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The commercial spirit that has ever predominated in our good city of St. John evidently goes back to the days of its discovery. Chkoudun lived at "Menagoueche" in his fortified village on Navy Island when Champlain invited him to go with the Sieur de Poutrincourt and himself as guide on a tour of exploration along the coast of New England.

At the expiration of another year, peace having been proclaimed, a sloop came to Menagoueche with ransom for one Michael Coombs, and Gyles at once reminded the Sieur de Chauffours of his promise. That gentleman advised him to remain, offering to do for him as if he were his own child, but Gyles' heart was set upon going to Boston, hoping to find some of his relations yet alive.

The fort was needed to protect French privateers and French commerce. Many English vessels were brought to Menagoueche at this time by the privateersmen Baptiste and Guyon.

A plan in the Marine Archives at Paris, made by Villieu in 1700, shows that "Fort de la Riviere de St. Jean," or Fort Menagoueche, was built at "Old Fort Site," behind Navy Island in Carleton. The general plan was the same as that of Fort Nachouac, but it was considerably larger, nearly 200 feet square.

In consequence of these strong objections to his retirement it was decided by Father Germain's superiors to allow him to remain at his mission. The Abbe de L'Isle-Dieu wrote the French minister, early the next year, that there was neither priest nor chapel at Fort Menagoueche, and that a missionary was needed on the lower part of the river. The situation on the St.

In his letter to the French minister of November 5, 1758, he states that the English were engaged in rebuilding the old Fort at Menagoueche; the Indians of the River St. John had retired with the Rev. Father Germain, their missionary to Canada, where Bigot, the intendant, had provided for their wintering, and the greater part of the Acadians had also retired to Canada.

Villebon was on the alert: he had stationed his ensign, Chevalier, with five scouts at the mouth of the river and on the 4th of October he learned of the presence of the English at Menagoueche.

Twelve blank commissions were sent from Quebec to be issued to those most capable of fulfilling the duties of officers in the militia. At Fort Menagoueche the work did not progress as fast as anticipated. The workmen had no tools except axes, and the Sieur de Gaspe complained that he had not been able to make the soldiers of the garrison work.

John the French had cleared some land on the west side of the harbor, and in Bruce's map of 1761 the places cleared are marked as "gardens," but it is probable that the inhabitants abandoned them and fled up the river in 1755 when their fort, "Menagoueche," was destroyed by Captain Rous. In the year 1756 England declared war against France and the capture of Louisbourg was proposed.

Yet within a year my feet were entirely well, and the nails came on my great toes so that a very critical eye could scarcely perceive any part missing, or that they had been frozen at all." We turn now to the consideration of the state of affairs on the St. John after the removal of the seat of government from Fort Nachouac to Menagoueche and subsequently to Port Royal.