In his book, Denys reflected on Port Royal as a prisoner in 1653. 

          “There are numbers of meadows on both shores, and two islands which possess meadows, and which are 3 or 4 leagues from the fort in ascending.  There is a great extent of meadows which the sea used to cover, and which the Sieur d’Aulnay had drained.  It bears now fine and good wheat, and since the English have been masters of the country, the residents who were lodged near the fort have for the most part abandoned there houses and have gone to settle on the upper part of the river.  They have made their clearings below and above this great meadow, which belongs at present to Madame de La Tour.  There they have again drained other lands which bear wheat in much greater abundance than those which they cultivated round the fort, good though those were. All the inhabitants there are the ones whome Monsieur le Commandeur deRazilly had brought from France to La Have; since that time they have multiplied much at Port Royal, where they have a great number of cattle and swine."