, but said that Jeanne was only making life difficult for herself.

On the whole Jeanne was not unhappy. She liked going to school at the convent. She thrived on and excelled at learning. She tolerated the religious lessons and etiquette classes well enough and would have enjoyed the crafts and sewing classes if not for the dreaded shawl. But she finished it, and before she left the convent Mère Saint-Joseph herself embroidered in one corner of the shawl the likeness of a small and beautiful Acadian bonnet. She embroidered her initials, MSJ, below. Jeanne would keep the shawl with her all her life, through all her travels and trials, as one of her most treasured possessions.

Joseph encouraged her to study. His own reading skills were skimpy. When he started to bring her documents and contracts to read for him, she saw the value of her schooling. When she complained that the convent had only religious books to read, Joseph went to Jacques Rolland's boutique and bought a selection for her from the bibliothèque bleu series. These were booklets in soft blue covers, with folk tales, contes de mère l'oye and fantastical stories of myths and legends, as well as some pastorelles, stories in verse on pastoral themes. Jeanne was ecstatic.

—

While the first ships to arrive at Louisbourg in the spring were the most important source for direct news, the officers at the garrison seemed to know best what the consequences of such news might be. There were other sources, such as the many taverns in Louisbourg, where military men, merchants and sailors spent their idle hours. Some taverns catered to the ordinary people and others had a higher class of clients. Even the many boutiques, where imported luxury fabrics and fashionable accessories were sold, were good places to pick up gossip and rumour.

Monsieur de la Tour was well placed to take advantage of all these sources of information, and many discussions took place in the de la Tour home. Jeanne did her best to listen in, even if she did not always understand. Whenever Joseph caught her with a frown on her face, he would rub his finger on the crease and say, “Jeanne, what did I tell you about not worrying?” He kept his promise to keep her informed, although she sometimes wondered if he told her everything.

—

In the spring of 1742, the Colony learned that France and England were once again at war, each allied with opposing sides in a European conflict over who would succeed to the throne of the Hapsburg dynasty. The question on everyone's mind was whether this would lead to direct conflict between the two old enemies, which would almost certainly mean war in the colonies.

Early that summer, the de la Tours and Joseph and his family again visited Grand-Pré, and stayed for a month. The mood during this visit seemed more sombre than the last time. Again there were discussions around the supper table, but Jeanne was not always allowed to listen in. On this matter, Joseph was very stern with her. “I will tell you what is going on, Jeanne,” he said. “I promise.”

Jeanne realized later that they must have been making plans in case the rumours of war became true. When they returned to Louisbourg, Angélique chose to stay behind in peaceful Grand-Pré with their elder brother Charles and his family.

—

An atmosphere of tension and unease still hung over Louisbourg. Rumours of war persisted, and the possibility of new hostilities kept many fishermen from risking a trip across the ocean, which only worsened the situation. Spring food shortages were a normal part of life here because of Louisbourg's dependence on imported foods. Normally the hundreds of Basque fishing vessels would bring extra food supplies with them on their first voyage of the season, but the sharp decrease in traffic meant an accompanying decrease in much-needed food supplies. Of course it was the poor who suffered the most. Many faced starvation in the spring of 1743 and again in 1744.

Furthermore, the summer of 1743 was one of the worst seasons for the fishermen of Île Royale. There was a sense of gloom as the Feast of Saint-Michel approached in the fall. This celebration coincided with the end of the fishing season and it was the day when cod stocks were measured and compared with the fishermen's debts. In fact, the day had become the deadline for all kinds of accounts, not just for that of the fishermen. The feast marked an end to another difficult year in Louisbourg.

That same year also brought the sad news of Angélique's death in Grand-Pré. Joseph had the task of telling the family when he returned from his first voyage there in the spring. She had caught a fever that could not be treated and died in her brother Charles's home after only a brief illness. She was eighteen. It was a shock to all the family and Jeanne felt especially sad, because she thought she might have been unkind to Angélique.

When Joseph and Marguerite's second daughter was born a few months later, they named her Anne Angélique.

Chapter 7

B
ad news arrived on May 3, 1744, on board a ship from Saint-Malo that carried the official dispatches of the Ministre de la Marine. A letter signed by le Ministre, the Comte de Maurepas, announced that France had declared war on Britain. It was not a surprise, but it was not welcome news. This would be the first time that Louisbourg would be caught in the crossfire.

It was difficult enough governing the colony of Île Royale during peaceful years. The declaration of war could make things intolerable, though some junior officers at the garrison no doubt looked forward to the opportunities that war would bring, and some merchants looked forward to making extra profits outfitting privateers. For the poor who were dependent on the fishery, however, war meant reduced catches and the danger of being captured at sea by enemy ships.

