d with ammunition and
supplies and having on board 150 armed men. When the vessel neared
St. John, it was discovered that Charnisay had established a blockade
at the mouth of the harbor and that entrance was impracticable. In
this emergency la Tour resolved to seek aid from the people of New
England, whose trade and friendship he had begun to cultivate. Boston
was then but a straggling village, in its 13th year, with houses
principally of boards or logs gathered around its plain little meeting
house. Eluding the vigilance of the blockading squadron, la Tour and
his wife succeeded in getting safely on board the Clement, and at once
repaired to Boston, where their arrival created some consternation,
for Boston happened to be at that time in a particularly defenceless
position. Governor Winthrop remarked: "If la Tour had been ill-minded
towards us, he had such an opportunity as we hope neither he nor any
other shall ever have the like again." However, la Tour had come with
no ill intent, and after some negotiations, which he conducted with
much skill and discretion, he was allowed to hire from Edward Gibbons
and Thomas Hawkins, four vessels with 50 men and 38 guns. He also
obtained the assistance of 92 soldiers. With these he hurried back to
the relief of his fort. Charnisay was compelled to raise the blockade
and retire to his defences at Port Royal, where he was defeated with
loss by the united forces of la Tour and his allies.

While at St. John, the Bostonians captured a pinnace belonging to
Charnisay, laden with 400 moose and 400 beaver skins; their own
pinnace went up the river to Grand Lake and loaded with coal. This
little incident shows that the coal mines of Queens county were known
and worked more than 250 years ago.

As the struggle with la Tour proceeded Charnisay became more and more
determined to effect the destruction of his rival. La Tour's resources
were nearly exhausted and his situation had became exceedingly
critical. He dared not leave his fort and yet he could not hold out
much longer unaided. His brave wife was equal to the emergency; she
determined herself to go to France for assistance. This was indeed an
arduous undertaking for a woman, but her spirit rose to the occasion,
and neither the perils of the deep nor the difficulties that were to
confront her at the court of France served to daunt her resolute soul.
Fearlessly she set out upon the long and dangerous voyage and in the
course of more t