Sieur de la Roque 1752 Census for Prince Edward Island/Ile Saint Jean

Suggest This Page To A Friend!

Winner Links2Go Acadiana Key Resource Award!

This document is being put on in the original form that it was entered into the Canadian Archives, rather than making a database out of it. I feel that too much of the charm of the original document would be lost. The original notes are included with the document and descriptions of the various harbours, etc. This transcription is from the "Report of the Canadian Archives for 1905", pp 75-165. held by the Canadian National Archives. This was an English translation of the Census which was entered into the archives at that time.

Map of Ile St. Jean - Pre 1758

Louisbourg, 5th December, 1752.

My Lord:

The ship which is to carry the despatches is not yet ready to sail, and is not likely to leave for eight or ten days.

I do not know whether the Sieur de la Roque, one of the land surveyors of the colony, has yet arrived in Paris, where he is going after he has entered into possession of an inheritance at Toulouse.

I would be sorry, my Lord, if you were not apprised before his arrival there, of his qualifications. He is a very good man, full of zeal and talent. He is the son of one of the King's Musketeers, of good family, and has rendered excellent service during the last war.

He has done wonderful things here for me. It is he, who last year made a tour of Ile Royale to inspect, according to my instructions, all the ports and harbours, search for a new route to Ile au Justaucorps, which is feasable, and would shorten the sea voyage between this Island and Ile Royale more than fifty leagues.

I had also intrusted him with the making of a general census of the settlers on the Island, name by name, men as well as women and children, their respective ages and professions, the numbers of arpents each has of improved land, the number of their cattle, their species, fowl, &c., &c., distinguishing the good workmen from those who are not, and the character of each individual. He was also instructed to examine, and inspect the most percipitous places on the Island; those where troops could be most easily landed; how many ships each harbour could accomodate, and their tonnage; the difficulties of making each harbour, the rocks and brakers at their entrances; what disputes exist concerning concessions, and lastly, a general survey of everything.

I instructed him to do the same during the summer at the Ile St. Jean. He acted as my fore runner there, and I have seen with pleasure, My Lord, during the general tour which I have made, that when I have personally reviewed the reports which he has made to me, they have all been proved correct.

This man, being of good family, is desirous of rising above the average and asks a brevet as sub-engineer, which I pray you to be pleased to grant. Monsieur Franquet has already taught him much, and he intends to perfect himself during his stay in France, but at the same time, I have arranged with him that at present he shall not cease to be a surveyor. He will be of the greatest assistance in the general survey, which I intend to make of this colony, as well of Ile. St. Jean, in order to come to some definite settlement of the concessions. He will take with him two other surveyors, and with his knowledge of the country, and of each concession, he will be well fitted to satisfactorily carry out the work.

I pray of you, My Lord, to not only grant him the favour he greatly desires, but also to show him more kindness and allow him to return by the first boat coming here.

If you intend to send us a fourth surveyor who has some knowledge of engineering and who has the instruments necessary for the survey of this country, it would be very fitting to expedite this most interesting work.

Two surveyors would go one way, and two the other. I know that to maintain four surveyors here will be putting the King to much expense, but I also know that at the present time they are very necessary, and will be so until the land granting business is cleared up, and all the concessions have been put in order and the boundaries determined; a work which cannot be begun too soon. It would not be necessary to keep more than two afterwards, one in this colony, and the other at Ile St. Jean. The two others could be utilised on other work, or returned to France.

Les Sieurs Chatton and Roche who are the other two surveyors, and of whom nothing but good can be said, have not yet received payment of the three hundred livres which you had the goodness to grant to each of them towards the cost of passage to this country. I beg you, My Lord, to be pleased to send orders that they be paid, for I assure you they have great need of this small sum, as they cannot live here within the limits of their eight hundred livres pay.

I have the honour, etc.

Le Compte de Raymond

The creek of Port La Joye, known also under the name of Ance a la Pointe Prime, is formed by the point of that name lying to the south-south east of the entrance to Port La Joye, and by the headland to the north-west of the lands on the north-west quarter north of the entrance of Port La Joye. These points lie south-east and north-west, at a distance from each other estimated at two leagues and a half in a direct line, by seven leagues around the bay, and two in depth.

The channel lies north a quarter north-east by south a quarter south-west to Port La Joye. It is a quarter of a league in breadth and has an average depth of five, six, seven, eight and nine fathoms of water at low tide. The most experienced sailors in the country hold that when in five fathoms of water they are not in the best channel, and no matter which way they are going, must luff up till they find it.

The Isle du Governeur is left to the starboard on entering, in order to avoid the shoals which stretch out to sea and which are composed of rocks.

The island is of a round shape, being a league and a half in circumference, and half a league across. It lies low, and is wooded with all kinds of timber.

The Isle du Compte Saint-Pierre lies to the larboard on entering. One can sail much closer to this island than the other owing to the fact that the shoals are more perpendicular. The island is a good quarter of a league long by four hundred and fifty toises in width, and wooded with pine, white spruce, fir, and hemlock with but little of the last. At low tide, one may walk dry shod from the head land on the north-west to the Isle du Compte Sainte Pierre. There is a bar that is uncovered at low tide.

Port La Joye is situated at the farther end of the creek of that name, five leagues from Pointe Prime, making the circuit from headland to headland and two leagues from the north-east headland. It is formed by Pointe � la Framboise lying to the east, and that of la Flame lying to the west. It is estimated that these points lie east quarter north-east by west quarter south-west; that the distance between them is about five hundred toises; that the channel lies equi-distant from both points, and that for a bare three hundred toises there are at low tide but eight fathoms of water in the channel. The roadstead is about a quarter of a league from the entrance. It lies between the points � Pierrot and � Margueritte. The distance between these points is seven hundred toises. In the harbour there is good anchorage in a muddy bottom, where three rivers, one from the west, the second from the north, and the third from the north-east discharge their waters.

The mouth of the river du Ouest is formed by Pointe � Pierrot, lying on the larboard going up the river, and the headland to the north of the river. The distance between these points is placed at a quarter of a league, and they lay north by south.

The river runs west for four leagues preserving an almost uniform breadth. In this stretch there are sixteen settlers cultivating the land on its banks. The river then runs north, north-west for three leagues to where it takes its rise in fresh water. Its banks are covered with all kinds of timber, but hard wood is the chief. The land is clayey in its nature and affords fairly abundant pasturage.

The mouth of the river du Nord is formed by the point to the north of the Rivi�re du Ouest, and by the point to the east of the Rivi�re du Nord. The distance between these two points is seven (hundred) toises. They lie east and west. The river runs four leagues inland to the northward. Several families are settled on its banks and engaged in agriculture.

The lands on its banks are all equal in quality to those of the river du Ouest, and the woods are also similar.

The mouth of the river du Nord-Est is formed by Pointe � Margueritte lying to the starboard and by Pointe � la ___ ___ lying to the larboard. It is estimated that these points are eight hundred toises apart. The river runs nine leagues inland; in a north-easterly direction for three leagues; to the north-east for two leagues, to the north north-east for one league, and to the east for half a league, being navigable to this point by vessells of 50 tons burden, it then runs north-east for a league and a half where it is navigable for boats carrying ten cords of wood. At this point the place called la Grande Source is reached.

Page:

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Next