suspecting the Designs of the white People, And were uneasy till they got those who were in the House out to 'em again, and pursued their Journey, which they did the remaining part of that Day; And that Early the next Morning, as they were tying up their Bundles in Order to proceed on their Journey, they heard a great Noise of Horses in the Woods coming toward them, and soon discovered a great Number of White Men on Horseback with fire Arms & Colours flying; On which appearance their Captain order'd them not to fire till they should see what the White Men would do, And that as the White Men came within shot they fir'd at the Indians and killed a Boy who was in the Rear. Then the Captain Order'd them to lay down their Bundles and turn about and fire, which they did accordingly, and some of the white Men dropp'd, particularly the Man who carry'd the Colours; that then they engaged pretty close, insomuch that they did some Execution with their Tomhawks, and after a Sharp Engagement worsted the white Men, and they retreated, having lost ten Men, and the Indians only four besides their wounded; that the Indians carry'd off their Dead & wounded Men a small Distance and made a fire and gave their wounded such Physick as was most suitable, and the next Day went to the place where they had been engaged and found the Dead Bodies of the white Men and their Provisions strew'd upon the Ground, and their Horses grazing by them, and that they stripp'd the Dead Bodies and left them. That after this, upon a Consultation, these Ten Indians were dispatched to the five Nations to give them an Account of the Usage they had met with, and to take Directions for their future Behaviour, with Orders that as there were different Sorts of white People, If they should meet any on the Road they should not meddle with them, least they should by mistake kill any of those who were in friendship with them. And further, that after these Indians were dispatch'd to the five Nations they were pursued by the white People to Patowmeck River, and were obliged to take the River and narrowly escaped them; That when they cross'd the Allegany Path they observed the Tracts of Horses lately gone up that Way, but concluding they belonged to the Pennsylvania Traders they would not pursue them, or in Words to that Effect.

And this Deponent further saith, that this Speech was deliver'd in the Mingo Language and interpreted to him in the Shawna, which he well understands; And that when he, this Deponent, fully understood what had been thus delivered, He addressed himself to the Speaker in the following Manner: "My friend, the Disorders that have happen'd are no ways owing to the People of Pennsylvania. We have always endeavoured to cultivate a good understanding with you, and inviolably observe our Treaties, and are not answerable for what the People of another Province may imprudently do. I therefore hope that you will observe your Treaty of Peace with Pennsylvania and suffer me to remain Safe among You."

Whereupon, one of the Shawna's observed that the white People are all of one Colour and as one Body, and in Case of Warr would Assist one another; That one of the Shawna's asking the Warriors if they had met this Deponent's Men who had been sent out to Chiniotta for Skins, was answer'd by another Shawna Indian that it could not be so, for if they had met them they would have cut them off; That on hearing these Discourses, this Deponent rose up and called out an old Shawna Indian with whom he was best acquainted and took him to his Store, made him a present of two or three twists of Tobacco and desired him to press to the Indians in Council their Treaty of Peace with Pennsylvania, and the ill-Consequences of breaking it in Cutting him off, As this Deponent apprehended he had great reason to fear they intended; That some short Time after, the same Indian call'd this Deponent from his Store and told him that he had offer'd in Council what he had requested, and it was approv'd tho' it seem'd disagreeable to some of the Shawna's; And in a short Time after, this Deponent was inform'd by a white Woman who had been taken Prisoner by the Indians in their Carolina Warr's, That it was left to the Shawna's to deal with him As they pleased, And that they were gone to hold a Council concerning him at some distance from the Town for privacy, And that if he did not make his Escape he would certainly be cut off; Upon which last Information, together with the Observations he had made of their Behaviour, he thought it not safe to trust his Life in their Hands; and notwithstanding a considerable Quantity of Goods which he had carry'd up there to Trade, He determined to withdraw and leave his Effects among them, and accordingly Communicated his designs to his Man, and they came off privately, travelling by Night & Day thro' the uninhabited parts of the Countrey, they apprehended themselves to be out of Danger, being out three Days & three Nights; And further this Deponent Saith not. THOMAS MCKEE.

Taken & Sworn at Philada. the Day & Year above.

And the further Consideration of this Matter is refer'd till toMorrow Morning 10 a'Clock, at which time the Council is to meet.

At a Council held at Philada., Jan" 25th, 1742-3.

PRESENT:

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieuten1 Governor.

The Minutes of the preceeding council were read.

Then the Governor laid before the Board a Message he had pre

pared to be sent to the Assembly, relating to the Information given by Thomas McKee, which being approved, is order'd to be transcrib'd and sent to the House, & is as follows:

"Gentlemen

"As the safety of our back Inhabitants in particular, & the quiet of the Province in general, may be affected by the late unhappy Action between some of the Inhabitants of the upper part of Virginia and a Party of Indians of the Six Nations, I think it highly Proper as you are now sitting to lay the Matter so far as it had yet come to my Knowledge before you, and I have therefore order'd my Secretary to deliver to you a Copy of Thomas Mc' Kee's Deposition taken Yesterday in council. I cannot learn that in the March of these Indians through our Settlements they offer'd any violence, from whence and from their long approved ffaith in Treaties I am the less apprehensive of their intending any thing in Violation of that held here the last Summer. But of the Shawna's I am far from entertaining the same favourable Sentiments (although they likewise have received considerable presents from us, & are bound to us in a League of friendship) as they are known to have a Strong attachment to the ffrench, to be a perfidious people, and to have render'd themselves justly to be suspected by their Behaviour in many Instances, as well as in the present with regard to M'Kee.

