his Examination, which he depos'd before Mr. Turner in these words:

"Thomas Jenkins, Captain of the Sloop Industry, being sworn on the Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth & saith, that he sail'd from Boston in the said Sloop Industry bound to Philadelphia, & on Wednesday the 15th Instant about Eleven a'clock in the morning, being about five Miles from Cape May, he was taken by a Spanish Privateer from the Havannah commanded by Don Joseph Hannoteau, mounted with six Carriage Guns & about ten swivels, having on board about forty Men to the best of this Deponent's Judgment. And this Deponent further saith, that there were then in Sight two Ships, three Brigantines, & one Sloop, which he verily believes to be Enemies Vessels, as the said Sloop by which he was taken came from amongst the said Vessels & return'd to them; and that one of the said Ships is a large Ship of upwards of Thirty Guns & has Top Lights & Poop Lanthorns; That he was plunder'd of every thing that was valuable, & then they gave him his Vessel and set him at Liberty. This Deponent further saith, that he saw one of the Brigantines fire upon a Pilot Boat that was about three Miles to the Eastward of this Sloop, & believes she was likewise taken as he saw nothing of her afterwards.

"THOMAS JENKINS.

"Sworn this 17th June, 1748, before me,

"JO. TURNER."

On considering this Deposition the Members present concluded to send an Express to Gov Gooch, with the following Letter:

"Sir:

"PHILADELPHIA, 17th June, 1748.

"I have the honour to acknowledge the Receipt of Yours in. answer to the Council's Letter, by the Express. It was exceeding kind in Your Excellency to dispatch a Messenger so soon to Captain Norbury, & we hope your Letter reach'd him before he went to Sea.

"This afternoon arrived here one Captain Jenkins, who was taken off our Capes, & having made Oath to what pass'd, the Council think the Contents of his Deposition to be of so much Consequence that they have immediately dispatched a Messenger to apprize Your Excellency thereof, that You may give notice to the Vessels which are ready to Sail, & likewise may make Captain Masterson acquainted with the arrival of this fresh Set of Enemies' Privateers. By the Accounts of several Persons who have seen Don Pedro's Ship at the Havanna, the great Ship mention'd in Jenkins' Depositiou must be the same, & the others his Consorts.

"The Council desire me as Eldest Member, in the absence of the

President, to assure Your Excellency of their Respects, in which I most heartily join with them, being very truly,

"Your Excellency's most obedient humb. Servant,

"Gov. GOOCH.”

"THOMAS LAWRENCE.

Another of the same Tenor was sent by Express to Governor Clinton, requesting him to impart the advice to Governor Shirley by the Post, who wou'd be just setting out for Boston on the arrival of the Express at New York.

At a Council held at Philada., Saturday 18th June, 1748.

PRESENT:

The Honoble. ANTHONY PALMER, Esqr., President.

The Minutes of the preceding Council were read & approv❜d. Captain Clymer, in a Sloop bound here from Carolina, having been Chased by a Brigantine in Company with a large Ship, which he believ'd to be Don Pedro, & left his Vessel at Anchor about 18 Miles to the Northward of Cape May, his Examination was order'd to be taken by the Secretary. On this further Intelligence Captain Ballett came into Council, & desir'd the Board wou'd give their advice whether, as the Enemy's force was so strong at the Capes, it wou'd be prudent in him to venture down with the Convoy till he shou'd receive some tidings from the Loo or the Hector, & every one present thought it not safe either for the Convoy or the City that the Captain shou'd go down without some more perfect advices, which were hourly expected by the Intelligence Boats in the Employ of the Province.

Coll Taylor, under whose Command the Batteries were put for the present, produced a Set of Instructions to Mr. John Sibbald, commissionated to be Captain of the Fort, which were read & approv❜d..

The following Paper was presented by Mr. Weiser in Council.

"MEMORANDUM taken the 13th June, 1748.

"Last Night arrived at my House Ganataraykon, Sogogockiather, Achnoara, Kattake, & Sanagaranet, sent by Shikalamy to inform me that a Message from the Six Nations (in the Cajucka to the following purport.

"Brethren & Cousins, You that live on Sasquehanna' River & elsewhere:

"We let You know that our Brethren, the English, have sent a Message to us to inform us that the French had come to live on this side the Lake, & threaten destruction to the Six Nations as well as to the English, & that, therefore, it was requisite our Nation in Concert with the others shou'd take up the English Hatchet and exert themselves against the French. To encourage us, therefore, they gave a large Belt of Wampum made in the shape of a Hatchet, and told us further that the English cried out for help, having suffer'd much by the French. So far the English Message.

"Whilst the Indians were in Council to think on an Answer the English Messengers were very kind, & made Presents of Hatchets & other things to the Women & Children.

"The Council of Cajucka made answer-Brethren, the English: We are surpris'd at what You say. How is it possible that you cou'd be beat before you fought? You hitherto sat still & did nothing but use all the Arts possible to bring us into the War, and then, no doubt, you'd be easy enough; but we once more must return your Hatchet to You, & desire you to fight like Men You are very numerous, and if in Case we shou'd see that the French wou'd be too many for You, we will assist You; but never before You fight like Men.' The Indians return'd the Belt. Upon which the Messenger said that he must acquaint them that their Brethren, the English, wou'd for the future look upon the Indians to be their Enemies & in the French Interest, and the English wou'd use them accordingly. Upon which the English answered Yoh, do After some pause the English Messenger offer'd the Indians a dram, & gave them a large Cask; but the Indians wou'd not taste it, & return'd it; and said: 'Brethren, We have drunk too much of Your Rum already, which has occasion'd our Destruction; we will, therefore, for the future beware of it.' The Indians also order'á the Women & Children to return every thing they had receiv'd as Presents from the said Messenger, which was accordingly done.

so.

