The Fall of the Ste. Sauveur Mission

                The beginnings of the mission appeared so propitious that it is hard to understand the way in which it all turned out in the end. Why would God call them to such a place and then not have it take root? Before beginning this part of the story, we would be wise to remember God’s admonition to Job: “Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?.. Were you there when I made the world? If you know so much, tell me about it.” (Job 38:2-4) In the end, He is God and we are not. He alone understands why all this came to pass.

                The mission had not been undertaken for long and there were already quarrels brewing among the crew. The lieutenant, the drillmaster and other members of the company were convinced they should set immediately to building fortifications. The captain (La Saussaye) instead occupied the whole crew in tilling land for crops. Thus quarrels broke out early on.

While the French were quarreling, the natives spied a ship coming into the harbor. Going out to greet them, they saw they were white men. It had not been long since the founding of the Ste. Sauveur mission and the natives thought they were French looking for the missionaries. They indicated to these men (in signs, gestures and some broken French) that there was a French ship in harbor here. The men were very interested in this, only confirming to the natives that these must indeed be good friends of the missionaries. They asked many questions including how many men were in this settlement, how big their ship was, how many cannons they had, etc. and when the natives had given satisfactory answers to all these questions, the men on the ship let out a joyful cry. The natives were happy to see they had reunited friends.

Meanwhile the colonists back at the settlement noticed this shipped barreling into harbor with full sails. At first they weren’t sure whether the ship was French or not. Gradually their suspicions were aroused, but too late.

At their approach, as it is usual to call upon them to say who they are our people called out in [2341 sailor-fashion their " O O. " But the English did not respond in this tone, but in another far more violent with loud volleys from musket and cannon. They had fourteen pieces of artillery and sixty musketeers, trained to serve on ships, etc., and came to attack us upon the flanks, in front, behind, and wherever there was need, in regular order, as well as foot soldiers do on land.

This was no French ship. This was an English ship captained by Samuel Argall. He had sailed up from Virginia on a fishing expedition and, lost in the fog, found himself on Mt. Desert Island. Blown off course, he and his crew were low on provisions, hungry and dangerous.

The first volley from the English was terrible, the whole ship being enveloped in fire and smoke. On our side they responded coldly, and the artillery was altogether silent.

                Having had little warning, the French ship was ill prepared to defend itself. There was no time to raise the anchor so the ship could escape. Caught unaware and thrown into confusion, there were only ten men left to defend the ship and none who were obeying orders. As Captain Flory cried, “Fire the cannon! Fire!” Br. Gilbert du Thet himself stepped in to defend the ship. “Unfortunately, he did not take aim; if he had, perhaps there might have been something worse than mere noise.”

                While the casualties could have been worse, they were still tragic.

Gilbert du Thet received a musket shot in his body and fell stretched out across the deck. Captain Flory was also wounded in the foot, and three others in other places, which made them signal and [236] cry out that we surrendered, for it was evidently a very unequal match. At this cry the English jumped into their boat to come to our ship. Our men also, misled by bad advice, jumped into theirs with the hope of gaining the shore, for they feared the arrival of the victors. These, however, reached the ship before our men could get away from it, and so they began to yell to them to come back, and, to enforce the order, fired upon them. Frightened at this, two of our men threw themselves into the sea, in order, I believe, to swim to the shore; but they were drowned, either because they were already wounded, or (what seems more probable) because they were struck and wounded in the water.

What became of Br. Gilbert du Thet who so bravely threw himself into a duty that was not his nor was he trained for? Christ answered his prayers and took him home to Himself.

Now as soon as Father Biard learned about Gilbert du Thet’s wound, he sent a request to the Captain to have all the wounded carried on shore; this was granted, and so the said Gilbert had an opportunity to confess, and to bless and praise a just God, full of mercy to the Society of his Brothers; and he died in their arms.

He passed away with great steadfastness, resignation, and devotion, twenty-four hours after he was wounded. He had his wish; for when leaving Honfleur, in the presence of the whole crew, he had raised his hands and eyes to Heaven, praying God that he might never again return to France, but that he might die working for the conquest of souls and for the salvation of the Savages. He was buried the same day at the foot of a large Cross which we had erected when we first went there.

                With the surrender of the ship, the mission was at its end. Fr. Masse and the majority of the crew were allowed to return to Acadia, but the whole crew could not return in one ship. Fr. Biard was taken in the English ship and brought to Virginia. There the destruction of all the French fortifications and settlements north of Cape Breton was decreed and La Saussaye was condemned to be hung. Thus Fr. Biard had to accompany Argall on his return trip to St. Sauveur.

They burned our fortifications and tore down our Crosses, raising another to show they had taken possession of the country and were the Masters thereof. This Cross had carved upon it the name of the King of Great Britain. Also, on account of a conspiracy, they hanged one of their men in the very place where, eight days before, they had torn down the first of our Crosses.

                The missionaries had followed God’s call and brought the Cross of Christ out to the remotest parts of the world. And while the Crosses they put up at Ste. Sauveur were torn down, Our Lady stood by the eternal cross and looked on. Grieved at what had befallen her sons, she prayed for them. But still, her Son thirsted on the Cross. The work was not done, souls remained to be saved. Who would take up the cross, who would satiate His thirst? One hundred years later, Christ called a giant of a man to bring the gospel to the natives in the face of all adversity.