Castin
(1689-1720).

His full name is Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin (the fourth baron). Such a name conjures up in the imagination a be-wigged aristocrat; for a good part of his short life, however, Castin looked like any one of his mother's family, a wild native of the North American woods: his mother was a full blooded Penobscot, a member tribe of the Abenaki Confederacy1; indeed, she was an Indian princess, Matilda, the daughter of Madockawando (or, as the French called him, Matakando), chief of the Penobscots who died in 1698.2 In present day Maine, one will find a bay and river named after the Penobscots, it is there that they lived. Their principal village was at Pentagouet (the picturesque present day village of Castine). It was at Pentagouet that our hero was born and it was to Pentagouet to which Castin retreated when things got hot for him in his life among the white man. His father, a French officer at Acadia, was of the French aristocracy. Castin was raised by his mother amongst his cousins at Pentagouet; he also spent time with his father who "rigorously trained" him.

Castin, was educated at the Seminary at Quebec where he graduated in 1704 and thereafter sent to France; soon, he was enroled in the army and posted to Acadia. His job was to foment and lead the Indians of Acadia against the New Englanders, but this part of Castin's career was not to last long. At some point, he managed to outfit a ship and went into the same business his future brother-in-law, Morpain, the business of being a privateer. Though young, Castin learned quickly the art of a high seas bandit.

Calling on Port Royal, the only safe port for French privateers on the eastern coast, was to be a regular thing for Castin. At the age of 18, during August of 1707, we find our hero was there at Port Royal when Colonel John March made an abortive attempt to take that French outpost (see my work on this); he played an important role in its defence. When mixing it up with the English raiders in 1707, Castin suffered wounds in the field and was therefore laid up for a period of time. He took advantage of this lull in his life and married Marie Charlotte, the daughter of Louis Damour, the niece of Louise Guyon. He continued to use, as did other privateers, Port Royal as a cruising base and was in and out of Port Royal, trading his much needed English booty at that place. When Nicholson and Vetch captured Port Royal in 1710 Castin was at sea and knew nothing of the English capture (it is doubted that his presence during the 1710 attack would have made much difference in the outcome, as the British in 1710 had an overwhelming force). Port Royal capitulated in the early part of October, 1710, and on the 8th (English date) had taken "Casteen's ketch coming from Passimaquady to Port Royal." Castin had thought he had come home to deliver booty and to winter down with his family, however, much to the joy of the English, Castin and his pirate ship fell into English hands.3

The English determined to send a letter to Quebec, to be borne by an officer, John Livingston. In order to assure the English officer's safety enroute -- two month's travel over territory that was hostile both on account of the winter season and on account of the Indians in between -- Castin was released to go with Livingston together "with three Indian Guides, to carry Letters" to the governor at Quebec.4 In December, Castin popped up in Quebec City, there to spend but a month. (His wife was likely sent by the British out of Port Royal; she gave birth to their first born, a girl, at Quebec in 1711.)