1.Nova Scotia，or Acadia，as it was called by the French，was settled partly by French and partly by British colonists.When France finally gave up the province to Britain in 1713，the French colonists refused to accept the change of rule.Urged on bya mistaken patriotism，they formed plots withthe Indiansagainst the English，and it was at lastdetermined to remove them to other parts of the British possessions.
2.On the 12th of September 1755，the French villagersof Belisle，near Port Royal，were full of sorrow.Newshad just arrived that they were prisoners of the English king，and that his soldiers would soon arrive to burn the barns and houses，and to carry the people themselves over the seas.Flight to the dark forest seemed their only chance of liberty.
3.Pierre Melancon，the hardy old hunter，was chosen leader；and as soon as darkness came on，the party of three hundred set out on their long march.Theirplan was to cross the mountains to the Bay of Fundy ，where they hoped to find friendly Indians who would convey them across the water to their friends in what isnow called New Brunswick.But illness and starvationsoon played havoc among the party，and many died by the way.
4.Before they reached the sea，winter had set in，and there was no hope of reaching their friends across the bay till spring came.They encamped on the shoreof a small bay，where for months they lived on musselsalone.On the 17th of March，only sixty weak，starved men，out of the band of three hundred，were living to see a canoe come up the cove.In it were two friendly Indians-an old man and a strong lad.They shared what food they had among the poor Frenchmen；but this was all they could do，for they came from a solitary camp.
5.The old Indian’s eyes glistened as he heard
the name of Pierre Melancon.He was led to the hut where the famous old hunter had been lying for weeksstrickenwith illness.
The old Indian seated himself beside him，and，without a word of explanation，said，“You have been across the bay to Chignecto，in a canoe？”
“Ay，twice，”replied Pierre，with a gleam of pride lighting his sunken eyes.
6.“My people and your people are there-many.They would come and take you in canoes if they knew，”said the Indian.
“I have here，”said the Indian，“a good canoe，and my boy is brave and strong.He will paddle the canoe across；but he does not know the course nor the badeddiesin the tide on the other shore.Will the oldhunter go as guide，and keep the canoe from the bad tides？”
7.The old man‘s hands dropped on his knees，his head fell forward on his breast，and there was silence in the hut.At last his old wife said，“Pierre，you will go；your strength may come back.”The old man raised his head，and seeming for the first time to recognize her，he said firmly，“Ay，old wife，it has come back；”then rising to his feet he said to the Indian，“I will go.”And without further words Pierre placed on his head a small cap of otter skin and stepped outside the hut.
8.At the shore they brought him the last food that was in the camp，but he would not take it.
“You must eat to give you strength，”they said.
“I have strength，”he replied，“and I have not eaten for two days.”
Turning to the young Indian he said，“Push off，and get into the bow.”Then he bent down and kissed his wife’s pale face，and seated himself in the stern of the canoe without a word.Under the powerful strokes of the paddles the canoe darted forward like an arrow.
9.Friends，both French and Indian，crowded round the old hunter when he reached the other shore，andgreat was their surprise to learn about the starving party across the bay.The strongest canoe and a large fishing-boat were at once made ready to go to their assistance.Pierre was urged to remain among his friends and rest，but he insisted on returning to rescue his own people.He seated himself in the bow of the boat，and by his side sat the brave young Indian，his companion.
10.The fugitives were on the watch for his return，foremost among them the old hunter‘s wife.Long before the others she caught sight of his broad shoul-ders in the bow of the boat，and she wondered why he did not turn his head to look towards the shore，where they were all waiting for him.The brave young Indian who sat in the bow beside him knew the reason why；he saw the dew gather on the cold pale face，and thedim eyes lose their lustre.He knew that the brave oldhunter had found earth’s final shore，and was at rest at last.
11.A day and a night the rescuers rested，while the starving French settlers were supplied with much-needed food.The next day was fair，and the people were safely carried to the other side of the bay.The spot where they landed is still called Refugee Cove.
