I intend if possible to keep up a good
understanding with the St. John Indians, a warlike people, tho'
treaties with Indians are nothing, nothing but force will prevail."

Alexandre le Borgne de Belleisle was living on the River St. John as
late at least as 1754 and was regarded by the Nova Scotia authorities
as "a very good man." The site of his residence is indicated on
Charles Morris' map of 1765 and there can be little doubt that a
settlement of four houses in the same vicinity, marked "Robicheau" in
the Morris map of 1758, was the place of residence of Frances
Belleisle Robichaux.

The name Nid d'Aigle, or "The Eagle's Nest," is applied to this
locality in Bellin's map of 1744, D'Anville's map of 1755 marks at the
same place "Etabliss't Francois," or French Settlement. The place is
nearly opposite Evandale, the site of the well known summer hotel of
John O. Vanwart. Here the St. John river is quite narrow, only about a
five minutes paddle across. The British government during the war of
1812 built at Nid d'Aigle, or "Worden's," a fortification consisting
of an earthwork, or "half-moon battery," with magazine in rear and a
block-house at the crest of the hill still farther to the rear, the
ruins of which are frequently visited by tourists. The situation
commands an extensive and beautiful view of the river, both up and
down, and no better post of defence could be chosen, since the
narrowness of the channel would render it well nigh impossible for an
enemy to creep past either by day or night without detection. There is
some reason to believe that the French commander, Boishebert,
established a fortified post of observation here in 1756.

[Illustration: OLD FORT AT WORDEN'S]

It is altogether probable that the name "Nid d'Aigle" was given to the
place by the sieur de Belleisle or some member of his family, and one
could wish that it might be restored either in its original form, or
in its Saxon equivalent, "The Eagle's Nest."

Colonel Monckton, by direction of Governor Lawrence, ravaged the
French Settlements on the lower St. John in 1758, and in the report of
his operations mentions "a few Houses that were some time past
inhabited by the Robicheaus," which he burnt. It is possible that
Francoise Belleisle Robichaux went with her family to l'Islet in
Quebec to escape the threatened invasion of which they may have had
timely notice, but it is more probable the removal occurred a little
earlier. The situation of