"To prevent the flame from spreading Wider, I proposed to dispatch a Messenger to Conrad Weiser, the Province Interpreter, with Directions to proceed forthwith to Shamokin, and there to take the most proper Measures for giving the Indians of the six Nations, and all others in Alliance with Us, the Strongest Assurances, in my Name, of the continuance of our friendship so long as they shall maintain it on their Parts, tho' I confess it will be a very nice Affair should they, in the prosecution of their Revenge, attempt to pass thro' the inhabited Parts of this Province to make War on our fellow-Subjects of Virginia. I doubt not of your giving the proper Orders to the Treasurer for defraying what Expences shall be incur'd on this occasion.

"As I am likewise inform'd that this accident had render'd the Inhabitants on the other side of Sasquehannah extremely uneasy, & Jealous of all Indians, I shall endeavour to quiet their Mind, and forbid them offering Violence to any unless it shall become absolutely necessary in their own Defence.

"January 25th, 1742-3."

Then was read a second Time the Bill for the better securing the Peace at Elections, & Whereunto sundry Amendments were proposed and agreed to, and Ordered to be sent to the House with the Bill.

The Bill for vesting the Province Island in Trustees, &t., was

read the second Time, and sundry amendm' proposed thereto, and the Bill is committed to Mr. Plumsted for further Amendment.

The Bill for the more Easy recovery of Legacys, &t., was also read the second Time, and one Amendment being made thereto, was committed to Mr. Assheton for further Amendment.

At a Council held at Philada., Janry. 26, 1742-3.

PRESENT:

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor.

Clement Plumsted,

William Till,

Robert Strettell,

Ralph Assheton,
Abraham Taylor,

Esqrs.

Mr. Plumsted, in pursuance of the Directions of Yesterday, Reported sundry Amendments to the Bill for vesting the Province Island in Trustees, &t.

Mr. Assheton, in pursuance of the Directions of Yesterday, Reported one Amendment to the Bill for the more easy recovery of Legacys. Which was approved of.

Sundry Amendments were proposed to the Bill for imposing a Duty on Persons convicted of heinous Crimes brought into this Province, &t., and agreed to, and order'd to be transcribed in Order to be sent to the House with the Bill.

The Governor then laid before the Board a Draught of a Letter he had made to be sent Conrad Weiser, touching our present Circumstances with the Indians of the six Nations, in these Words, Viz:

"Mr. Weiser :

"Philad Jan 26th, 1742-3.

"I hoped that our last Treaty with the six Nations would have made Us easy for some Time to come as to all Indian Affairs, but you will see by the inclosed Deposition, made before me in Council by Thomas M'Kee, that if things are not prudently managed we may chance to be involved in the Consequences of their resentment against the People of Virginia. McKee's Account is the Indian side of the Story, who have no doubt been Artful enough to make their own Cause as good as they could; but some White People lately come down from Lancaster, & who say they had it from some that live near the Place where the Action happen'd, tell Us that altho' the Indians behaved very peaceably in their Journey through Pennsylvania, so soon as they got into Virginia they fell to killing the Inhabitants' Cattle & Hogs, and Shot one Man's Mare, and by that Means were themselves the Occasion of the Misfortune which follow'd. They add further, that the Virginia Cap' upon his Ap

proach to the Indians hung out a White flag, in order to a Parley with them, but they fir'd & kill'd him & some of his Men before one Shot was fir'd by his party. I shall not take upon me to determine which of the Accounts is the truest, but as I have received a short Letter from Shick callamy's Son, desiring my Advice in the Case, and it is my Duty not only to preserve peace in my own Government, but to be the Instrument, as far as lyes in my power, of restore it to any other of his Majestie's Subjects, I desire that you will forthwith proceed to Shamokin, and there Concert Measures with Shick Calamy to inform the six Nations, the Shawnees, and all the Indians that are in Alliance with Us, that we shall continue to be faithful to our Treatys with them so long as they observe them on their parts, that we are extremely sorry for the Accident that has happen'd, that we wish the six Nations would rather endeavour to accomodate the Matter with the Governor of Virginia in an Amicable Way than make the breach wider by having recourse to Arms, and that I shall be glad to contribute all I can to bring it about. These are my Sentiments; but as you are well acquainted with Indian affairs in General, and are now as fully informed of this particular as I am, I leave it to your own Judgement how far it may be proper for You as our Agent to proceed in it. I think it not improper to observe to you, by the by, that it will be a very nice affair should the Indians attempt to pass through any of the inhabited parts of this Province to make War upon our fellow Subjects in Virginia. They will expect provisions, &t., as usual from the Inhabitants, and if they are denied them, which it will be the Duty of every Man in that Case to do, it is not improbable but they may resent it in their usual Barbarous manner, and force Us into the War too. I wish it were safe to forbid them from passing through our Settlements in any of their Wars to the Southward. What is the Reason the Six Nations have not returned an Answer to the Maryland Invitation to a Treaty? It does not look well. I do not doubt but our back Inhabitants are very much alarmed at the late unhappy Skirmish in Virginia, and I am not without Apprehensions of their falling upon some of the Indians as they did once before; but it will be very much in your power to quiet their Minds by informing them of our late Treaty with the six Nations, and that there is not the least reason to apprehend any Injury from them or any other Indians at this Time.

"I think I need not say any thing more to you who know_so much, but that I will do all I can to procure you an handsome Reward for the Trouble and ffatigue you must necessarily undergo in the prosecution of this Matter at this Bad Season of the Year.

"I am Your very sincere ffriend & well Wisher.

"P. S. Since I wrote the foregoing I have received an Answer to a Message I sent to the Assembly which is now sitting on the Occasion, and they not only agree to what I proposed, Of giving