xe to cut down the mast and this brought
the captain to terms.

[34] A snow was a vessel similar to a brig; the Marquis de Vaudreull
says the one above referred to was a Portuguese vessel.

It chanced that shortly afterwards Belliveau and a number of his
unfortunate compatriots (32 families, 225 persons in all) were placed
on board this vessel to be transported to South Carolina. The
"Baltimore" only went as far as New York and the snow, with Belliveau
and his friends on board, was left to pursue the rest of her voyage
unattended; not, however, without a parting caution on the part of the
commander of the "Baltimore" to her captain to be careful, for amongst
his captives were same good seamen. This advice was not heeded as the
sequel will show.

The voyage proved a tedious one and from time to time small parties of
the Acadians were allowed on deck for air and exercise. A plot was
laid to seize the ship. Accordingly six of the stoutest and boldest
lay in readiness, and when those on deck were ordered below and the
hatchway opened to allow them to descend, Belliveau and his friends
sprang from the hold and in the twinkling of an eye were engaged in a
desperate struggle with the crew. Reinforced by those who followed,
the master of the vessel and his crew of eight men were soon
overpowered and tied fast.

Belliveau, the leader of the spirited encounter, now took the helm and
the course of the ship was reversed. Under full sail she careened to
the wind until her former master cried to Belliveau that he would
certainly break the main mast. He replied: "No fear of that; I made it
and it is a good one."

In due time the vessel reached the Bay of Fundy without other
adventure than a trifling conflict with an English privateer, which
was beaten off without loss. The French soon after released and put on
shore the English captain and his crew, and on the 8th day of January
anchored safely in the harbor of St John.[35]

[35] The incident related above is mentioned by several writers,
French and English, but the details were gathered by Placide
P. Gaudet about twenty years ago from an old Acadian of
remarkable memory and intelligence, whose grandfather was a
brother of Charles Belliveau.

The names of most of the families who arrived at St. John in this ship
have been preserved, including those of Charles Belliveau, Charles
Dugas, Denis St. Sceine, Joseph Guilbault, Pierre Gau