The officials at the garrison were faced with many difficult decisions – the most urgent was the food shortage. They organized a successful raid against the small British fort at Canceau at the eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia. The fort was looted and destroyed, several British vessels taken, and more than 100 men taken prisoner. This bold move robbed the British of their shore base and freed the sea-lanes for vessels bringing supplies to Île Royale. And it gave the inhabitants of Louisbourg a victory to celebrate.

The next step was to arrange for French privateers to attack British commerce in the vicinity of Île Royale. In times of war, privateering provided ships and manpower for the king, and was a lucrative, if dangerous, occupation for its practitioners. They were authorized to capture and loot enemy vessels, whether military, commercial or fishery, and to take their crews as prisoners. Later they would be asked to give an accounting of their activities to the authorities and to forfeit a portion of their loot to the king.

In the month of June, French privateers still had the element of surprise on their side, as news of the declaration of war was slow to arrive among the British colonies. By the end of the month, about a dozen British ships and their cargoes had been captured and many others driven away from the nearby waters. The confiscated cargoes brought desperately needed supplies.

By mid-summer, the French privateers faced the prospect of conducting their raids farther south in the busier shipping lanes to and from Boston. There was potential for greater profits, but a greater potential for danger. At the same time, a schooner was hired to serve as a coast guard vessel to patrol the waters around Louisbourg to protect their fishing interests. The officials at the garrison also sent supplies to Port Toulouse and Port Dauphin, and nurtured their alliance with the Mi'kmaq.

—

The young colonial lieutenant in charge of Canceau at the time was one Jean-Baptiste Bradstreet – John, as he became known. He was taken prisoner, but because he was an officer, was related to the de la Tour family and had connections at Louisbourg, he was free to roam the fortress.

Chapter 8

T
he coming and going of the many ships and boats that anchored at the port the summer of 1744 brought an element of excitement to the inhabitants of Louisbourg. The vessels visiting the port had always been the source for news, but the war now created greater urgency for their reports. The most sought-after news concerned the activities of the Louisbourg privateers and the movements of the enemy. Of course, rumours abounded, and it was part of the game to try to separate rumour from fact.

—

Conversation in Jeanne's home reflected the tensions fuelled by war. Monsieur de la Tour argued bitterly that decisions would be made on the other side of the ocean by two governing bodies that saw Île Royale as only a bargaining tool in their larger plans, with no thought for the livelihood of the people who lived and worked here. Joseph believed that the Acadians and the French settlers on Île Royale should fight for their rights. Eventually even Jeanne got tired of hearing the same old arguments.

It seemed to her that Joseph at times looked envious when there were reports of successful raids carried out by the privateers. Monsieur de la Tour too seemed to relish stories of these successes. Jeanne heard Joseph mutter under his breath one day, “Well, why don't you get one of your boats equipped and go out and try your luck?”

Joseph continued to carry freight and cattle from Île Saint-Jean and Nova Scotia to Louisbourg, with a token number of cattle from New France to fulfill the terms of his contract. One day when she was visiting Joseph's home on rue Royalle, Jeanne asked him about all this.

“Well, Jeanne, it's true that the privateers make big profits, but they take great risks too. I'm lucky to have the contracts that I have and I'm making good money. I don't need to be involved in a war.”

Joseph's wife, Marguerite, gave him an anxious look. “Please don't even think of it,” she said. “There's enough danger in what you're doing now.” They both knew that Marguerite's father, Joseph Leblanc dit Le Maigre, was very much involved in privateering.

Jeanne looked from one to the other. “What is going to happen, Joseph?”

“No one knows, Jeanne. No one knows. And no one wins when there is a war. No one. But a lot of people will take advantage of it.”

“If Louisbourg falls, will we still be Acadian, Joseph?”

“Jeanne,” Joseph smiled. “You have your stubborn face on again. Are you still worried about being Acadian? Remember what I told you? We will go back to Acadia.”

What Joseph did not tell her then and what she would learn only after the end of the war, was that he was in fact involved in the war effort. Because his shipping activities allowed him to move freely between Île Royale and Nova Scotia, and because of his contacts with Mi'kmaw scouts, he was able to supply military intelligence to the French.

—

Jeanne's coming of age celebration that summer would be engraved in her memory as the first real turning point in her life. Many more would follow, forced on her by events beyond her control. She would live in the world of the fancy blue silk gown for a while longer, but not in the same carefree atmosphere as her sisters had.