"The remainder of the Indian Message is as follows, viz: 'Brethren & Cousins that live on Sasquehanna River: We send You this String of Wampum, and desire you to have your Ears open & be on Your Guard; we also desire You will with all speed carry this our Message from Town to Town until it arrives at Schohonyady. This was accordingly done-the said Message came to Shamokin on the 9th Instant, and the Indians met in Shikalamy's House. It was delivered by a Delaware Indian that lives on Wayȧmuck or Seahantowany. The Indians on Shamokin dispatch'd it immediately to Scohonihady aforesaid, tho' the Sun was just down.

"Shikalamy is sick & like to loose his Eye sight, but said in Council that either some of the Indian or English Messengers must have falsified the Message, for that he could not believe it, &

'

would, therefore, dispatch two of his Sons with two other Indians to let Tharughiawagon know of it, who wou'd soon inform the Indians of the truth of the Matter. I made no other answer, but told the Young People I was of their Father's opinion entirely, & wou'd immediately set out for Philadelphia, and it was no more than for the Council of Philad to write to the Governor of New York to enquire whether the above Message was his own or not, & the Truth wou'd soon come out.

"CONRAD WEISER."

Adjourn'd to 4 o'Clock in the Afternoon to consider the above, & Conrad Weiser is order'd to attend.

P. M

PRESENT:

The same Members as in the forenoon.

Mr. Weiser's Paper was again read, & on mature Consideration thereof a Letter to Governor Clinton was drawn up in these words, & the President requested to Sign it & send it by Express:

"Sir

"The inclos'd Paper which was this Day deliver'd by Mr. Weiser to the Council is deem'd of the last Consequence. If your Messengers really express'd themselves in the manner related by the Cayjuckers, and the Indians think they had Your Excellency's Orders for such Expressions, it is not to be doubted but they will be extremely cautious & watchful of the English behaviour, & perhaps they may think it necessary to advertize the French Governor of this proceeding, & to bespeak his Friendship & Assistance in case the English be as good as their words, and what Change of Councils & Opinions may be brought about among the Indians by such a measure cannot be foreseen. We are certain that 750 Indians, all Inhabitants on the Borders of Virginia, Maryland, & this Province, met a Messenger sent by this Government to Ohio but the last Month, & declar'd that they and as many more were heartily for his Majestie's Subjects against the French at Canada, & waited only the Message from this Province to point out to them in what manner they cou'd do the most Service for the King's Interest. They were presented with Goods amounting to above the Value of Two hundred Pounds, and that only as an earnest of a much larger Present now ready to be sent to them by our Interpreter, Mr. Wei

ser.

It is likewise certain that Jealousies are already rais'd in the minds of Indians who are known to be Friends of the English by this last Message, and shou'd they encrease, we judge it will be exceedingly difficult to quiet their fears, which perhaps wou'd not be of so great moment if it was not known that Indian Fears have as

bad consequences as if they were in actual War. They are at least thereby put upon consulting & siding with every body that may strengthen them against those People of whom they are afraid. May not this proceedure, if real, throw them into the Measures of the French Governor, and if the Messengers did use such Expressions & were not authorized to do so, will it not become absolutely necessary to set the Indians right? if they were authorized to declare War (for this is little else), shou'd not the Governments to the Southward of New York be duly apprized of this Step that they may be prepar'd? If Your Excellency will be pleas'd to furnish the Council with Your Instructions to the Persons sent to the Six Nations, & with the relation they gave to Your Excellency of what pass'd between the Six Nations & them, the Board from thence may be enabled to give a proper answer to the Indians at Shamokin & the other Tribes that Live on & near the Borders of this Province.

"This Board has a high Sense of your Excellency's regard for every thing that can conduce to preserve the Friendship of the Indians or remove ill grounded Jealousies, & therefore write with the utmost freedom, sending a special Messenger that You and Your Council may be immediately inform'd of this important piece of Intelligence, & that the Sentiments of Your Excellency may be convey'd to Us, in order to regulate our Conduct in an Affair of so much Consequence to the Lives of His Majestie's Subjects dwelling in all the Provinces of North America.

"Your Excellency will be pleas'd to observe the Message comes only from the Cajuckers, one of the Six Nations; but notwithstanding this Singularity in the Message, it may be in consequence of a general Resolve of the Council at Onondago, for as this Cajucka Nation claims property in the Lands & authority over the Indians seated on the Waters of Sasquehanna, they think all publick orders shou'd be imparted by them to these Tribes.

"The Indians wait at Mr. Weiser's for his Report, and he is detain'd in Town till Your Excellency's answer by the return of the Express shall arrive.

"I am Your Excell most obed Servant,

"Philada., 18th June, 1748.

"His Excelly Gov CLINTON."

"ANTHONY PALMER.

Mr. Croghan presented to the Board a Narrative of his proceedings at Ohio, with his account of Expences, which was read:

"Brothers of the Six Nations:

"OHIO, April 28th, 1748.

"I am sent here by the Honourable the President & Council of